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