CONFLICT between Druids and archaeologists, as exemplified by the incident at Stonehenge on Bank Holiday Monday, is nothing new.

It has been going on for a century, as is revealed in Adam Stout's new book, Creating Prehistory, a fascinating account of the development of archaeology in the first half of the 20th century, and how archaeology today remains rooted in the assumptions of its pioneers who vied vehemently with alternative thinkers over how the prehistoric past should be viewed.

Adam, pictured, who lives at Frome, Somerset, and is a Fellow in Archaeology at the University of Wales, Lampeter, specialising in "unusual history", investigates the controversial Druid "takeover" of Stonehenge.

The first Druid ceremonies were held at Stonehenge in 1912, led by the charismatic George Watson Macgregor Reid, who had formulated his own religion, Universalism, and wanted to promote world peace. Throughout the 1920s, there was a "fevered, very dramatic confrontation" between Druids and the authorities over use of Stonehenge after the monument had been acquired by the Government. Druids were frequently banned and met at a round barrow nearby instead.

A huge controversy erupted in 1924 when the newly elected Labour Government granted the Druids' request to bury their dead at Stonehenge.

Archaeologists were appalled. Allowing an obscure sect, of which they knew nothing, to do this would make Britain the laughing stock of the world, they said. "The Druids, like pagan groups to this day, were very clear that they had some sort of divine authority that allowed them to decide how the site should be used," said Adam, who is hoping to run a course of adult education classes.

"I'm not quite sure whether I'm with that myself. I'm an old hippie and I used to go to the Stonehenge solstices. It was always rather annoying when this bunch of people wearing white sheets came along. It got a bit in the way of the free-form celebration that we used to enjoy."

Adam, who gives a talk on George Reid at a Druid event at the Medieval Hall, Salisbury, on Sunday, also explores the popularity of "ley hunting" inspired by the Hereford visionary and inventor Alfred Watkins, the discoverer of ley lines, before World War II.

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