English Heritage is considering plans to stabilise the artificial prehistoric mound at Silbury Hill in Wiltshire, UK.
Thought to be around 4,500 years old and the largest Neolithic construction of its type in Europe, Silbury Hill has suffered in recent years from subsidence related to investigative shaft sinking and tunnelling carried out in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.
Skanska has previously undertaken a series of investigative and repair assignments on the hill, including geotechnical and geophysical works. A source told T&TI that Skanska would be interested in continuing with the works started, but that it was understood that funds would not be in place until 2007. The preferred solution is believed to be re-excavate and backfill the old tunnels, and replace the temporary shaft crater infill with chalk.
English Heritage told the press it aimed to preserve the long term stability of the hill, whilst minimising further damage. T&TI was told that the project would be a hybrid archaeological dig / investigation with some tunnel excavation, so was likely to be a complex undertaking.
