New Age Travellers in the 1980’s and their children being shown how democracy works in the UK

Stonehenge

The Battle of the Beanfield

1 June 1985

Click on the bobbies head to view a short video,

The Earl of Cardigan witnessed the Battle of the Beanfield, a notorious incident in 1985 in which Wiltshire Police were accused of brutalising a convoy of travellers on land near Stonehenge, making over 300 arrests, said to be the biggest arrest of civilians in the United Kingdom in 100 years. Largely because of his testimony, police charges against members of the convoy were rejected in the Crown Court. That testimony against the Police caused The Daily Telegraph to criticise him as a class traitor, for which they later apologised and paid damages.

Lord Cardigan later said:

“I hadn’t realised that anybody that appeared to be supporting elements that stood against the establishment would be savaged by establishment newspapers. Now one thinks about it, nothing could be more natural. I hadn’t realised that I would be considered a class traitor. If I see a policeman repeatedly truncheoning a very pregnant woman over the head from behind (as I did) I do feel I’m entitled to say "that's a terrible thing you're doing, Officer". I went along, saw a dreadful episode in British Police history, and simply reported what I saw.”