Happy New Year to everyone!!
What a start to the New Year!!!
I can safely say that the highlight of coming back to work was a trip to see the new visitor centre at Stonehenge, and of course to see Stonehenge itself!!
At the moment the visitor centre sticks out like a sore thumb but with time it will blend in with the local landscape and from Stonehenge, you can't see it. On this windy and exposed spot, the visitor centre is a welcome and warm area of shelter. With the coffee shop and gift shop occupying one side of the building, the other is completely devoted to the exhibition telling the story of not only the history of Stonehenge but of the people who built it. The current temporary exhibition ‘Set in Stone? How our ancestors saw Stonehenge’ explores our evolving understanding of Stonehenge from medieval myths and antiquarian theories through to modern archaeological thinking.
Quick History Lesson!
The original monument was constructed around 3000 BC and was a simple circular earthwork enclosure. A ditch was dug out and the chalk used to form an outer and inner bank. Within the circular enclosure 56 timber posts or stones were placed in a ring. The site was used as a cremation cemetery for several hundred years. Around 2500 BC, the central stone settings were constructed and the circle of sarsen stones and smaller bluestones were placed to create the monument recognised by millions today.
This was my first trip to Stonehenge and like everybody else … I’ve seen the marketing photographs – I know what Stonehenge looks like!! Bright blue sky showing the stones off at their best, snow on the ground, photographs taken at sunrise and sunset. Well after a short bus ride from the visitors centre, I arrived a few hundred metres from the stones and started to walk towards them … and boy was that angle of approach a let-down!! The stones looked squashed and tiny and nothing like the photographs!!
I contained my disappointment and continued to walk forwards, following the path around two sides of the stones. The further down the path I walked, the better Stonehenge looked. The Stonehenge I recognised from photographs started to appear, with its beautifully spaced out stones and elegant shape. I could see why Stonehenge has fascinated countless generations and will continue to do so.
Fun Fact!
The average weight of the sarsen stones is 25tons. The Heel Stone weighs 30tons. The smaller bluestones each weigh 2 - 5 tons.
My day out to Stonehenge was wonderful. I really enjoyed looking around the exhibition exploring all aspects of Stonehenge and the historic environment constructed around it. My favourite part was the entrance to the exhibition where you can stand inside a computer generated replica of Stonehenge and look out at the landscape as day changes to night, through the changing seasons and the passing of time. Well worth a visit!
I can safely say that the highlight of coming back to work was a trip to see the new visitor centre at Stonehenge, and of course to see Stonehenge itself!!
At the moment the visitor centre sticks out like a sore thumb but with time it will blend in with the local landscape and from Stonehenge, you can't see it. On this windy and exposed spot, the visitor centre is a welcome and warm area of shelter. With the coffee shop and gift shop occupying one side of the building, the other is completely devoted to the exhibition telling the story of not only the history of Stonehenge but of the people who built it. The current temporary exhibition ‘Set in Stone? How our ancestors saw Stonehenge’ explores our evolving understanding of Stonehenge from medieval myths and antiquarian theories through to modern archaeological thinking.
Quick History Lesson!
The original monument was constructed around 3000 BC and was a simple circular earthwork enclosure. A ditch was dug out and the chalk used to form an outer and inner bank. Within the circular enclosure 56 timber posts or stones were placed in a ring. The site was used as a cremation cemetery for several hundred years. Around 2500 BC, the central stone settings were constructed and the circle of sarsen stones and smaller bluestones were placed to create the monument recognised by millions today.
This was my first trip to Stonehenge and like everybody else … I’ve seen the marketing photographs – I know what Stonehenge looks like!! Bright blue sky showing the stones off at their best, snow on the ground, photographs taken at sunrise and sunset. Well after a short bus ride from the visitors centre, I arrived a few hundred metres from the stones and started to walk towards them … and boy was that angle of approach a let-down!! The stones looked squashed and tiny and nothing like the photographs!!
I contained my disappointment and continued to walk forwards, following the path around two sides of the stones. The further down the path I walked, the better Stonehenge looked. The Stonehenge I recognised from photographs started to appear, with its beautifully spaced out stones and elegant shape. I could see why Stonehenge has fascinated countless generations and will continue to do so.
Fun Fact!
The average weight of the sarsen stones is 25tons. The Heel Stone weighs 30tons. The smaller bluestones each weigh 2 - 5 tons.
My day out to Stonehenge was wonderful. I really enjoyed looking around the exhibition exploring all aspects of Stonehenge and the historic environment constructed around it. My favourite part was the entrance to the exhibition where you can stand inside a computer generated replica of Stonehenge and look out at the landscape as day changes to night, through the changing seasons and the passing of time. Well worth a visit!
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