Saturday 3 December 2016

Stonehenge Visitor Centre - special Christmas evenings

Enjoy a warm welcome at the Stonehenge visitor centre on the evenings of 7th and 14th December 5pm-8pm, and a feast of festive songs and music from the celebrated Salisbury Plain Military Wives Choir and the brilliant Durrington Walls Wind Band as well as free Christmas craft and wreath–making workshops. Warm up in the café with delicious mince pies, mulled wine and deluxe hot chocolate and enjoy 10% off all Christmas shopping in the Stonehenge shop and 20% off the Gift of Membership.
Step back in time and explore the objects found around Stonehenge, with free entry to the award-winning exhibitions. Experience Stonehenge through the ages and the seasons from the middle of our incredible 360-degree virtual 'stand in the stones' exhibit. This three-minute film, based on state-of-the-art laser scan images of the stone circle, transports the viewer back in time through the millennia and enables them to experience the winter solstice - from the warmth of the visitor centre! Grab the opportunity to see the first ever Stonehenge guidebook in our special exhibition 'Wish You Were Here' curated for English Heritage by renowned archaeologist Julian Richards. This exhibition takes a look at the history of Stonehenge as a tourist attraction from Roman to modern times – with an array of obscure, fascinating objects and souvenirs from past centuries on display.
Pick up your own modern-day memorabilia with 10% off in the Stonehenge shop and sample a delicious selection of English wines, liqueurs and the famous Stonehenge beer and choose from an extensive and unique range of gifts – including Stonehenge baubles and Christmas decorations, bluestone jewellery, silk scarves, clothing and cosy blankets. We have an enormous selection of books and there's a huge range of great stocking fillers too – including magnets, pens, key rings and the perennially popular snow-domes! Bring friends and family and join them at the Stonehenge visitor centre this December for their special Christmas evenings and enjoy mince pies, mulled wine and music, with the beautiful voices of the Salisbury Plain Military Wives Choir on the 7th and the melodic sounds of the local Durrington Walls Wind Band on 14th
If you are not local and interested in Stonehenge Christmas Tours click here
The Stonehenge Tourist Guide

Wednesday 30 November 2016

Winter Solstice at Stonehenge 2016

English Heritage will once again welcome people to Stonehenge to celebrate the Winter Solstice. Sunrise is just after 8am on Wednesday 21st December and visitors will be able to access the monument as soon as it is light enough to do so safely. Please read the information below before planning your visit

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PRACTICAL INFORMATION:
DATE AND TIMINGSWEDNESDAY 21st DECEMBER 2016
MONUMENT FIELD OPENS: 07.45am (approximately, depending on light levels)
MONUMENT FIELD CLOSES: 10am
Please note, access to Stonehenge for Winter Solstice is free. Parking charges apply.
 
GETTING HERE:
Parking for Winter Solstice is very limited and we cannot guarantee that you will be able to park near to Stonehenge. If you are planning to travel by car, wherever you park there may be a 30 minute walk to the Monument. We strongly recommend car sharing or using public transport.
Car Sharing – Request or offer a lift to Solstice at Stonehenge
Travel by busSalisbury Reds buses will be running from 06:30 from Salisbury (New Canal, Stop U and Salisbury Rail Station). Check timetable.
Blue Badge Parking – Blue badge parking is in the visitor centre car park and permits must be booked in advance. There is accessible transport to the monument field from the visitor centre beginning at approximately 6.30am. Permits available from Solstice.Stonehenge@english-heritage.org.uk
Parking and parking charges Limited parking is available in the winter solstice car parks, which will open at 5.30am on the 21st December.
As you approach Stonehenge, there will be signs to direct you to the car park – please ensure that you follow these. Please do not arrive early as there is no waiting on the roads in the area and you will be moved on.
Parking may involve a shuttle journey to the visitor centre and wherever you park there may be a 30 minute walk.
  • Cars, private hire minibuses and live-in vehicles £5
  • Motorbikes £2
  • Commercial coaches £50
The car parking charge is designed to encourage people to car share and will help the charity offset  the costs of providing additional staffing and lighting in the car parks.
Please note, car parking charges apply to all users of the Winter Solstice car parks, including Blue Badge holders, and members of English Heritage and National Trust.
Motorists have access to a park and ride shuttle from the off-site solstice car parking to the visitor centre. A shuttle will also be provided between the visitor centre and Stonehenge, however visitors are asked to note that disabled people have priority on this bus and should therefore be prepared for a 30 minute walk, in low light, from parking areas to the monument.
We cannot guarantee entry to the car parks and recommend coming by public transport as cars will be turned away when the car parks are full.
CONDITIONS OF ENTRY
Access to Stonehenge for solstice is subject to the Conditions of Entry – please read these before deciding whether to attend.
COME PREPARED
Stonehenge is in a field on Salisbury Plain and the weather in December will be cold and may be wet and windy. Even if it isn’t raining, the ground will be wet from the dew. There may also be frost.
Please be prepared for a 30 minute walk (in low light or darkness), from the bus drop off and from parking areas to the monument. You are strongly advised to wear warm and waterproof clothing and footwear and bring a torch with you.
Toilets at the Monument Field will only be available once the access period begins. There are no catering facilities in the monument field, however the café at the visitor centre is open for hot drinks and breakfast rolls from 6am.
Please note that there are no other amenities or facilities available to visitors until the Monument Field opens.
Please visit the official English Heritage website for full details.

Solstice Events are offering their usual small group Winter Solstice guided tour from London and Bath, ideal if you do not have your own transport and want to learn more about the history and  mystery of Stonehenge and the surrounding landscape. Visit their website to book.


The Stonehenge Tourist Guide

Tuesday 29 November 2016

Major New Discovery that Rewrites History of Stonehenge

Archeologists working near the Stonehenge World Heritage Site have discovered important new sites that rewrite the Stonehenge landscape. Some sites predate the construction of Stonehenge itself. The remains, found at Larkhill and Bulford, were unearthed during excavations ahead of the construction of new Army Service Family Accommodation.

The dig at Larkhill has found remains of a Neolithic causewayed enclosure – a major ceremonial gathering place some 200 m in diameter, and dating from around 3650 BC has been found.  About 70 enclosures of this type are known across England, although this is only the second discovery in the Stonehenge landscape, with the other further to the north at Robin Hood’s Ball on the Salisbury Plain Training Area. In Wessex they occur on hilltops and along with long barrows are some of the earliest built structures in the British landscape. They were used for temporary settlement, as ceremonial gathering places, to manage and exchange animals, including the first domesticated cattle and sheep and for ritual activity, and disposal of the dead including by exposure.

The Larkhill enclosure has produced freshly broken pottery, dumps of worked flint and even a large stone saddle quern used to turn grain into flour. The Neolithic period saw the first use of domesticated crops and this find provides evidence of this. Early farming would have caused significant localised change across the landscape as small fields were created for the first time.  Human skull fragments were also found in the ditch, probably reflecting ceremonial practices and religious belief.

The Larkhill causewayed enclosure is around 700 years older than Stonehenge, and is part of a landscape that included long barrows and cursus monuments. Long barrows may have served as markers within the landscape, often commanding key positions that overlooked areas of downland and only occasionally containing burials. Cursus monuments are possible processional ways, one of which known as the `Lesser Cursus` appears to align on the new enclosure at Larkhill. The Greater Cursus, an earthwork nearly 3 km in length, is the longest structure. It connects and divides parts of the landscape, and separates the Larkhill causewayed enclosure from the place that became Stonehenge.  The eastern end of the cursus terminates just short of the large Amesbury 42 long barrow.

The people who built the causewayed enclosure are the ancestors of the builders of Stonehenge and were shaping the landscape into which the stone circle was placed. Their work shows that this was a special landscape even before Stonehenge was constructed. People were already living and working within what we now call the Stonehenge landscape and they were building the structures that would culminate in the Stonehenge complex of stones and earthworks. The Larkhill site shows that they had the social organisation necessary to come together to build significant earthworks and the resources to support the work, as well as the people to carry it out. The offerings in the ditches also show the rich religious life they had created.

Dr Alistair Barclay of Wessex Archaeology said “this is an exciting new find and one that transforms our understanding of this important monumental landscape.”

While part of the site has been investigated the majority of the monument remains undisturbed within the Larkhill Garrison.

At nearby Bulford archaeologists have found further evidence of prehistoric activity. Although henges are well-known across the landscape, Bulford has a double henge, the only one known in Britain. Each henge is formed by an open space enclosed by a ditch. The earliest phases were created around 2900 BC with the enclosures formed by ditches dug in segments with openings to the north. This form was altered when both were enclosed within further ditches in the Early Bronze Age (2000 BC), perhaps showing that their function changed or because they had been closed down.

From one of the Bulford henges a skull from a large dog or wolf, maybe a working companion, a trophy from the hunt, or even a totemic symbol, was recovered.

Martin Brown, Principal Archaeologist for WYG said “These discoveries are changing the way we think about prehistoric Wiltshire and about the Stonehenge landscape in particular. The Neolithic people whose monuments we are exploring shaped the world we inhabit: They were the first farmers and the first people who settled down in this landscape, setting us on the path to the modern world. It is an enormous privilege to hold their tools and investigate their lives.”

Archaeological work on both sites is being managed and directed by WYG on behalf of Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), with fieldwork undertaken by Wessex Archaeology.

The sites’ development is part of wider plans to accommodate the 4000 additional Service personnel plus their families who will be based on and around Salisbury Plain by 2019 under the Army Basing Programme. In total, the MOD is planning to invest more than £1 billion in the area which will provide more than 900 new homes for Service families, over 2,600 new bed spaces for single soldiers and the construction, conversion or refurbishment of 250 other buildings within bases, such as offices, garages, workshops and Mess facilities.
Article source: REDICE.TV

The Stonehenge Tourist Guide

Friday 4 November 2016

Stonehenge Visitor Centre Hosts Winter Events

Visitors to Stonehenge are invited to step into the prehistoric past at Stonehenge this winter with fun and revealing demonstrations of ancient technology, taking place the second weekend of every month from November to March.
Step into the prehistoric past at Stonehenge this winter
These events take place in and around the Neolithic Houses at the Stonehenge visitor centre and reveal that our Neolithic ancestors at Stonehenge were skilled craftsman, using sophisticated techniques to craft natural materials and fibres into tools and essential everyday items, as well as luxury goods such as musical instruments, jewellery and fine clothes.#
To launch the season of prehistoric technology demonstrations Corwen Broch musician and ancient instrument maker will bring the sounds of prehistoric Stonehenge to life as he shows us how to make musical instruments from natural materials.
In December, our popular ancient textile demonstrations return with Sally Pointer and Gareth Riseborough who will be showing visitors how to make clothes, cord, baskets and other items out of nettles, grass and leather.
The January Bronze Casting event provides the perfect example of how prehistoric people took a huge step forward 4000 years ago when they started working with bronze – to create tools and valuable artefacts signifying wealth and status. This step from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age was also characterized by the rearrangement of the blue stones at Stonehenge, Bronze Age barrows being built in the landscape and depictions of bronze axes and daggers being carved onto the surface of the stones.
Neolithic bush craft expert Guy Hagg joins in February to share Neolithic life-skills, from fire lighting, tool and weapon making, using bone, antler and stone and game preparation and early cooking methods.
Flint knapping expert, craftsman and re-enactor James Dilley returns to Stonehenge in March to demonstrate the prehistoric skill of flint knapping – the core technology that more than any other may have helped our ancient ancestors survive in a harsh environment.

During the winter, Stonehenge is open from 9:30-17:00 with last admissions at 3pm. All weekend demonstrations run between 10am and 4pm.
Unable to make the technology demonstrations? There's free late night opening at the visitor centre for Christmas music, mince pies, mulled wine and 10% off in the shop! Wednesday 7th December & Wednesday 14th December from 5pm – 8pm
Making Musical instruments Sat 12 – Sun 13 November 10am – 4pm See Corwen Broch as he creates instruments from natural materials and demonstrates the sounds of the Neolithic

Textile Demonstrations Sat 10 – Sun 11 December 10am – 4pm Sally Pointer and Gareth Riseborough will work with a variety of natural fabric crafts over these weekends - including cord making, twining, looped weaving, netting & leatherwork. See bone and antler worked and discover how materials were used in the Neolithic period.

Bronze Casting 14 & Sun 15 Jan 2017 10am – 4pm
Watch demonstrations by Neil Burridge of the amazing Bronze Age casting, which helped primitive man to develop. Stonehenge, Wiltshire

Neolithic Bushcraft Sat 11 & Sun 12 Feb 201710am – 4pm
Guy Hagg demonstrates all things essential to Neolithic life, from fire lighting, game preparation using flint tools, early cooking methods to making weapons, bone and antler tools and the everyday utensils used at this time.

Flint Knapping Sat 11 & Sun 12 March 2017 10am – 4pm
See a flint knapper at work in the setting of Stonehenge's Neolithic Houses and learn how Neolithic stone tools were produced using authentic techniques and tools.
Full article in the excellent Blackmore Vale Magazine
The Stonehenge Tourist Guide

Thursday 20 October 2016

NEW: Full-Day Tour of Salisbury, Stonehenge and Avebury departing from Salisbury

See the ancient wonder of Stonehenge in modern comfort. This tour will show you the ancient Magna Carta dating back to 1220. The tour dives into the depths of history and discovers the how, when, where and why of Stonehenge & ancient past of humans, from Neolithic Man to the present day. Stonehenge and Avebury in Wiltshire are among the most famous groups of megaliths in the world. The two sanctuaries consist of circles of menhirs arranged in a pattern whose astronomical significance is still being explored. These holy places and nearby Neolithic sites are an incomparable testimony to prehistoric times.
English heritage and many sites of historic and cultural interest, including Stonehenge and the medieval city of Salisbury with its famous Cathedral and
The full-day tour starts at 9am from Salisbury train station or Central Car Park Coach Park in Salisbury.

It begins in the Medieval Cathedral City with all of its history and mystique where you enjoy a tour of the City before spending an hour at the Cathedral taking in the tallest spire and the Magna Carta (subject to opening times) before departing at 10.15am for a brief stop at Old Sarum, the original City of Salisbury. This Iron Age settlement became Salisbury after visits from Saxons, Danes, Vikings and Normans. Old Sarum offers wonderful views over the City and the surrounding landscape. This is where King John had his garrisons in the early 1200s before the barons rose up against the King which resulted in the Magna Carta being sealed in 1215.

You will depart Old Sarum at approx. 10.40am and follow a narrow riverside road through a picturesque valley with its own history to tell. Here you can take in the many thatched cottages and begin to learn the history that surrounds Stonehenge.

Arriving at Stonehenge at 11.10am you will spend two hours experiencing the new visitor centre and the Ancient Stones before heading to Avebury.

En route to Avebury you will see the Alton Barnes White Horse (a large chalk carving in the hillside) before passing through Lockeridge (where the Sarcen stones originate that form part of Stonehenge & Avebury). You will also see Silbury hill, the largest manmade mound in Europe and the West Kennet longbarrow (an ancient Neolithic burial mound). If time & weather permit you will walk to the site and actually enter the burial mound.

At 2.15pm you arrive at Avebury where your guide will walk you over the site. Here you will try your hand at divining for spiritual leylines.

Leaving Avebury at 4.30pm you begin your return journey to Salisbury train station, Central Coach Park or a local hotel (if you are staying overnight). The tour will be completed at 5.30pm.

Location: Salisbury, United Kingdom 

Duration: 9 hours 

Voucher Redembtion: You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.  #

Departure and Return Details 

Departure Dates: Daily 

Commences: Salisbury, United Kingdom 

Departure Point: Salisbury Train Station & Central Coach Park 

Departure Time: 9:30am Salisbury Train Station (if you wish to have pick-up from the train station, please advise your arrival & departure rail times)
9:15am from Central Coach Park
8.30am to 8:50am from Hotels close to Cruise Terminal
Hotel pickups commence approximately 30 - 60 minutes prior to this time
Times are subject to change due to local traffic conditions.
Hotel pickups commence approximately 30 - 60 minutes prior to this time, exact pickup time will be advised on reconfirmation.
BOOK DIRECT WITH TRAVEL AGENT (From £150gbp): http://traveltoe.com/product_info.php/products_id/56206
The VisitWiltshire website also list guided tours of the Stonehenge area departing from Salisbury.
Need travel advice and Stonehenge tour recommendations? Email us on info@visit-stonehenge.co.uk

The Stonehenge Tourist Guide

Saturday 8 October 2016

WALKING THE DEAD: Exploring the Stonehenge Ceremonial Landscape

A family-friendly guided tour of the amazing collections of the Wiltshire Museum, followed by a guided walk from Durrington Walls to Stonehenge.
This full day tour is led by Museum Director, David Dawson. 28th October 2016

Tour of the galleries approx. one hour, lunch at the Museum followed by a three hour (approx. 4 miles) walk in the afternoon. Walk not suitable for pushchairs or wheelchairs.

The morning visit to the Museum starts at 11am and the walk begins at 2pm. We should reach the Stonehenge Visitor Centre at about 5.00pm.

£40 (£35 WANHS members).
Over 8s welcome (£15, £10 WANHS members) - under 18s

Further details of the itinerary:

11am: The day begins with coffee and a guided tour of the Wiltshire Museum. The early story of Wiltshire is told in new galleries featuring high quality graphics and leading-edge reconstructions. On display are dozens of spectacular treasures dating to the time of Stonehenge and worn by people who worship

12.30pm: a light lunch at the Museum. Please advise of any dietary requirements, restrictions or allergies.

1pm: leave for Durrington Walls. The walk will take approximately 3.5 hours, and starts at Durrington Walls and Woodhenge, close to the River Avon. The route passes the Cuckoo Stone, a megalithic standing stone, before following the Apple Track - a WW1 light railway. The route then passes the prehistoric Cursus, before passing the Bronze Age barrows of Kings Barrow ridge.

The route then follows the Avenue - the Neolithic ceremonial route that leads to Stonehenge following the line of the solstice.

At Stonehenge, you have three options:

1. Visit Stonehenge. This is free for English Heritage and National Trust members, but is not included in the cost. If you are not a member, then you should book your visit online from the English Heritage and you should choose a timed ticket for about 4.30 pm. You can then take the English Heritage shuttle bus to the Stonehenge Visitor Centre.
2. Continue to the Cursus barrows and the Western end of the cursus, before continuing to the Stonehenge Visitor Centre.
3. Take the English Heritage shuttle bus to the Stonehenge Visitor Centre and purchase a well-earned snack and cup of tea.

At about 5.30pm, at the end of the walk, there will be car-share transport back to your car at the start of the walk, or back to the Wiltshire Museum in Devizes. 

ed inside the stone circle.

Booking:

Essential.

Booking Options
Book online using Paypal (we will send an email confirming your payment and ticket details within the next few days)
Telephone – 01380 727369
Email – hello@wiltshiremuseum.org.uk
Visit – Wiltshire Museum, 41 Long Street, Devizes 


The Stonehenge Tourist Blog

Friday 23 September 2016

STONEHENGE CELEBRATES 30 YEARS AS A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE

In 1986 Stonehenge and Avebury were among the first seven sites in the UK to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, recognising them as places of exceptional importance to all humanity.

In 2016, English Heritage, the National Trust, the Wiltshire Museum, CBA Wessex, the RSPB and others are all helping to celebrate this anniversary with events taking place throughout the year. The highlight will be a conference taking place in Devizes on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 November.
Speakers will include: Dr Alison Sheridan (National Museums of Scotland), Dr Serge Cassen (University of Nantes), Prof Tim Darvill (University of Bournemouth), Prof Vince Gaffney (University of Bradford), Dr Josh Pollard (University of Southampton), Julian Richards (Archaeologist and TV Presenter) and many more. The Conference will aim to celebrate the achievements of the past 30 years and look forward to what further discoveries we may find in the future.
The Conference is open to anyone and tickets can be booked using Eventbrite.
More information can be found about the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site on the website www.stonehengeandaveburywhs.org/30th-anniversary-conference/
Over the past 30 years there have been a number of achievements by the many partners who share in the protection and enhancement of the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site.
These include:
  • Around 750 ha of agricultural land in WHS have been reverted to pasture with a great deal of support from Defra/Natural England. Not only does this help to protect fragile archaeological remains but has also had the benefit of enhancing biodiversity.
  • A huge amount of archaeological research has revealed more about the landscapes of the WHS and expanded our knowledge and understanding of the Site
  • Silbury Hill was stabilised and conserved in 2007, making good the work undertaken by antiquarians of the 18th and 19th centuries and archaeologists of the mid 20th century alike.
  • In 2012 the Site was able to fulfil the UK Government’s commitment made at the time of inscription to close the A344 right next to the Stones at Stonehenge
  • A new award winning Visitor Centre opened at Stonehenge in 2013 and now receives over 1.3million visitors per year.
  • The governance of the WHS was strengthened with the creation of a Stonehenge and Avebury WHS Coordination Unit in March 2014 and the creation of a WHS Partnership Panel to oversee the work of the two parts of the WHS in February 2014.
  • In May 2015, Stonehenge and Avebury WHS produced their first joint Stonehenge and Avebury WHS Management Plan
To celebrate English Heritage are offering 30 people the chance to see Stonehenge from above in a tethered hot air balloon. Visit their website for details

The Stonehenge Tourist Guide


Friday 12 August 2016

'New Stonehenge' at Durrington Walls 'had no standing stones'

A 4,500-year-old monument experts thought was "another Stonehenge" is now understood to have not contained any standing stones at all.
NICOLA SNASHALL/NATIONAL TRUST
Image captionA dig at Durrington Walls has shown there were no standing stones at the site
Archaeologists digging at Durrington Walls - about two miles from Stonehenge - said they now believed the Neolithic site was surrounded by timber posts.
Last year they said a survey showed evidence of "a Superhenge" of more than 100 buried stones at the site.
But no evidence of stones was found during an excavation.
Pits that contained wooden posts have been found.
The Stonehenge Hidden Landscapes Project has been surveying an area covering 16 sq km near Stonehenge for the past six years using geophysical survey techniques.
National Trust archaeologist Dr Nicola Snashall said ground penetrating radar had revealed "anomalies" that were originally believed to be buried stones.
"The response from the radar was so good that the team thought they were dealing with a whole series of stones lying on their side, buried beneath the bank of this ancient earthwork."
Two of the features have now been excavated, and the stones theory has been disproved.
"What we've discovered are that there are two enormous pits for timber posts. They have got ramps at the sides to lower posts into.
"They did contain timbers which have been vertically lifted out and removed at some stage.
"The top was then filled in with chalk rubble and then the giant henge bank was raised over the top."
Dr Snashall said it was thought the giant timber monument was was put up immediately after a settlement on the site, that belonged to the builders of Stonehenge, went out of use.
"For some strange reason they took the timbers out and put up the enormous bank and ditch that we see today."

The Durrington Walls monument, which is about 480m (1,500 ft) across, is just under two miles (3km) from the famous Stonehenge site in Wiltshire.
Artcle Source: BBC NEWS
The Stonehenge Tourist Guide
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Monday 20 June 2016

STONEHENGE SUMMER SOLSTICE: All you need to know about this year's event

Final preparations are being made for the biggest night of the year at Stonehenge - with thousands of people expected to see in tomorrow morning's sunrise (Tuesday June 21st 2016).
Numbers could be a little lower for this year's Summer Solstice, as it's on a week night, but Wiltshire Policeare still predicting at least 20,000 will turn out for the start of the longest day.

But, there could be protests too - with groups having already made their feelings known against changes, brought in by English Heritage, for this year's event like charging for car parking and a ban on alcohol.
Stonehenge General Manager Kate Davies says they've been working hard to get the plans right:
"We work on the plans for solstice all year round, working really closely with Wiltshire Police and Wiltshire Council and other partners to make it a great success. We are ready, our priority is always to look after the monument and look after the people who come. We think we've got all our plans in place."
Plans to make sure this year's Summer Solstice at Stonehenge go off peacefully tonight are being described as 'robust'.
General Manager at Stonehenge Kate Davies reminds us why those new rules are being brought in:
"Over the past 15 years, we've seen attendances at solstice go from around 10,000 people to around 40,000 people. During that time, we have limited car parking spaces, we've seen drunken and disrespectful behaviour and we've even seen vandalism to the stones, something's got to change. We've got very robust plans in place to deal with any issues, but obviously we respect people's right to protest peacefully if they feel they need to."
Scroll down to hear more from Kate speaking to Spire FM's Faye Marsh.
OPENING TIMES:
  • Last entry for visitors on Monday 20th June will be 1.00pm.
  • The site will close at 3.00pm
  • The monument field will re-open to visitors from 7.00pm with sunset at 9.26pm
  • Following the solstice, the site will be closed for clean-up for the rest of Tuesday 21st June
  • It'll re-open to visitors on Wednesday 22nd June
SUNRISE:

The important part of the solstice celebrations is the sunrise on Tuesday 21st June - that will be at 4.52am

The monument field will then close at 8.00am.
LISTEN:
You can hear more from Stonehenge General Manager Kate Davies here. She's been telling Spire FM's Faye Marsh about preparations, the reasons why the changes are being brought in, how they'll be enforced and the numbers they're expecting.  Visit Spire FM website
CAR PARKING:
This year, English Heritage is charging visitors for on-site parking from 7.00pm on Monday 20th June, with the last admission at 6.00am on Tuesday 21st June. The car park will close at midday on Tuesday.
Here's how much it will cost you:
Stonehenge Parking Charges Summer Solstice 2016 (English Heritage)
Cash and credit cards will be accepted on the gate to pay for the car parking charges. Those charges apply to everyone on the night, including English Heritage and National Trust members.
Wiltshire Police has warned people NOT to park in the surrounding villages illegally, or blocking highways, with people then walking to the stones.
Bronze Commander on the night, Temporary Superintendent Dave Minty says traffic management will be key:
"We're committed to ensuring the free flow of traffic around there, so a lot of our policing will be around the road networks around Stonehenge. If (parked cars) are causing an obstruction, then they are liable to a fine and/or the removal of their vehicle. We can't allow, and we're not going to allow, the villages to get blocked up by people just abandoning their cars, so we will have people with us that are capable of lifting vehicles up and removing them."
PUBLIC TRANSPORT:
Visitors are being encouraged to use public transport to visit Stonehenge on Solstice night. Salisbury Reds are running special shuttle buses throughout the night from Salisbury city centre and the train station up to the site.
Adult tickets are £10 return, children can ride for £5.
For the full timetable, you can visit their website at www.salisburyreds.co.uk
MORE INFORMATION:
You can find out more about the Conditions of Entry, set down by English Heritage for the Summer Solstice 2016 on their website at www.english-heritage.org.uk
You can also use social media to follow what's going on, using the hashtag#summersolstice
ARICLE SOURCE: SPIRE FM, SALISBURY
The Stonehenge Visitors Guide

Thursday 12 May 2016

New Tour Group Facilities Planned for Stonehenge

World Heritage Site Stonehenge has revealed its plans for new group facilities at the site, such as a new group reception building and a dedicated coach park.

A temporary coach park extension is currently in operation at the site, but English Heritage intends to make the enhanced offering for groups more permanent. The key proposals include the creation of a newly-designed coach park which will offer spaces for up to 53 60-seater coaches.


The park will be designed to ease congestion, provide safer pedestrian access and make group arrival and departure procedures easier.

A new group reception building will also be built with exclusive WC facilities just for group visitors.
It will include an internal ticket and audio guide collection area with more till points to speed up groups’ journeys into the site..

The plans also include the creation of a new visitor transit shuttle pick up point, just for groups.
This will be located next to the group reception building, meaning groups will be able to go directly from their coach to the famous stone circle.]

This will provide up to 900 visitor journeys in each direction, every hour at peak times.
There will also be an improved and enlarged drop off/pick up area at the stones.

Kate Davies, Stonehenge’s general manager commented, “We are now seeking to introduce a sustainable longer term and permanent solution, which also addresses other pressure points on site that have impacted negatively on our ability to fully offer world class facilities at this leading UK attraction.

“Our own experience since we opened our new facilities at Stonehenge in December 2013, together with feedback from industry colleagues and visitors and extensive research have all shown that these key improvements could make a massive difference in the future, whilst maintaining the integrity of the World Heritage Site.”

It’s hoped that the first updates will be made in time for summer 2017.
For more information visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge

The Stonehenge Tourist Guide



Wednesday 20 April 2016

Stonehenge - New Discoveries - talk in Shaftesbury by Mike Parker Pearson: 19th May 2016

Shaftesbury and District Archaeological Group has arranged for Mike Parker Pearson to give a talk entitled "Stonehenge - New Discoveries" on Thursday 19th May at 7.30pm at Shaftesbury Town Hall. Mike is Professor of British Later Prehistory at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London and has excavated on archaeological sites around the world from Madagascar to Easter Island, to Orkney.

Mike led the Stonehenge Riverside Project from 2003 until 2009 and, with his team, revolutionised our understanding of Stonehenge, discovering a new henge and the settlement where Stonehenge's builders may have lived. The project collected three archaeological awards, while he received the UK Archaeologist of the Year award in 2010, and in 2012 he published a detailed book about the site which received glowing reviews.

Mike has since directed another major project in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, including the excavation of a Bronze Age settlement where he found the first evidence for mummification in prehistoric Britain. He is well known for his work on funerary archaeology and has written many books on this and other subjects.
By jspiteri  | Blackmore Vale Magazine

The Stonehnege Tourist Guide

Tuesday 22 March 2016

The mysterious objects found in Stonehenge woman's grave are going on display at the visitor centre.

Mysterious jewellery and belongings of a woman so important she was buried at a prime spot overlooking Stonehenge are going on display at the monument's visitors' centre for the first time.

Archaeologists and historians are still baffled by some of the items found alongside the body of a woman buried in one of the dozens of burial chambers that line the ridges all around the horizon from Stonehenge.

But of all the barrows and graves that have been investigated, none have produced more incredible, well-preserved or mysterious artefacts than the one of the woman of Normanton Down.

This Easter the objects are going on display for the first time at the Stonehenge Visitors' Centre, with tourists asked to ponder what they could be and why they might have been buried with her.

Full story and image gallery in The Western Daily Press

The Stonehenge Tourist Guide

Friday 18 March 2016

When is the Spring Equinox? Why does it mark the start of spring?

THE equinox is celebrated around the world and marks the start of spring. But what is it?
Pagans, revellers and druids greet the sun at Stonehenge

When is the equinox? 

The spring equinox, also known as the vernal equinox, is set to take place on Sunday March 20 2016. 
The date marks the official start of spring, according to an astronomical calendar based on the Earth's orbit of the sun. 
Another equinox in September marks the start of autumn as the nights become longer than the days.

What is the equinox? 

The equinox is an astronomical event in which the sun crosses the celestial equator - the projection of the Earth's equator into space.
On the date of the equinox, both day and night are around the same length around the globe. Afterwards, the day is longer than the night. 
The word equinox is derived from the Latin equi, which means equal, and nox, which means night. 

How is the equinox celebrated? 

Druids and pagans mark the equinox by gathering to greet the sun at the ancient stone circle of Stonehenge in Wiltshire. 
The equinox is a significant solar festival in the pagan calendar and is associated with fertility and renewal. 
It also helps mark Easter, Passover and the Persian new year known as Nowruz.

What is the equilux?

On the date of the equinox itself, the length of day and night are only nearly equal.
The equilux is the date when day and night are exactly equal and took place on Thursday March 17 2016.
It always occurs a few days before the spring equinox and a few days after the autumn equinox.

When do the clocks go forward? 

Britain's clocks will go forward at 1am on the last Sunday of this month, March 27. 
The changing of the clocks means an hour less in bed. It marks the start of more the daylight in the evenings, but less in the mornings. 
By ALICE FOSTER
Full story in the Daily Express

If you wish to visit Stonehenge at Sunrise on the Spring Equinox and do not have tranport.  Solstice Events U.K are offerimg their usual transport / tour service from London and Bath.

Follow us on Periscope for live coverage on the Stonehenge Equinox #Stonehenge
The Stonehege Tourist Guide