When 'Merlin Mound' restoration will start

Demolition work will start in April at the site of a neolithic monument where – legend has it – the bones of King Arthur's magician Merlin are buried.

In November, Wiltshire Council gave Marlborough College permission to knock down 20th-century buildings cut into the side of the 4,000-year-old man-made hill.

A carpentry workshop, toilets, plant room, water meter and pump will all be demolished.

The works will enable archaeologists to investigate a cross-section of the Marlborough Mound, which sits in the grounds of Marlborough College.

According to legend, Merlin's connection to the town gave Marlborough its motto – "'ubi nunc sapientis ossa Merlini" or "where now are the bones of the wise Merlin".

Following the Norman conquest, William the Conqueror ordered a castle to be built on the site. The 62ft (19m) tall hill is the second tallest of its kind, with nearby Silbury Hill taking the top spot.

The buildings will be "taken down slowly, with an archaeologist present", according to the Marlborough Mound Trust, which is working with the college on the project.

Although it is unlikely anything significant will be found under the buildings, traces of medieval waterways could be uncovered which could give a more "visually pleasing" setting for the monument, according to an archaeological assessment.

The mound is not open to the public, although an annual open day is held each summer, for which tickets are issued.

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