12 replies to this topic

[Arran and Emma]

A recent trip to Kit’s Coty House was marred considerably by the amount of chalk graffiti that had been scribbled over the stones. The offending markings ranged from many rather pointless occultist symbols to someone known as D.C. declaration their love for L.F. forever. Being kind enough to date it for us, we were able to infer that they had written on the stones sometime in 2002, so at least 2 months ago. The stone in question is shaded by the elements from two side stones and a capstone, so there is natural remedy to aid the removal.

OK, these chalk scribblings are far better than S.N.C’s 1865 carvings onto the stone, but they are obviously retaining a permanence that I for one wish they would do without. We’ve all seen it, travelled far to a place that supposed to fill us with wonder yet we leave full of anger. And it’s so pointless, so destructive and so damn annoying.

What I really want to know is, how do the various authorities go about removing this stuff? I know that chalk cannot be rubbed off as I recall, in my youth and in my own garden, that chalk smudges and makes the mess even worse. Is it best left to the authorities to remove it, who are both under resources and have better things to do?

What would be ideal would be something that removes offending daubings without harming the stones and which can be carried in a rucksack over miles of bogs/moors/fields without leaking out and melting half my gear. Any thoughts?

(Incidently, Kit’s Coty House is an amazing place a well worth a visit)

[Pete G]

Kit's Coty is Usualy looked after by local Pagan John Pullin but he has been ill for sometime now. Just use water to wash the chalk off. Chalk will damage lichens so don't scrub too hard please!
PeteG

[Jimit]

Anything stronger than water would seem to be a no no but a bit of simple chemistry may be in order. As chalk is a carbonate mineral an acid would be the best way of removing it and the most natural method may be to take a bottle of rain water,which is slightly acidic,and gently sponge a little onto the offending graffiti. Our local tap water would not be effective as it comes from the chalk aquifers and is too hard.Pavement artists seldom see their work survive a shower.

[Arran and Emma]

A sponge and a bottle of rainwater, won't leave home without it.

I thought the answer would be fairly simple, only I had vision of complex chemistry forming a chain whereby I'd try rubbing the stones gently and the entire site would dissolve before my eyes...

[Pete G]

OR
You could try it the EH way.
Take a JackHammer and hack out a block with the offending graffiti on.
Take the  block to an expensive lab and laser off the chalk,
replace the block with huge amounts of super glue.
PeteG
(At the time of going to press this reply was classed as Satire!)
PS. US readers may need to download an Irony plugin available here
http://www.johnfanzi...ugin/index.html

[Arran and Emma]

  Irony Plug in!

[Jimit]

LOL  

[BunchofBlarney23]

There are some types of sprays sold in the US where you just spray it on the graffitt and just leave it on for a couple of hours then it vanishes also leaving a protective covering (that is nonvisible ) I have used it tons of times on my flat building.

BunchofBlarney

[Jimit]

  I don't think that this would be a good solution as this type of spray probably contains harmful chemicals. There has been a recent post here about the lichens found on Stonehenge which may be several hundred years old, they would surely be destroyed by this method. The "protective coat" used is probably  silicon based and would prevent further lichen growth and has been known in the past to prevent the stone "breathing" causing spalling of the surface. A couple of years ago some stones in  the Avenue leading to Avebury were defaced by spray-on graffiti, it would be nice to know what methods were used to clean them.

[Lynnette]

Pete G, on 9 March 2003, 17:19, said:

OR
You could try it the EH way.
Take a JackHammer and hack out a block with the offending graffiti on.
Take the  block to an expensive lab and laser off the chalk,
replace the block with huge amounts of super glue.
PeteG
(At the time of going to press this reply was classed as Satire!)
PS. US readers may need to download an Irony plugin available here
http://www.johnfanzi...ugin/index.html

   LOL!

[bobtheham]

As usual, way behind the times with another suggestion. Compressed air should blow the chalk off the stone without affecting the stone (unless its surface is loose and friable). Now how to get the compressed air to the stone? A small air tank with a hose and shutoff valve, and a filler valve; fill it at your local gas station's air compressor. But you may need more than one filling if there's very much chalk.

[Nigel]

Better not blow away all the lichens though. Did you see there is some talk that some of these on ancient stones may have been established thousands of years, from soon after the stones were erected ?

[Nigel]

Sorry, I see Jimit has already made the point.
I find it stunning that these ancient sites that we love so much may also be the most unspoilt ecological environments.