May I quote that?

The concept of antiquities as documents of earlier phases of development, was slow to achieve recognition. The debate in the British Parliament during the passage of the Ancient Monuments Acts in 1882 was notable for some remarkably reactionary views. One Conservative aristocrat queried the concept of 'national monuments' which he dismissed as the 'absurd relics of barbarian predecessors who found time hanging heavily on their hands and set about piling up great barrows and rings of stones.' (Kennet 1972, p. 25 in Cleere 1989, p. 7)