Castor Parish Council has received a £10,000 (about €12,000 or US$12,500) Heritage Lottery Fund Sharing Heritage grant to carry out archaeological investigations and restoration of some ancient standing stones in the Nene Valley near Peterborough (Cambridgeshire, England).
     The project, named "Restoration of Ancient Standing Stones 'Robin Hood' and 'Little John' at Ferry Hill" is aimed to establish the current position of the two stones, that will be then lifted and carefully and expertly reset. Improvement works to allow public access and viewing will then be carried out. Improvements will include an all-access pathway to an area immediately adjacent to the ancient protected stones and an interpretation board.
     There is extensive evidence of early human settlement in the area but much of it is buried beneath the remains of countless centuries of human activity. These ancient stones stand as tangible evidence of the distant past.
     Commenting on the award, Neil Boyce, chairman of Castor Parish Council, said: "We are looking forward to working with English Heritage and Dr Stephen Upex to find out more of the ancient history surrounding these stones which we would not be able to do without the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund."
     Robyn Llewellyn head of the Heritage Lottery Fund, East of England, said: "We are delighted to be able to offer this grant so that Castor Parish Council's restoration of the Ancient Standing Stones 'Robin Hood' and 'Little John' can embark on a real journey of discovery."

Edited from The Modern Antiquarian (9 December 2016)