Move over Stonehenge, there's a bigger stone circle in town.
Archaeologists are busy excavating Marden Henge, a giant stone circle and earthwork ten times larger than its more famous cousin. It's not nearly as well-known, however, because all of its stones have been lost or buried. Traces of a giant earthwork and ditch that encircled the monument do survive, and archaeologists hope they'll reveal secrets of England's prehistoric past.
While everyone knows about Stonehenge, many people don't realize there are nearly a thousand stone circles in the British Isles, from massive ones like Avebury (shown here) to smaller ones like the Rollright Stones. Marden Henge is in Wiltshire, close to Stonehenge and Avebury, and could provide clues to how and why they were constructed. The giant circle encloses about 15 hectares (37 acres) and has a mound at its center. Archaeologists plan to investigate both the central mound and the earthwork and ditch. The Neolithic farmers who built these monuments often put sacrifices in the surrounding ditches.
While there are no current plans for a visitor's center at Marden Henge, there are plenty of other stone circles open to the public. Some of the more famous cater to visitors with interpretive signs and parking lots, while others simply stand in open fields, an enduring part of Europe's ancient landscape. An excellent website to help you plan a visit is The Megalithic Portal, which includes information on stone circles and other megaliths such as barrows (tombs) and menhirs (individual standing stones) in the UK and all around the world.
Wessex Tour Guide
Stonehenge News and Visitor Information.
Friday 9 July 2010
Friday 25 June 2010
20,000 gathered at Stonehenge for solstice - 2010
Thousands flocked to Stonehenge this morning to celebrate the solstice, with the sun visible for the first time in recent years.
The solstice annually attracts an eclectic mix - Druids, hippies, sun worshippers and those who are curious to experience the ancient festival.
Nearly 20,000 people attended the event, with 15 arrests overnight for minor public disorder, a Wiltshire Police spokesman said.
As the sun rose at 0452, a cheer went up from those gathered overnight at the stone circle on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire.
The crowds were treated to clear views of the sunrise - previous years have seen the spectacle obscured by mist and cloud.
Last year a record 36,500 revellers attended, causing traffic chaos and road closures.
It was announced last week that £10 million of funding for a proposed visitor centre at the prehistoric site has been axed, putting the plans on hold indefinitely.
Stonehenge Tour Guide
Wednesday 23 June 2010
The longest day: 20,000 flock to Stonehenge for an all-night party to mark summer solstice
Twenty thousand hippies, druids, pagans and sunworshippers descended on Stonehenge for an all-night summer solstice party that culminated with the break of dawn.
At 4.52am this morning, on the longest day of the year, the sun rose to cheers from the tens of thousands who assemble each year at the prehistoric monument on Salisbury Plain.
The annual event at Stonehenge, near Salibsury, Wiltshire, is a modern twist on solstice celebrations which were once a highlight of the pre-Christian calendar.
Dawn breaks at Stonehenge in Wiltshire as revellers gather to watch the sunrise during the summer solstice, marking the longest day of the year
Where previous years have seen the dawn obscured by mist and cloud this year's event took place under clear skies.
The ancient festival concentrates on the the Heel Stone, a pock-marked pillar just outside the famous circle, which aligns with the rising sun.
The celebrations conssist largely of bonfires, maypole dances and courtship rituals
It means a lot to us ... being British and following our pagan roots,' said reveller Victoria Campbell, who sported a pair of white angel's wings and had a mass of multicolored flowers in her hair.
The 29-year-old Londoner, who works in the finance industry, also said that 'getting away from the city' was a major draw to the ceremony.
The solstice is one of the few times access is granted inside the stone circle, which has been roped off since 1978, following years of erosion and vandalism.
Gina Pratt, a 43-year-old housewife and a self-described witch, said being inside the circle as the sun came up gave her 'a kind of a grounding feeling (of) being in touch with the earth again, and the air we breathe.'
Pratt, who wore a cape of crushed red velvet and wielded an amethyst-tipped wand, said the event gave rise to conflicting emotions.
'It makes you feel small and insignificant ... but it makes you feel like you're here for a reason,' she said.
Wiltshire Police were on hand to ensure the event remained peaceful, although 15 arrests were made overnight for minor public disorder offences. Stonehenge's origins remain a mystery, but theories suggest the grounds were part of a huge astronomical calendar.
Others say an ancient sun worshipping culture aligned the structure with the midsummer sunrise and the midwinter sunset.
The site was used as a cremation cemetery since its inception, archaeologists say, but it is unclear if that was its principal function.
'The truthful answer is we don't know exactly what it was for,' said Amanda Chadburn, an archaeologist with English Heritage, which manages the site.
Whatever its origins, the construction of Stonehenge - built with massive stones drawn from up to 150 miles away - gives insight into an ancient culture.
The World Heritage site was built in three phases between 3000 B.C. and 1600 B.C.
Despite it being one of Britain's most popular tourist attractions, with more than 850,000 visitors a year, it was announced last week that £10 million of funding for a proposed visitor centre at the prehistoric site has been axed, putting the plans on hold indefinitely.
Stonehenge Tour Guide
At 4.52am this morning, on the longest day of the year, the sun rose to cheers from the tens of thousands who assemble each year at the prehistoric monument on Salisbury Plain.
The annual event at Stonehenge, near Salibsury, Wiltshire, is a modern twist on solstice celebrations which were once a highlight of the pre-Christian calendar.
Dawn breaks at Stonehenge in Wiltshire as revellers gather to watch the sunrise during the summer solstice, marking the longest day of the year
Where previous years have seen the dawn obscured by mist and cloud this year's event took place under clear skies.
The ancient festival concentrates on the the Heel Stone, a pock-marked pillar just outside the famous circle, which aligns with the rising sun.
The celebrations conssist largely of bonfires, maypole dances and courtship rituals
It means a lot to us ... being British and following our pagan roots,' said reveller Victoria Campbell, who sported a pair of white angel's wings and had a mass of multicolored flowers in her hair.
The 29-year-old Londoner, who works in the finance industry, also said that 'getting away from the city' was a major draw to the ceremony.
The solstice is one of the few times access is granted inside the stone circle, which has been roped off since 1978, following years of erosion and vandalism.
Gina Pratt, a 43-year-old housewife and a self-described witch, said being inside the circle as the sun came up gave her 'a kind of a grounding feeling (of) being in touch with the earth again, and the air we breathe.'
Pratt, who wore a cape of crushed red velvet and wielded an amethyst-tipped wand, said the event gave rise to conflicting emotions.
'It makes you feel small and insignificant ... but it makes you feel like you're here for a reason,' she said.
Wiltshire Police were on hand to ensure the event remained peaceful, although 15 arrests were made overnight for minor public disorder offences. Stonehenge's origins remain a mystery, but theories suggest the grounds were part of a huge astronomical calendar.
Others say an ancient sun worshipping culture aligned the structure with the midsummer sunrise and the midwinter sunset.
The site was used as a cremation cemetery since its inception, archaeologists say, but it is unclear if that was its principal function.
'The truthful answer is we don't know exactly what it was for,' said Amanda Chadburn, an archaeologist with English Heritage, which manages the site.
Whatever its origins, the construction of Stonehenge - built with massive stones drawn from up to 150 miles away - gives insight into an ancient culture.
The World Heritage site was built in three phases between 3000 B.C. and 1600 B.C.
Despite it being one of Britain's most popular tourist attractions, with more than 850,000 visitors a year, it was announced last week that £10 million of funding for a proposed visitor centre at the prehistoric site has been axed, putting the plans on hold indefinitely.
Stonehenge Tour Guide
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