Could Stonehenge lose its UNESCO World Heritage status?
Listen to the story (Singaporean accent)
In February 2024, a judge gave approval for a road tunnel to be built under Stonehenge, a World Heritage site in England.
Many people are not happy.
The idea for the tunnel first came up in the mid-1990s. Since then, the cost has gone up to £2.5 billion (about $3.1 billion). The UK’s National Highways agency believes the tunnel will improve traffic problems on the A303 road, which is near Stonehenge.
They plan to move the main road underground and further away from the stones. The old road will be turned into a pedestrian path. The agency thinks this will make visiting Stonehenge better.
However, UNESCO is against the plan. They say the tunnel will harm the area around Stonehenge, which is an important place for archaeology. They have warned that Stonehenge could be put on the World Heritage in Danger List. If that happens, Stonehenge could lose its World Heritage status.
Only three sites have ever lost this status and one of them is already in the UK.
Also, archaeologists think the tunnel will go through an area where people who built Stonehenge might have lived. They believe thousands of artifacts could be destroyed.
Environmental groups are worried about harm to wildlife. For Pagans, Stonehenge is a sacred site, and they are worried it will be disrespected.
However, there are people living near Stonehenge who are negatively affected by the traffic on the current road.
This road is a key road between London, Devon, and Cornwall, so it also affects tourism and trade in the region.
Vocabulary32 words
- Judge
- A person who decides who is right and who is wrong in a court of law; ?⚖️
- Approval
- the action of approving; acceptance; to give the OK; agreement
- Tunnel
- a long passage under or through the earth; ?
- World Heritage Site
- A special place protected because it's important to the whole world
- Come up
- To appear or to be suggested for the first time; When something new happens or is thought of;
- Mid
- The middle of something;
- Billion
- 1,000,000,000 = one-billion
- Agency
- an organization, company, or department that provides a service; bureau
- Traffic
- The movement of cars, trucks, and other vehicles on the road; it can also mean too many cars and trucks on the road moving slowly
- Plan
- want; aim; to intend to do something
- Underground
- Below the surface of the ground; in the earth; subterranean
- Pedestrian path
- A path/road where people can walk
- Against
- in opposition to something; to fight; to resist; to try to stop; the opposite of “support”
- Harm
- to injure; to damage; to cause problems
- Area
- A place or part of a place; piece of land, or country; a particular part of a place; somewhere
- Archaeology
- The study of things that people from long ago left behind, like old tools and pottery
- Warn
- to tell someone about something bad or dangerous that might happen; alert; notify
- Status
- rank; classification; position; standing; level in society; The condition or position of something
- Lose
- When you no longer have something you had before; can’t get back or find something you had;
- Archaeologist
- Someone who studies things that people from long ago left behind
- Artifact
- An old object, usually made by people, that tells us about history;
- Destroy
- to “end” something by damaging it or attacking it; wreck; demolish; break
- Environmental group
- An organization/group that works to protect the environment and nature
- Wildlife
- Animals and plants that live in nature, not in cities or homes
- Pagan
- A person who believes in many gods or nature spirits; Someone who follows a religion that worships nature gods
- Sacred
- Something very special and respected; Very holy or important to a religion
- Disrespect
- To not show respect or to be rude;
- Negative
- Bad or harmful
- Negatively affect
- to cause harm/damage or have a bad impact; to make worse
- Key
- important; crucial; major; essential
- Trade
- when people buy, sell, or exchange goods or services
- Region
- a large area of the Earth; an area of land with similar qualities/characteristics
Quiz
Answer key
1. 2024 2. Possible damage to the area around Stonehenge 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
In February _____, a judge gave approval for a road tunnel to be built under Stonehenge, a World Heritage site in _____.
Many people are not _____.
The idea for the tunnel first came _____ in the mid-1990s. Since then, the cost has gone up to £2.5 billion (about $_____ billion). The UK’s National Highways agency believes the _____ will improve traffic problems on the A303 road, which is near Stonehenge.
_____ plan to move the main road underground and further _____ from the stones. The old road will be turned into a pedestrian path. The _____ thinks this will make visiting Stonehenge better.
_____, UNESCO is against the plan. They say the tunnel will harm the _____ around Stonehenge, which is an important place for archaeology. They have _____ that Stonehenge could be put on the World Heritage in Danger List. If that _____, Stonehenge could lose its World Heritage status.
_____ three sites have ever lost this status and one of them is already in the _____.
Also, archaeologists _____ the tunnel will go through an area where people who built Stonehenge _____ have lived. They believe thousands of artifacts could be _____.
Environmental groups are worried _____ harm to wildlife. For Pagans, Stonehenge is a sacred _____, and they are worried it will be disrespected.
However, _____ are people living near Stonehenge who are negatively affected by the _____ on the current road.
This road is a _____ road between London, Devon, and Cornwall, so it also affects _____ and trade in the region.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think UNESCO is against the plan?
- Is it important for a site to have UNESCO World Heritage Status? Why or why not?
- Should UNESCO have control over what happens to historical sites in other countries? Why or why not?
- Do you think it's possible to build around Stonehenge without damaging it?
More Travel stories
Next story · Medium
GE was the biggest company in the world. What happened?