5). Devizes Gazette and Herald Thursday June 23 2005
Revellers enjoy place in the sun
THERE was peace and love `60s
style in the air at Avebury on Monday and Tuesday as hundreds converged on the
ancient stone circle to celebrate the Summer Solstice.
In contrast to the thousands who turned up at Stonehenge, the gathering at
Avebury was lower key and very friendly.
Villagers said everything went smoothly and there was no trouble at all, thanks
in part to the large police presence that kept traffic moving.
Some revellers were in for a shock, however, when they returned to their cars
parked on roadside verges to find they had been towed away by police.
Although the tourist car park was full with revellers, some of whom were
camping there, coach loads of visitors coming to view
the Sarsen stones still turned up, but locals said
that, all in all, it was quieter than a usual summer weekend.
Avebury Primary School closed for two days instead of its customary one. Headteacher Debra Tomlinson said: "We always close for
a day at Solstice to avoid frustration of parents trying to get their children
to school and so that we don't add to the chaos. This year, because Solstice
fell on a Tuesday morning, we decided it was more sensible to take the two days
rather than have parents bring their children in for one day."
16491/24 PIC1
Sun rises on a perfect day
VILLAGERS and revellers at the
Summer Solstice in Avebury enjoyed a peaceful start to the Longest Day but
the invasion still prompted some minor niggles on Tuesday.
The revellers arrived in force and took over the village's car park, which left
some locals seething. But the actual celebrations went off in an atmosphere of
peace and good nature.
Brian and Angela Sumbler at Avebury Antiques were in
the thick of it but said how peaceful it was. Mrs Sumbler
said: "It was absolutely brilliant. There was no trouble at all and the
atmosphere was so friendly. Apart from keeping our customers away over the
weekend, there were no problems from our point of view at all.''
Heather Peak-Garland, who also lives in the centre of the village, said:
"Quite honestly it has been perfect, one of the quietest weekends I've
known for years.
"The police presence does make a difference. The bobbies
on the bikes were certainly keeping the traffic moving.''
Druids were as happy about the event as the residents. Tim Sebastian, an
antiques restorer from Bath whose claim to fame is being the first to be
arrested at the Battle of the Beanfield, near
Stonehenge, 20 years ago, said he prefers to celebrate the Solstice at Avebury.
He said: "Avebury has a specialness of its own. For a start, it is 3,000
years older than Stonehenge. The rituals are beautiful.''
But duty as an Arch Druid meant Mr Sebastian had to travel to Stonehenge for
the Solstice. He said: "I feel sad that it is so chaotic there. The Druids
fought all those years so that the ordinary people could have their day in the
sun at Stonehenge, but who is going to fight for the Druids to have their day
in the sun?''
Druids were not entirely popular among some of the revellers. Piers Miller,
from Camden, north London, said: "It's like being back in school. The
Druids keep telling you not to do stuff. Like don't lean on the stones. They've
been here 4,000 years. Me leaning on them is not going to do them any harm.''
As the sky began to lighten, people started to move to the eastern ridge of the
circle to greet the first rays of the sun. Music from guitars and flutes
floated over the still, quiet air as the moment came closer.
Terry Dobney, the Keeper of the Stones, spoke to the
assembled multitude before Orionmoon, head of the Order of the Wickan (should have said Order Of Orion), carried out a Pagan ceremony.
From then on, people began to drift off and by midday Avebury had virtually
returned to normal, its car park handed back to tourists paying full price for
its services rather than the free use granted to revellers after negotiations
among members of the Sacred Sites Forum.
The group, comprising representatives of the National Trust, which owns the
site, Wiltshire Constabulary, Pagans and Druids, had arranged that the car park
could be used on a donation-only basis during the Solstice, which has not pleased
the parish council.
Jenny Baldrey, chairman of Avebury Parish Council,
said that negotiations will continue with the National Trust over this bone of
contention.
She also welcomed the peaceful way that the Solstice was celebrated. "If
it wasn't for the police our parish would have been overwhelmed," she
said.
One visitor from Swindon put it more forcefully. She said: "How can the
National Trust and the police justify these travellers taking over the only car
park in Avebury when it is now impossible for local people to get anywhere near
the village?"
"Even the usual tour buses were being forced to put down their passengers
in a dangerous position because they could not access the car park
either."
