h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Since this peice was written there have been a large number of changes to the site including a new updated and less 'dumbed down' guidebook. New interpretation and changes to the display rooms to give a better overall story of the site including it's use as a Victorian Fortification and how the site would have worked.

There has also been a slideshow produced by the National Trust to show the underground rooms and sea level emplacements discussed by the author of this piece, which is on display for visitors to see as access to the rooms is not possible.

I would encourage the author to visit the Needles Battery again to re-evaluate his position of the National Trust's custodianship of this important and interesting site.

Hello, thank's for the update, it is good to know what has been happening since I was last there.

My view on the National Trust's custodianship of the site is, to be honest, mixed. I know it is easy to point fingers with the benefit of hindsight, and if the opportunity to undo the damage done to the site was given, the current National Trust team would not hesitate to restore the site to its former glory.
However, the damage was done, and by the National Trust, an organisation which as its name implies is trusted by the nation to preserve our countryside and our heritage. Preservation is something which in the late 70s the National Trust failed to do at the Needles, despite all their good intentions since.

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