King's Men circle attacked with yellow paint

Issued by the Sacred Sites project, 2 April 2004

Yellow gloss paint, spattered over stones of the King's Men circle in the early morning of 1st April, was found by a member of a geo-phys team on reporting for work. Spatters occur all round the circle, some stones spattered on both sides. Rollright Stones management is seeking advice on removing paint from limestone. Additionally, the paint is partly over the oldest measured lichen colony in the UK.

Can it really be that somebody saw this kind of vandalism as appropriate for a mindlessly destructive 'April Fool' joke? Or is it an attack on the site itself or the people who care for it?

The rise of public interest in prehistoric heritage and religion should give a degree of protection to such monuments - especially at this, one of the most loved and best cared for Sacred Sites in the UK.

Rollright members are seeking any clues to who might be responsible, and why. Please contact the sacred sites project if you have any information, or contact Rollright directly.

Images of some of the vandalism are available at wyrdswell.co.uk/rollright/damage/ and via the Megalithic Portal.