Dolmen site is damaged by large number of visitors

Dolmen site is damaged by large number of visitors

Areas at Faldouet dolmen in St Martin have been roped off after amateur archaeologists were called in to examine the site, which is owned by the Société Jersiaise.

The organisation believes the damage has been caused by visiting coach parties of more than 50 people at a time. The worst affected areas are ground banks which are being used as vantage points to take photographs.

Clare Cornick, the history society’s secretary, said as the site is not manned by staff and is freely open to the public they have no control over the numbers of visitors.

‘The damage was only recently brought to our attention so we have had to put in measures to stop it by fencing off the worst areas,’ she said.

‘We don’t want to stop people visiting the site but we need to discourage people from walking across certain areas.’

La Pouquelaye de Faldouet, to give it the correct name, is a Neolithic passage grave built around 6,000 years ago. It consists of a passage leading into an unusual double chamber.

The dolmen is still open to the public but the Société is anxious to speak to tour operators that it believes are regularly bringing large groups of visitors to the small site, which cannot cope with such numbers.

Banks of earth around the passage grave which contain archaeological evidence are being eroded by the excessive footfall and stones have been disturbed inside the dolmen, they say.

The Société’s archaeological section fenced off the worst-affected areas last week and also put up signs asking people to respect the site and for tour groups to contact them before making visits.

As the dolmen is a site of special interest permission had to be obtained from Planning before the protective measures could be put in place.

Hedges and undergrowth around the site are also being cut back to make more space for people to take photographs.

Archaeological section committee member John de Carteret said that having made inquiries with local tour guides he suspects the visits are being arranged by groups from outside the Island.

‘We have had reports from residents of the area that organised parties are being dropped off and picked up by vehicles with foreign registration plates,’ he said.

‘The Société Jersiaise are attempting to identify who is operating these tours and when they want to visit the site.’

Anyone with information is asked to call 758314.

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