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Stone circle lies in ruins
AN ANCIENT stone circle thought to be more than 4,000 years old has been destroyed.
The historic site in woodland north of Scarborough owned by the Queen was scheduled as an ancient monument by English Heritage in March.
Residents of nearby Cloughton have discovered that the rocks and stones have been moved.
Some of the 30 stones from the Bronze Age hut circle and iron working site in Cloughton Woods have been disturbed. Others which made up the circle are nowhere to be seen.
Attempts have been made to re-create a stone circle, but the design of the original has not been followed.
Margery Parkinson, co-author of A Story of Cloughton, is dismayed by the historic vandalism on Duchy of Lancaster land.
She said: "It is part of the story and heritage of Cloughton. It shouldn t have been destroyed like that."
The woodland has been closed since February as part of foot and mouth restrictions. It s not clear whether forestry work in that area was carried out before or after the monument was scheduled.
Andrew Argyle, surveyor for the Duchy of Lancaster estate, said: "We take this very seriously. I have inspected the site with one of the tenant farmers nearby who is something of a historian. I have also spoken to contractors about it."
Some of the rocks which make up the stone circle have been scarred. The rocks are too large to be moved by hand and it would take machinery to lift them.
English Heritage s inspector of ancient monuments Keith Emerick said it is a criminal offence to disturb scheduled monuments.
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Weather for Scarborough
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Light snow
Temperature: -0 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 28 mph
Wind direction: South
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Sunny spells
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