Stonehenge - National Monument in Wiltshire: merged posts, ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

An update, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Simpler, older version of Stonehenge found three miles from famous site

Archaeologists believe they have discovered an earlier, much simpler version of Stonehenge about 3 miles (5km) away from the prehistoric monument.

All that remains of the older structure is two holes in the ground, but the team says they held wooden posts that lined up with the Sun on the summer and winter solstices - the longest and shortest days of the year - in the same way as Stonehenge.

The site has been dated to about 5,000 years old, which predates Stonehenge by 500 years. Artefacts were also found at the site, including pottery, flint tools and animal bone, suggesting prehistoric people held gatherings there.

Phil Harding, from Wessex Archaeology, who led the excavation, said it was one of the best finds of his long career. "Two post pits tell me [much] more about the people 5,000 years ago," he said. "This tells me about the whole community, this tells me about how they were thinking, how they were behaving, how they were revering the heavens."

......

The structure, discovered in the village of Bulford, was a much more simple construction made up of just two wooden posts, which have long since rotted away. They were positioned 120m (394ft) apart and estimated to be between 2m and 4m high.

When Harding uncovered the intriguing holes, he noticed that they seemed to line up with the Sun, just like Stonehenge located a few miles away. "I got my pencil and ruler, and I joined them up, and I was aware that they were kind of pointing in the general direction of the sunrise on midsummer," he said.

(BBC article continues, with more details, images and explanations)

While this has absolutely nothing to do with the railways, public transport or indeed any other means of travel, I do recommend it as a fascinating development in our understanding of history.

CfN^▸ (Chris from Nailsea, an administrator on this forum). 

[Marlburian]

There have been various theories about how some of the stones were transported apparently hundreds of miles, but one might also consider the logistics of assembling the construction workers and their families from a wide area and then feeding them during their labours.

Were the workers rotated, returning home after some months, or did they settle permanently nearby?

No doubt a few at least of the countless books about Stonehenge cover such points.

(The same points also relate to Avebury, Silbury Hill and Wansdyke  - the rampart and deep ditch that crosses Wiltshire, with the most impressive stretch being east of the Beckhampton-Devizes road.)

[REVUpminster]

Feeding the workers would not have been a problem. The much later Romans noted how efficient the farmers were compared to those on mainland Europe.

Julius Caesars two expeditions (Putin would have called it special military operations) opened up Southern Britain to trade with Rome.
For the next hundred years that trade grew. Food was always a problem for the Romans relying on Egypt in the south and they wanted a bread basket in the north and by the time of Claudius were buying food from Britain to feed the legions on the Rhine.

The Roman fleet based at Boulogne had sailed round Britain and were fighting channel pirates. I like to think the British farmers put the prices up so Claudius invaded, using much of Caligula's plans.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Stonehenge circle to be opened up for rare visits

[Image from here is not available to guests]
One paying visitor or group will be chosen to enter the site's inner circle every day in August - Image © English Heritage

Most people see Stonehenge from behind a barrier, but this summer a select few visitors will be able to stand within the stones for no extra cost.

English Heritage has said it will choose one booking at random every day in August to get private entry into the site's inner stone circle.

Exclusive close-up access to Stonehenge is usually only given to presidents, celebrities, or visitors paying for premium guided tours. The stones can also be accessed for free during winter and summer solstice - albeit with thousands of other people.

Interim head of Stonehenge Georgia Butters said being alone inside the monument would allow visitors to see "delicate carvings".  She added people would also be able to see "really rare lichen" - a mix of algae and fungi which grow on the stones and make them look like they have developed a hairy coat.

Stonehenge has been a ticketed attraction for 125 years, with public access kept to a path with barriers.

"Usually people can get within a few metres of the outer circle but we can't run it too close because there's really fragile archaeology," Butters said.  However, anyone who is picked in the daily August draw will be given access to the inner circle.

"There's a certain stillness and tranquility about that space," Butters said. "It's sort of mind-blowing and puts you right back in touch with our ancestors."

(BBC article continues)

[Clan Line]

Stonehenge has been a ticketed attraction for 125 years, with public access kept to a path with barriers.

Not quite sure about the veracity of this statement. I've not been around for 125+ years and can certainly remember clambering over the stones as a youngster.

[grahame]

Stonehenge has been a ticketed attraction for 125 years, with public access kept to a path with barriers.

Not quite sure about the veracity of this statement. I've not been around for 125+ years and can certainly remember clambering over the stones as a youngster.

From English Heritage

Stonehenge first started charging an admission fee in 1901. The then-owner, Sir Edmund Antrobus, erected a wire fence around the ancient monument and charged visitors one shilling (sixpence earlier on by family members) to help stop tourists from damaging and chipping away pieces of the stones for souvenirs.

From The Smithsonian Magazine

They officially stopped allowing people to climb on and touch the stones in 1977

[Chris from Nailsea]

That quote is from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) article, by the way - not from me. 

I, too, remember clambering on the stones as a youngster in a family visit - clearly before 1977. 

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Fatality fear without Stonehenge road improvements

A retired firefighter said "fatalities will continue" on the A303 at Stonehenge without plans to improve the road.

It has been two years since a two-mile tunnel scheme at the world heritage site was scrapped by the government , despite hopes it would ease congestion by widening the road and removing the view of Stonehenge.

Paul Jaycock, former station officer at Amesbury Fire station said: "I started here in 1981, we were all assured there would be improvements.. we just haven't got anywhere with it."

The Department of Transport said it is "exploring ways of improving the A303".

The £2bn project was scrapped by Labour in July 2024, shortly after they took power.

The project had faced a number of legal challenges from campaigners, but those in favour said it would have eased congestion past Stonehenge and reduced road collisions.

Jaycock said: "We used to attend road accidents and think 'when the tunnel gets here this may come to an end'... now here we are and nothing has happened."

According to Wiltshire Police, between 2015 and 2025 there were 105 road traffic collisions on the A303 near Stonehenge which resulted in injury. Of those, 22 were serious or fatal.

The A303 reduces to a single lane past the famous stone circle and Paul Jaycock said some drivers slow to look, and even take photos.  "I believe Stonehenge and the heritage side of this has taken many lives. It has, I've witnessed it," he said.

National Highways said, on average, 26,000 vehicles use this stretch of the A303 every day, increasing to more than 30,000 in August.

(BBC article continues)