Druids Loose Appeal for Return of Stonehenge Ancestors

Fighting a Ministry of Justice decision permitting scientists at Sheffield University to retain the human remains exhumed in 2008, King Arthur Pendragon of the Stonehenge Druids took his appeal to the High Court requesting the remains be reburied immediately.

His bid was rejected at a hearing in London today by Mr Justice Wyn Williams who refused to award King Arthur permission to launch a judicial review action, ruling that there was insufficient evidence to show that the Ministry of Justice might have acted unreasonably.

The remains were removed from the Aubrey Hole burial site at Stonehenge in 2008 with ministers granting permission for the bones of more than 40 bodies, thought to be at least 5,000 years old, to be examined at Sheffield University until 2015.

Arthur stated that he did not believe the bones would ever be returned to the site, and that his views were not being taken into account. His allegations were denied by the Ministry of Justice.

Talking before the hearing, Arthur said: "If we don't  force them to put them back, they're going to end up in Salisbury museum.  I know that for a fact, and I'm not prepared to stand around and wait for them to come up with other excuses."

Arthur vowed to continue his fight to have the remains reburied. He called for a "day of action" at Stonehenge on Monday, which he said would be three years to the day since the remains were removed.


Sources:
BBC News Wiltshire 23 August 2011
The Guardian Online 23 August 2011

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