King Arthur Pendragon loses Stonehenge 'pay to pray' court challenge Published duration 24 May 2017

image copyright PA image caption King Arthur Pendragon said the £15 parking fee at Stonehenge was "an illegal charge"

A senior druid has lost his legal challenge with English Heritage over car parking charges at Stonehenge.

King Arthur Pendragon argued a parking fee of £15 for the 2016 summer solstice breached his human rights.

At an initial court hearing in January, Mr Pendragon said the claim was not about money or costs, but because the fee "unfairly targeted his religion".

But Salisbury County Court ruled that introducing car parking charges was a "reasonable and legal measure".

Mr Pendragon had argued that this treatment was in direct violation of his human rights and that he has a right to worship at Stonehenge without unnecessary restriction or hindrance from English Heritage, which he claims is merely managing the site "on our behalf".

English Heritage said it introduced the parking charge to encourage more people to car share or travel by bus.

However, Mr Pendragon said he wanted to prove English Heritage was wrong to turn him away when he refused to "pay to pray".