Around The World Without Flying: Stonehenge

The next morning we left bright and early for the long drive down to Stonehenge, which is on the Salisbury Plain, about 13 km north of Salisbury. It is believed it was created between about 3000 BC and 2000 BC. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The drive down there was mostly along flat country with vast golden fields of grains. As we approached this historic site, we saw long, long lines of cars and tourist coaches waiting to see it too. We also saw many mounds scattered over the fields nearby, which also were created in those ancient times. Archaeologists have only opened one or two, and unsurprisingly found skeletons and various artefacts.

After alighting from our coach we hopped onto one of the buses that run visitors up and down to the site from the large new tourist centre, which is a couple of miles from the site. As you might expect, visitors are no longer allowed to go near the stones, which are fenced off, though a few are allowed in there at the Equinoxes. Thank goodness for a zoom lens, and a sunny day!

The sight of all the stones at Stonehenge is really amazing. They are like sentinels pointing to the heavens, the product of what were clearly very powerful beliefs. What did they believe? What did they know? One thought is they were used for burials, as human remains have been found at the bases of the stones. But this may have been only part of their purpose.

The stones, some of which weigh around 25 tons, are laid on one outer circle and an inner circle of shorter stones made from a different rock. Inside that there is a double horseshoe. Inside the horseshoe, near its head, is the stone altar. Encircling all that is a double mound and ditch. What did this layout symbolise? Interestingly, there are other ‘stonehenges’ around the country, but built on a smaller scale. How wonderful if the meaning behind the stones were to be fully solved.

One can only imagine how much clever planning and dedicated hard labour went into carving those massive stones out of rocky outcrops, some more than 30 miles away and others a couple of hundred miles away! The people did not have power tools and trucks and cranes! Carting those stones then digging the holes for them and erecting them into a vertical position must have been an incredible feat! Much of their length is buried underground, no doubt for stability.

This is one of the most intriguing places I have ever seen. Interestingly, with the exception of those bothersome pains-in-the-neck taking selfies or trick photos of one another like they do at the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the visitors tended to circle around the stones in a reverential way. There was something about the atmosphere of the place, as though the spirits of those ancient people were there watching over it all. Who knows?