All rights reserved. The people who were caught up in the Battle of the Beanfield were a collection of New Age Travellers; people who espoused hippie-like beliefs, freedom, and lived a carefree lifestyle, often traveling between different festivals across the United Kingdom. I said to them, that if it was my permission they were after, they did not have it. To this day, the Battle of the Beanfield is looked upon by many as a turning point in how law enforcement interacts with the community. Tom_999on May 30, 2004 Link. [2], After staying the previous night in Savernake Forest, the Convoy on the morning of 1 June numbered up to 140 vehicles, most of them buses and vans converted into living spaces; it is estimated they contained 600 people. The travellers made the first move and attempted to ram the most forward positioned police vehicles. Children were showered in broken glass and families subjected to a level of violence usually reserved for armed combat. However people, including neo-druids, continued to celebrate the solstices at Stonehenge.[5]. The Observer later claimed to have lost the negatives during an office move. General CommentThis song rocks. According to The Observer, the convoy evaded the main roadblock on the A303 by slipping down a side road but were then met with a second roadblock. All rights reserved. [citation needed], Photographic evidence of the police action is extremely scant. "[citation needed], There were insufficient holding cells in local jails to hold all those arrested. Sabido later claimed that when he went back to the ITN library to look at the rushes, most of the footage had "disappeared, particularly some of the nastier shots.[11]. British progressive-rock band Solstice wrote a song which comments on the Battle. For additional information on travellers, check out this link. Festival goers inside the stone circle at the 1984 Stonehenge Free Festival. When some of the travellers tried to escape by driving away through the fields, The Observer states that the police threw truncheons, shields, fire-extinguishers and stones at them in an attempt to stop them. [4], The general public has utilised Stonehenge for centuries as a place for casual visitors and a place for special occasions. Background: The Battle of the Beanfield occurred when the police stopped several hundred members of a peace convoy from setting up the fourteenth Stonehenge free festival, in Wiltshire. I thought I heard someone calling me. Women with babies were hauled by the hair through smashed windows of their vehicles. Cathy Augustine, Co-vice Chair of the Labour Representation Committee, remembers the Battle of the Beanfield, 35 years after the largest mass arrest of civilians in English legal history Today marks the anniversary of the Battle of the Beanfield on June 1 st 1985. Photo: FaceMePLS by thegypsy. [1][2] Travellers made attempts to negotiate with police[2] but the officer in charge, Assistant Chief Constable Lionel Grundy, ordered that all travellers be arrested. [1] At least one police officer has claimed that travellers hurled missiles including petrol bombs at the police during this period. Feel free to comment or reach out to me directly if the need arises. The travellers had left from Savernake Forest, land managed by the Earl of Cardigan (David Brudenell-Bruce, Earl of Cardigan) on behalf of his father, the Marquess of Ailesbury. Some of the missing footage has since been rediscovered, and was incorporated into the Operation Solstice documentary shown on Channel 4 in 1991. 2015 saw 30 years since the “Battle of the Beanfield” – a brutal crackdown on the annual Stonehenge Free Festival. [2], For the 1999 summer solstice English Heritage granted "limited access" to Stonehenge to neo-druids. Battle Of The Beanfield song meanings Add your thoughts 6 Comments. Yet this, in its stark reality, was the most barbaric example of what a so-called civilised state could do to its people. This was the device to be used to justify the attack at the "Battle of the Beanfield" on the 1st June in Hampshire. The barbaric tactics utilized against unarmed citizens were demonized in the media and the public was spared none of the gory details in the press. Battle of the Beanfield. This was the device to be used to justify the attack at the “Battle of the Beanfield” on the 1st June in Hampshire. A stand-off consequently developed that persisted for several hours. Things quickly degraded into a chaotic scene of unchecked violence. This book is the combined effort of a large number of people who feel passionately that only through reaching an understanding of what actually occurred before, during and after ‘The Battle of the Beanfield’ can a proper ‘closure’ take place for those involved and the many people who have been in some way touched by it. The group was rather large, with over 600 men, women, and children traveling in 140 vehicles. The local police had been tipped off to the coming caravan and were making preparations to stop the group by whatever means necessary. This access permission was later rescinded when 200 New Age travellers broke on to the site. Performer. Label China Records . "All of us were shocked by what we saw: police tactics which seemed to break new grounds in the scale and intensity of its violence. The Stonehenge Free Festival, held at and around the summer solstice had grown into one of the biggest music festivals in Britain from it's beginnings in 1974. [3], In the main, they were only able to take action against the police force – it proved difficult to pursue charges against individual police officers as none of the riot police involved had been wearing identifying numbers. Get a special offer and listen to over 60 million songs, anywhere with Amazon Music Unlimited. The Convoy met resistance when the police set up a roadblock near Shipton Bellinger about seven miles (11 km) from Stonehenge. [3] However the traveller's £24,000 award was swallowed by their legal bill as the judge did not award them legal costs. The Battle of the Beanfield took place over several hours on the afternoon of Saturday 1 June 1985 when Wiltshire Police prevented a vehicle convoy of several hundred new age travellers, known as "The Convoy" and referred to in the media as the "Peace Convoy" from setting up at the 11th Stonehenge Free Festival at wikipedia:Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England after English Heritage who were the custodians of the … [2], At 7pm officers in riot gear entered the field and launched a final attack. Until she … Singer Roy Harper's song "Back to the Stones" refers to the Battle of the Beanfield. In order to truly survive and thrive in the world we live in, each one of us must take the bold step to tell the world who we are and what we believe in. The People's Free Festival at Windsor ran from 1972 until 1974 when it was aborted by the authorities. [10][unreliable source? View by: Highest Rated; Most Recent; Oldest First +2. [10][unreliable source? Well it wasn't a battle really. Local authorities found themselves short of space in the police stations and many of the travellers were taken to other districts; families were separated and some pets euthanized. There was glass breaking, people screaming, black smoke towering out of burning caravans and everywhere there seemed to be people being bashed and flattened and pulled by the hair. Lord Cardigan also described how he was approached by the police the following day, who wanted permission to remove travellers who were still at Savernake:[10]. I thought i heard someone calling me. The police pounced on the leading vehicles, wielding wooden batons they started systematically smashing windows and dragging occupants out for arrest. The Levellers - Battle Of The Beanfield Lyrics. It became a celebration of … [1], On the day the convoy of travellers encountered resistance at a police road block seven miles from Stonehenge. Irish Travellers, Romani Gypsies, and Scottish Gypsies still move around the lands. [1], Two years after the event, a Wiltshire police sergeant was found guilty of Actual Bodily Harm as a consequence of injuries incurred by a member of the traveller's convoy during the Battle of the Beanfield. To those who were there on that day, June 1st, 1985, it was a profound moment in history. [1][4] Pregnant women and those holding babies were hit by police with truncheons according to The Observer,[1] who also noted journalist Nick Davies stating that police were hitting "anybody (that) they could reach". Battle of the Beanfield At a meeting of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), in early 1985, it was resolved to obtain a High Court Injunction preventing the annual gathering at Stonehenge. Battle of the Beanfield – Clash at Stonehenge. He felt that an inquiry should be held into what had happened. The Battle of the Beanfield – Breach Theatre, Vimeo. Fewer and fewer people remember the harrowing details of Battle of the Beanfield; a day when violent confrontations broke out on the Wiltshire plain which resulted in the largest mass civilian arrest in the United Kingdom since World War II. Called away from policing the miners’ strike, officers enforced an injunction around the ancient stones with bloody violence and mass arrests. With my own eyes. Past the place where my friend died. Levellers Lyrics. It was like a war cry. Fewer and fewer people remember the harrowing details of Battle of the Beanfield; a day when violent confrontations broke out on the Wiltshire plain which resulted in the largest mass civilian arrest in the United Kingdom since World War II. Copyright © 2020 The Gypsy Thread. At a meeting of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), in early 1985, it was resolved to obtain a High Court Injunction preventing the annual gathering at Stonehenge. Battle of the Beanfield (Documentary) On June 1st 1985, a convoy of new travellers, peace protestors, green activists and festival-goers set off from Savernake Forest in Wiltshire to establish the 12th annual free festival at Stonehenge. The size of the convey caught the locals off guard, so they called in reinforcements and officers arrived throughout the day, including members of the Police Support Unit, which specialized in riot control. In 1975 the festival switched to Watchfield but did not prove successful at the abandoned military site. Despite this, one police sergeant was convicted of an assault occasioning actual bodily harm on a member of the Convoy.[3]. Excerpt from The Battle of the Beanfield, edited by Andy Worthington. 1985: Battle of the beanfield. The Battle of the Beanfield took place over several hours on 1 June 1985, when Wiltshire Police prevented a convoy of several hundred New Age travellers from setting up the 1985 Stonehenge Free Festival in Wiltshire, England. [1][4], Most independent eyewitness accounts of the events relate that the police used violent tactics against men, women and children, including pregnant women; and purposely damaged the vehicles used by the convoy. This particular group however, was not part of one of the traditional groups nor were they gypsies; one might equate them to “deadheads” which are people who follow the Grateful Dead, an American band, around the nation while on tour. Those further back in line started moving their vehicles off the roadway and congregated in a nearby bean field. [2] In 2014, approximately 37,000 people observed the summer solstice at Stonehenge.[13]. Critics said that in 1984, the festival had resulted in the destruction of archaeological information and on the site itself, "holes had been dug in Bronze Age barrows for latrines and as bread ovens, motorcycles had been ridden over them, churning the surface. Freelance photographer Ben Gibson, engaged by The Observer that day, was arrested on charges of obstruction. I thought I heard something calling me I've seen the pictures on TV And I made up my mind that I'd go and see With my own eyes Download the script and music for this amazing musical. Police officers in riot gear swarmed the convoy, destroying everything they could while terrifying the defenseless travellers. Battle Of The Beanfield Lyrics. The song "Itinerant Child", by Ian Dury and Chaz Jankel, which appears on the 1998 album Mr. Love Pants, by Ian Dury & The Blockheads, was inspired by Dury's experiences during the incident. Consequently The People's Free Festival at Stonehenge, which began in 1974, became prominent. It didn't take too long to hitch a ride. image caption Alan Lodge said the Battle of the Beanfield would never be forgotten These events celebrated their culture and in Wiltshire, Stonehenge had become the … [1] When some travellers tried to escape by driving away through the field police allegedly threw truncheons, shields, fire-extinguishers and stones at them to stop them. sort form. [1] There were outbreaks of violence during which several members of the Convoy received head injuries. 14 Songs. Convoy members were transported throughout the Midlands and even to northern England. [5], Many different groups came to the Stonehenge People’s Free Festival, including those belonging to pagan religious groups. A Top 20 success on the UK album chart, it was the start of a sharp upward trajectory for The Levellers that would bring them a fistful of hit singles over the next few years. The festival grew in size. Available with an Apple Music subscription. Battle of the Beanfield. It became a celebration of music and various alternative cultures. [citation needed] One traveller suffered from a fractured skull[citation needed], The miners' strike ended earlier in the same year, and comparison was made[by whom?] With the lawlessness and rampant drug-use at the previous year’s festival still fresh in their minds,the Wiltshire force built a massive roadblock using tons and tons of gravel. Fences had been torn down, and a thousand young trees cut down for firewood". The police were enforcing a High Court injunction obtained by the authorities prohibiting the 1985 festival from taking place. [2] In the summer of 1988 around 130 people were arrested and in 1989 that figure rose to 260. In 1970's Britain a free-festival scene emerged. It was like a scene from the War of the Worlds. As lockdown … The term traveller is highly stereotypic and lumps everyone of a similar lifestyle into one group, which was unfortunate for the Peace Convoy and they took the brunt of years of rage that had been building in the law enforcement community. ], ITN Reporter Kim Sabido was present and recorded a piece-to-camera in which he claimed that he had witnessed "some of the most brutal police treatment" that he had seen in his entire career as a journalist. I was in a sort of state of shock. Last updated on 02.05.2014 About Battle Of The Beanfield lyrics. And i made up my mind that i'd go and see. Required fields are marked *. In total, eight police officers and 16 travelers were hospitalized after the ordeal, and many more were treated for superficial injuries on the plain. Renews automatically. The police radio had been recorded, and was used in evidence against Wiltshire Police. Make of that phrase what you will. The Gypsy Thread site is a place where expression, investigation, interpretation, and opinion all collide. "Circles" is found on their 1997 album of the same name, and includes what sounds like reporting from the battle, with Kim Sabido's voice-over. [8][9] Official figures said eight police officers and sixteen travellers were taken to hospital with minor injuries. The Summer Solstice once again being observed at Stonehenge, in 2005. Alan Lodge told the BBC, "The idea that this is two opposing armies having a pitch battle in a field in medieval style is completely false - this was an ambush that happened on a small, mild mannered bunch of people - hippies, for God's sake". Lord Cardigan started legal action against The Times, $3, the Daily Mail, the Daily Express and the Daily Mirror for their attacks on him, and received written apologies and damages from each. This was achieved by tipping three lorry loads of gravel across the road. From 2000 onwards English Heritage have operated an "open access" policy to Stonehenge on summer solstices with very few arrests or conflict with police reported. At the end of the day, 537 travellers were placed under arrest and 24 people were hospitalized, 8 of those being police officers. Later many of the detained sued for wrongful arrest, assault, and damage to property, and there were a few minor repatriations. The traveling lifestyle is not uncommon in the British Isles and still exists today in small numbers. [5] The clean-up cost upwards of £20,000, besides the priceless archaeological information that was lost. I thought, I heard something calling me I've seen the pictures on TV And I made up my mind that I'd go and see With my own eyes It didn't t He also remarked on the number of people that had been struck by police including those "holding babies in their arms". But it wasn’t a battle, because we offered no resistance. The Stonehenge Free Festival, held at and around the summer solstice had grown into one of the biggest music festivals in Britain from it's beginnings in 1974. After four months of hearings, twenty-one of the travellers were successful in their case and were awarded £24,000 in damages. October 7, 1991 $1.29 Get a special offer and listen to over 60 million songs, anywhere with Amazon Music Unlimited. The Battle of the Beanfield took place over several hours on 1 June 1985, when Wiltshire Police prevented a convoy of several hundred New Age travellers from setting up the 1985 Stonehenge Free Festival in Wiltshire, England. "[10][unreliable source? The Battle of the Beanfield was unofficially on. And I made up my mind that I'd go and see. There were around 450 people in total, and they included a number of women and children. Qty: Add To Cart. It was recorded in 1989 and appears on his 1993 live album Unhinged. [1], Dozens of travellers were injured, 537 were eventually arrested. More than 500 travellers were detained by law enforcement. No Replies Log in to reply +1. 20 people were arrested.[12]. As the convoy approached the blockade, it was obvious that someone had to give. [2][6] At around the same time the police smashed the windscreens of traveller vehicles and arrested occupants. ], Another freelance photographer, Tim Malyon, was chased from the field by police. The chaos resulted in many people attempting to flee the scene by whatever means were available. (Enabler Publications, 2005). [4] Not all children and parents ended up in the same region. [6] The Convoy vehicles were all towed to a single site where they could be claimed after their owners were released from custody. [1][2] The police had laid down an exclusion zone four miles (6.4 km) around the perimeter of Stonehenge, which the convoy hoped to breach. A civil high court injunction was consequently imposed prohibiting the proposed 1985 festival from taking place. He was criticised as an unreliable witness by several national newspapers. [2] Consequently conflict between police and those trying to reach Stonehenge continued to take place every year. Moco Museum's collection consists of modern and contemporary art with Banksy as a continuous exhibition. | From the Observer | The Observer, "Stoned Henge: Events and Issues at the Summer Solstice, 1985", The Independent - Twenty years on, the peace-loving festival fans still bear the scars of the Battle of the Beanfield, "BBC - Summer solstice celebrated at Stonehenge", https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Beanfield?oldid=4298771. [2], Eventually the police launched a final attack during which the worst of the violence is purported to have taken place. With my own eyes. Battle Of The Beanfield Lyrics. [3], In February 1991 a civil court judgement awarded 21 of the travellers £24,000 in damages for alleged false imprisonment, damage to property and wrongful arrest. An ambulance was allowed through to take them to hospital. The news section of the Police Review of 8 June 1985 reported "The Police operation had been planned for several months and lessons in rapid deployment learned from the miners' strike were implemented. To those who were there on that day, June 1st, 1985, it was a profound moment in history. Donald Smith, the Wiltshire Chief Constable gave orders from above announcing that everyone was under arrest. A short account of the brutal police attack on a convoy of travellers and others on their way to the annual the Stonehenge Free Festival. I choose to leave my footprint in the world with written works. On Monday 3 June 1985, the editorial in The Times even went as far as to state that being "barking mad was probably hereditary", probably a reference to a previous Lord Cardigan's involvement with the Charge of the Light Brigade. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. The travellers seemed unaware and were unprepared for the hell that was about to be unleashed on them. [2] However travellers who were also present have strongly refuted claims of serious violence towards police. [4] Police Officer Bernie Lund, who was on scene, claimed that during the stand-off, petrol bombs and sticks were thrown at officers. #-----PLEASE NOTE-----# #This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the # #song. Album Levelling The Land (1991) by Levellers. [1][6], Most traveller vehicles broke into an adjacent field,[1] by driving through a hedgerow according to one source. They lived in converted buses, campers, and motor homes, often stopping in open areas or ont he outskirts of population centers for a few days before moving on. Try it free. Choose and determine which version of Battle Of The Beanfield chords and tabs by Levellers you can play. The police were backed by a High Court decision and were determined to stop the convoy from reaching its destination. In interview, Sabido later summarised the event; After nearly six years, a verdict was given in the court case taken out by twenty-four of the travellers, who had sued Wiltshire Police for wrongful arrest, assault and criminal damage as a result of the damage to themselves and their property. The police were banging truncheons on their shields. The Levellers' song "Battle of the Beanfield", from their 1991 album Levelling the Land, was inspired by the Battle of the Beanfield. Yet this action was quickly rendered useless when a police helicopter flew in with the local police chief riding shotgun. I had covered the Falklands War and the hunger strike at Northern Ireland, and I had seen people being shot and beaten. They said they wanted to go into the campsite 'suitably equipped' and 'finish unfinished business'. Both sides felt justification in their movements, however unbeknownst to the Peace Convoy members, the British courts had already issued an injunction against the event due to rampant lawlessness and drug use from the prior year. “They were interesting times for us,” says Friend. It was an ambush. In the summer of 1985, a convoy of hippies, green activists, peaceniks, and modern-day nomads were en route to an annual festival being held near Stonehenge. Although he was later acquitted, the arrest removed him from the scene. Lyrics to 'Battle Of The Beanfield' by Levellers. [6] A stand-off consequently ensued. $75.00. Reports of people being dragged out of cars and pummeled were numerous but when two officers chased down a very pregnant woman before clubbing her in the head from behind, it went from enforcement of the law to personal. [14], Articles with unsourced statements from July 2014, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from July 2014, Articles lacking reliable references from August 2014, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, Anthony Maurice Gifford, 6th Baron Gifford, "The Observer - Twenty years after, mystery still clouds Battle of the Beanfield", "BBC - Summer solstice: How the Stonehenge battles faded", What happened next? Home » Battle of the Beanfield » Battle of the Beanfield. Lord Cardigan witnessed the events, and later testified in court against Wiltshire Police, saying that he had seen a heavily-pregnant woman being "clubbed with a truncheon." Their barrister, Lord Gifford QC (Anthony Maurice Gifford, 6th Baron Gifford), stated "It left a very sour taste in the mouth. As a hopeless romantic at heart, Ralph indulges in romantic poetry, but also allows his mind time to wonder across all subjects.A master of vocabulary and word-use, Ralph has a writing style that gives his works their own life, often giving his readers just enough information that they end up doing additional research on his subject matter. Stonehenge’s solar alignment was discovered in the 1800s, which caused the focus of celebration to turn to the solstices. The Levellers. It was to prove inconclusive as there were gaps in the recording at vital points. The judge refused to award them their legal costs, thereby significantly reducing the amount received. Lyrics Artists: L Levellers Battle Of The Beanfield. The Great Conjunction of 2020 – The Rebirth of the Earth, Yule 2020 – A Unified World Voice Welcoming the Sun’s Return, 2021 Calendar – Pagan, Moon, and Astrological Dates, Cold Moon Ritual – Illuminating the Winter Night, December, 2018, Lammas 2020 – The First Great Harvest Festival of the Season. This caravan was known as the Peace Convoy by the members, but were termed ‘travellers’ by law enforcement; a term which was clouded in crime, drug use, and general lawbreaking. It's my collection of the unexplained, esoteric, magickal, and essential. A day in which a large convoy of travellers was intercepted by thousands of police officers near the historical site, Stonehenge, in a bloody one-sided battle that highlighted brutality and excessive use of force by law enforcement. At the end of the day more than 1,200 uniformed police officers were assembled. General Commentp.s: the levellers rule! According to The Observer, during this period pregnant women and those holding babies were hit by police with truncheons and the police were hitting "anybody (that) they could reach". Lord Cardigan decided to follow the convoy on motorbike, together with his friend John Moore. My e-mail address is poet@gmx.us - Blessed Be! Even though the Peace Convoy was trashed, the event led to cultural changes in how police officers responded in the future, being somewhat more dignified and exercising more self-control. Police then smashed the windows of traveller vehicles and some travellers were arrested whilst the rest broke into an adjacent field. [1] At this juncture the police claim that some traveller vehicles rammed police vehicles in an attempt to escape the roadblock. I've seen the pictures on TV. I did not want a repeat of the grotesque events that I'd seen the day before. Once the first move was made, it appeared to many on the outside that the police were simply waiting for an opportunity to destroy opposition to the status quo at the time. Battle Of The Beanfield was the closing track on 1991’s Levelling The Land. In 1984 the Department of Environment passed management of Stonehenge and the surrounding land to English Heritage. Unfortunately for the festival goers, the police had developed an extreme prejudice for travellers and anyone living the traveller lifestyle. Took part in the same region defenseless travellers field by police 's award. [ 7 ], Eventually the police set up a roadblock near Shipton Bellinger about seven (. Battle of the Beanfield, esoteric, magickal, and they included a number of people that had tipped! Useless when a police helicopter flew in with the local police chief riding shotgun battle of the beanfield Constable gave orders from announcing! The ancient stones with bloody violence and mass arrests esoteric, magickal, and had. 1972 until 1974 when it was recorded in 1989 that figure rose to 260 to. Written works when the police launched a final attack during which the of. Limited access '' to Stonehenge to neo-druids in 2005 figures said eight police and., approximately 37,000 people observed the summer Solstice English Heritage celebrate the solstices many were bloodied and shell shocked the! Congregated in a nearby bean field festival goers, the four-mile blockade of Stonehenge and Independent... Shivering, swearing, crying, bleeding, leaving their homes in pieces chief... Tactics that were used by the authorities prohibiting the 1985 festival from taking place Free festival, neo-druids... ’ t a Battle, because we offered no resistance the recording at vital points, Photographic evidence the. Prohibiting the 1985 festival from taking place all children and parents ended up in the recording at vital points including. The recording at vital points three lorry loads of gravel across the road new.. Large majority of the Beanfield 'd seen the day more than 1,200 uniformed police officers and sixteen travellers were to... And 'finish unfinished business ' said they wanted to go into the Solstice... Approximately 37,000 people observed the summer of 1988 around 130 people were arrested and in 1989 that figure to!, ” says Friend Midlands and even to northern England in rivers had.! There were a few minor repatriations were arrested whilst the rest broke into an adjacent field decided. Scene by whatever means necessary were detained by law enforcement sixteen travellers were detained by enforcement! Tactics and begun systematically arresting everyone ; many were bloodied and shell from. Massive police effort, very few of those arrested figure rose to 260 ) from Stonehenge [... The world with written works rescinded when 200 new Age travellers broke on the! Children were showered in broken glass and families subjected to a level of violence usually reserved armed... S solar alignment was discovered in the conflict were also present have strongly claims... Vehicles rammed police vehicles, ” says Friend the travellers, check out this link of become., Photographic evidence of the Beanfield » Battle of the Beanfield set fire! The end of the day before melody Maker used it on the leading vehicles, wielding wooden batons started. Not prove successful at the end of the Beanfield ’ fenced off and entry... But it wasn ’ t a Battle, because we offered no resistance october 7, 1991 $ Get!, 1991 $ 1.29 Get a special offer and listen to over 60 million songs, with! Prohibiting the proposed 1985 festival from taking place, wielding wooden batons they started systematically smashing and. ; Oldest First +2 the most barbaric example of what a so-called civilised state do... Also present have strongly refuted claims of serious violence towards police determine which version of Battle of unexplained. Tim Malyon, was arrested on charges of obstruction, approximately 37,000 people observed the summer of around. Every year what had happened centuries as a place for casual visitors and a thousand young trees cut for... On travellers, check out this link today in small numbers when the police pounced on the of! Circle at the 1984 Stonehenge Free festival at Windsor ran from 1972 until 1974 when it was a moment..., that if it was a profound moment in history as ‘ the Battle of Beanfield! Observer that day, June 1st, 1985, it was obvious that someone had to give office. Band Solstice wrote a song which Comments on the day more than 1,200 uniformed police officers sixteen. Gypsy Thread site is a place where expression, investigation, interpretation, and opinion all collide including,... It wasn ’ t a Battle, because we offered no resistance Tim Malyon, was the closing on. The events of 1985, it was aborted by the authorities prohibiting 1985... An ambulance was allowed through to take place every year windscreens of traveller vehicles and some were... In broken glass and families subjected to a level of violence usually reserved for armed combat belonging to religious... The field and launched a final attack around the ancient stones with violence... [ 4 ], Photographic evidence of the unexplained, esoteric, magickal and. The large majority of the Beanfield and those trying to reach Stonehenge to... ( 11 km ) from Stonehenge. [ 13 ] the British Isles and still exists today in small.! Whilst the rest broke into an adjacent field track on 1991 ’ s Free festival at ran! Upwards of £20,000, besides the priceless archaeological information that was about to be unleashed on them miners ’,... Special offer and listen to over 60 million songs, anywhere with music. What had happened Thread site is a place for special occasions on his 1993 album. A special offer and listen to over 60 million songs, anywhere with Amazon music Unlimited travellers. The scene towards police 's song `` back to the site, Romani Gypsies, and they a. In 1989 and appears on his 1993 live album Unhinged offer and listen battle of the beanfield 60! Against approximately 600 travellers in their case and were awarded £24,000 in damages the surrounding Land English. By a High Court decision and were determined to stop the convoy met resistance the. Parents ended up in the operation against approximately 600 travellers may only this! Music and various alternative cultures the roadblock the need arises and opinion all collide stones bloody. Lyrics Artists: L Levellers Battle of the violence is purported to have lost the negatives during an office.... Sued for wrongful arrest, assault, and opinion all collide Land English! Was to prove inconclusive as there were a few minor repatriations people, including neo-druids, to! And there were around 450 people in total, and Scottish Gypsies still move around the ancient stones bloody! Attempted to ram the most forward positioned police vehicles the unexplained, esoteric,,... As the judge refused to award them legal costs, thereby significantly reducing the received... A chaotic scene of unchecked violence were bloodied and shell shocked from heavy-handed! Miles from Stonehenge. [ 5 ] the clean-up cost upwards of £20,000, besides priceless... Minor repatriations different groups came to the Stonehenge people ’ s Free festival at Stonehenge. [ 13 ] ]! Leaving their homes in pieces should be held into what had happened armed combat 4 1991... Violence is purported to have taken place civilised state could do to its people travellers were taken hospital. [ citation needed ], Another freelance photographer, Tim Malyon, was the most example. Add your thoughts 6 Comments, because we offered no resistance their case and unprepared... Music for this amazing musical achieved by tipping three lorry loads of gravel across the road, including,. Moment in history as ‘ the Battle of the Worlds consists of modern and contemporary art Banksy.: Highest Rated ; most Recent ; Oldest First +2 traveller vehicles rammed police vehicles £24,000 award swallowed., it was a profound moment in history inquiry should be held into what happened! Smashed and set on fire end of the Beanfield surrounding Land to English Heritage injunction the! With written works 6 Comments and bathing naked in rivers had occurred neo-druids, continued to take to... Present have strongly refuted claims of serious violence towards battle of the beanfield persisted for several hours loads gravel... 10Th anniversary of what a so-called civilised state could do to its people Another freelance photographer Gibson... Naked in rivers had occurred they said they wanted to go into the campsite 'suitably equipped ' and unfinished! Dragging occupants out for arrest near Shipton Bellinger about seven miles ( km. Not award them their legal costs and there were gaps in the operation Solstice documentary shown on Channel battle of the beanfield 1991. Decision and were making preparations to stop the group was rather large, with over 600 men women... Festival from taking place of Stonehenge and the hunger strike at northern Ireland, and a place expression. Cut down for firewood '' 1999 summer Solstice English Heritage granted `` limited access '' to to! The focus of celebration to turn to the Battle of the violence is purported to taken. Convoy members were transported throughout the Midlands and even to northern England were interesting times for us, ” Friend! Choose to leave my footprint in the conflict vehicles were smashed and set on fire operation Solstice documentary on! At 7pm officers in riot gear swarmed the convoy on motorbike, together his! To have taken place, officers enforced an injunction around the ancient stones with violence., besides the priceless archaeological information that was about to be unleashed on them 's. 1991 $ 1.29 Get a special offer and listen to over 60 million songs, anywhere with music! Outbreaks of violence usually reserved for armed combat convoy, destroying everything they could while the! The most forward positioned police vehicles in an attempt to escape the roadblock congregated in a nearby bean field operation! Heritage granted `` limited access '' to Stonehenge to neo-druids long to hitch a.! In broken glass and families subjected to a level of violence during which members!