English Heritage Prepares For Summer Solstice At Stonehenge

The English Heritage is preparing for the arrival of thousands of gatherers at Stonehenge for this years Summer Solstice on the 20 - 21st June. Stonehenge is an ancient prehistoric site in Wiltshire and has been seen as a place of worship and celebration for millennia. Special preparations are underway including changes to visitor opening hours and road closures to ensure public safety and the protection of the site itself.

Last year the event proved hugely popular, with druids and pagans flocking to the site despite overcast skies, wind and rain. BBC reporter Will Walder described the experience ''It was wet, misty and muddy but there was an atmosphere that something really special was about to happen. People were whistling and cheering and then falling silent before starting again. Tambourines and drums were being played but then at 4:52 am people were looking from left to right to try to see the sun and had to resort to watches and mobile phones to mark the moment".
The Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year and is celebrated by pagans across the world. The Solstice usually falls in the northern hemisphere on the 21st June each year.
Stonhenge is estimated to have been constructed around 3900 BC. It is believed that the three phases of construction took over 30 million hours of labour to achieve. Speculation for the reason behind its construction varies from human sacrifice to astronomy.

Link Article: Oxford Royale Academy: http://www.oxford-royale.co.uk/news/2013/06/07/english-heritage-prepares-for-summer-solstice-at-stonehenge.html

Stonehenge Tour Guide

STONEHENGE SUMMER SOLSTICE 2013

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY AND INFORMATION Stonehenge is an ancient pre-historic site. It has been a place of worship and celebration at the time of Summer Solstice since time immemorial.  English Heritage is pleased to be providing Managed Open Access to Stonehenge for the Summer Solstice. Please help us to create a peaceful occasion by taking personal responsibility and following the Conditions of Entry and guidelines set out below. We have a duty of care to ensure public safety and are responsible for the protection of Stonehenge and its surrounding Monuments. If we are to ensure that future access is sustainable, it is essential that everyone observes and abides by these Conditions of Entry.
During the Summer Solstice access to Stonehenge, we support all individuals and groups conducting their own forms of ceremony and celebration providing that they are mutually respectful and tolerant of one another. It is a place seen by many as a sacred site – therefore please respect it and those attending.


English Heritage continues to work closely with the many agencies and people from all sectors of the community and would like to thank them for their help and support.

Parking and entry to the Monument will be free, subject to the Conditions of Entry. Please do not arrive at the Solstice Car Park or Stonehenge in advance of the opening times listed below: SOLSTICE CAR PARK OPENS	1900 hours (7pm) Thursday 20th June
ACCESS TO STONEHENGE	1900 hours (7pm) Thursday 20th June
LAST ADMISSION TO SOLSTICE CAR PARK	0600 hours (6am) Friday 21st June
STONEHENGE CLOSES	0800 hours (8am) Friday 21st June
SOLSTICE CAR PARK TO BE VACATED	1200 hours (12 Noon) Friday 21st June

Sunset on Thursday 20th June 2013 is at 2126 hrs (9.26pm)

Sunrise on Friday 21st June 2013 is at 0452 hrs (4.52am)

WE HOPE THE WEATHER WILL BE KIND

AND WISH YOU A PEACEFUL AND CELEBRATORY SOLSTICE

 

 

SECTION I – PLANNING YOUR VISIT: • What (and what not!) to bring with you • Travelling to Stonehenge • Parking Facilities

SECTION 2 – ONCE YOU ARE AT STONEHENGE: • Conditions of Entry • Admission to Stonehenge • Facilities • Welfare • Rubbish Disposal • For your Safety • In case of emergency

SECTION 3 – OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION: • Visit Wiltshire Website • Local Camping Facilities • Tourist Information Centres • Stonehenge Summer Solstice Website • Stonehenge Summer Solstice Information Hotline • Map 3


SECTION 1 – PLANNING YOUR VISIT

In this section: • What (and what not!) to bring with you • Travelling to Stonehenge • Parking facilities

What (and what not!) to bring with you
• When thinking about what to bring with you, remember your personal possessions are your responsibility and you will have to carry them with you at all times. Therefore, travel as light as you can. Large bags or large rucksacks will not be allowed at the Monument although small bags and rucksacks (similar size to hand luggage on airlines) will be permitted. • Think carefully about what valuables you normally carry and leave all non-essential items at home. Whilst there is a lost property system, the nature of the access means that if you drop/mislay something in the Solstice Car Park or at Stonehenge it might not be easily found or handed in. If you are bringing your mobile phone with you please keep it safe. Think of the hassle you would have if you lost it, or it was stolen. • Glass is not allowed at the Monument as many people walk barefoot and, in addition, livestock and wildlife also graze in the area. If you bring any glass items with you, they will be confiscated. This also includes any other objects that could cause damage to the Monument or people there. No plastic bottles will be available for decanting purposes. • Please do not bring dogs, pets or other creatures – they are not permitted into Stonehenge, with the exception of registered assistance dogs. Apart from potentially upsetting wildlife and stock in the area, animal faeces present a health risk to children and also to people walking barefoot. • Due to the large number of people in attendance, naked flame is extremely dangerous and it infringes local bylaws/regulations and constitutes a potential fire hazard, so please do not light any fires – this includes BBQs, flaming torches, candles, night-lights, Chinese lanterns or fireworks. • The Solstice Car Park and Stonehenge are ‘fields’ so sensible footwear is essential. • Make sure you wear and bring with you warm clothing, as despite the time of the year, the weather at Stonehenge can be very cold and damp. If rain is likely, then bring a small umbrella for personal use. Please do not wear a hi-viz jacket as this can cause confusion with the officials undertaking a safety role. • In the interests of safety, sleeping bags or duvets will not be allowed on site. Sleeping on the ground can create a trip hazard especially as much of the access is during the hours of darkness. Also, people asleep on the ground could interfere
with the work of the emergency services and hinder their ability to attend an incident. Small ground sheets and blankets will be permitted for people to sit on. If you do want to sleep during the access period, it is strongly recommended that you either return to your vehicle in the Solstice Car Park or go to one of the public gathering areas outside the Monument. • Camping (including erecting any tented structures), fires or BBQs are NOT permitted at Stonehenge, in the Solstice Car Park, or anywhere in the surrounding National Trust land. • Stonehenge is a world renowned historic Monument and it is seen by many who attend the access as a sacred site. Amplified Music is inappropriate and will not be permitted at the Monument, in the surrounding landscape or Solstice Car Park, so please do not bring any sound systems or portable amplifiers. Acoustic instruments will be permitted. • Drunken, disorderly, and anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated; ejection, possibly by the Police without return, will be the outcome. • Illegal drugs are still illegal at Stonehenge as they are anywhere else. The police will be on site during the access period and will take immediate action against anyone flouting the law. Summer Solstice is not a good time to experiment with drugs - the crowd, the noise and the sheer size of the place are likely to make any bad reaction much, much worse. As much of the access is at night, if you had a bad reaction it may be difficult to locate you to administer treatment. • Only small amounts of alcohol for personal use will be permitted on to site. Alcohol is limited to no more than the equivalent of four 500ml cans of beer/cider or 75cl of wine. No further alcohol will be permitted on subsequent re-entry. Be warned, drug/alcohol cocktails can be lethal, so please be fully of aware of what you are doing. As mentioned previously, no glass bottles are allowed on site at any time.
 Travelling to Stonehenge

• Stonehenge is located approximately 2½ miles (4 kms) from the town of Amesbury. The nearest bus and railway stations are in Salisbury, which is 12 miles (19 kms) away from Stonehenge. • As the roads around Stonehenge will be very busy, it is recommended that you leave your car at home and travel to Stonehenge using public transport. Trains run regularly to Salisbury from London, Bristol/Bath and Southampton and the local bus company, Salisbury Reds, will be running a special service, from Salisbury railway and bus stations to a drop-off point near Stonehenge. The buses will also stop at any recognised bus stop along the line of the route, which is via Amesbury. • This bus service will commence at 1830 hours (6.30pm) on Thursday 20th June and run regularly until 0115 hours (1.15am) on Friday 21st June. A service taking people back to Salisbury will start again at 0400 hours (4.00am) and run frequently until 0945 hours (9.45am). The collection point for the return service is in the same location as the drop-off point.
 
 

• The walk to Stonehenge from the bus drop-off/collection point is 1½ miles (approximately 2½ kms) - about a 20-30 minute walk and is through National Trust farmland. Sensible footwear might not be fashionable but is definitely advisable as the land is agricultural and the route includes some sloping ground. Also the route is not lit and you may wish to bring a small torch (not naked flame though!!). • To help you plan your journey to Stonehenge, further details on train and bus timetables and fares are available from the following links: For bus service information: Salisbury Reds Bus Company http://www.salisburyreds.co.uk talk2us@salisburyreds.co.uk.	For train information: South West Trains www.southwesttrains.co.uk Tel: 0845 6000 650
First Great Western www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk Tel: 0845 7000 125
National Rail Enquiries www.nationalrail.co.uk Tel: 08457 48 49 50

Druid King Arthur and the quest for the ancient bones

Druid leader King Arthur Pendragon's second legal bid to get ancient bones found at Stonehenge reburied may have been unsuccessful, but he tells Katie Razzall he will fight on.

Surprisingly perhaps, today wasn't the first time King Arthur Pendragon had addressed a judge at London's High Court but it was the first time I'd seen him do it.
Dressed in white flowing robes, with a tidy grey beard and shoulder-length hair, the Battle Chieftan of the Council of British Druids told Court 27 the Government was being "duplicitous" over the fate of 3000-year old human remains exhumed at Stonehenge in 2008.

The ancient dead are due as much respect as the recent deadKing Arthur Pendragon

The case seemed to be about who said what when and to whom, and the arcane nature of Britain's Burial Act of 1857.
I found my mind wandering to whether he wears his marvellous outfit to work or is being Britain's most senior Druid work enough for any man? (It turns out - after a quick bit on online research - it is).
The Druids are furious that the cremated remains of more than 40 bodies, removed from a burial site at the ancient stone circle 5 years ago, may never be re-buried.
Druids believe they could be the remains of the "founding fathers of this very nation". King Arthur Pendragon - or KAP in my notebook - says they might be members of the "royal line or priest caste".
"The ancient dead are due as much respect as the recent dead," he told me.
Respect was due to the King himself today, for appearing on behalf of the remains in front of a judge, without legal representation. But he's used to that. He already lost a High Court bid to have the bones reburied in 2011.

Bones 'on licence'

The Druids argue the law says the remains are only out "on licence". The bones were excavated from one of the Aubrey holes at Stonehenge by Professor Mike Parker Pearson.
The judge ruled against them in their latest legal effort today, but outside court a group of self-dubbed "Loyal Arthurian Warriors", looking part crusader part Gandalf, cheered on the King as he emerged, vowing to fight on.
"We want the Guardians back in the ground, where they belong", he told me. "Let those we lay to rest, stay to rest."
What I wanted to know was how you get to be King Arthur Pendragon. Election is the answer. By a number of arch druids, the King says.
And a little deedpoll change - KAP changed his name from John Rothwell after reading a book about the legendary King and reportedly being astonished at the similarities between them, I wish I'd asked him what they were now.

Artcle by: Katie Razzall Reporter
Channel 4: http://www.channel4.com/news/king-arthur-pendragon-druid-high-court-case-bones-Stonehenge

Stonehenge Tour Guide