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

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

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 

Book direct with The Wiltsthire Museum

The Stonehenge Tourist Blog