Restoration Projects for the Legendary Merlin’s Mound Approved
An historic monument connected by folklore to King Arthur’s magical guide Merlin is set to undergo renewal.
Known as the Merlin’s Mound, this location is situated inside the premises of the college.
Permission was applied for to demolish modern buildings that had been built into the slope of the hill.
Local authorities have now granted the demolition of a carpentry workshop, restrooms, a plant room, and a water meter and pump.
According to the proposals, there is “good potential” that traces of historic aquatic systems will be found during the restoration.
Officials assert that the modifications will provide a more “visually pleasing” surroundings for the mound.
Erected 4,000 years ago, the hill rises 62ft high, making it surpassed only by the adjacent Silbury Hill in by elevation for such sites.
After the conquest by William, William the Conqueror directed a stronghold to be erected on the site.
Tradition suggests that the magician Merlin is interred inside the structure, giving rise to the area’s motto: “where now are the bones of the wise Merlin”.
In the 1980s, a instructor at the institution supervised the restoration of an 18th Century grotto that had been excavated into the side of the mound.
The Marlborough Mound Trust was established in 2000 to protect and restore the mound.
A expert evaluation in 2024 described the hill as “nationally important” and stated that while it is doubtful anything historically important would be discovered under the buildings, clearing them would enable experts to analyze a cross-section of the monument.
This site is inaccessible to the general public, but an annual public viewing is held each year, for which admissions are distributed.
