Journey back in time to discover the World Heritage Site of Stonehenge; probably the most sophisticated stone circle in the world. As old as the pyramids of Egypt, Stonehenge exerts and enduring fascination. The giant stones have been here on Salisbury Plain for over 4000 years - magnificent, magical and mysterious. It evolved from a simple bank and ditch in the Neolithic period, some 5,000 years ago, to a very sophisticated stone circle built on the axis of the midsummer sunrise. The bluestones were brought 240 miles from the Preseli mountains in Wales. Just how they got them to this isolated place remains a mystery.
There are many stories about the significance of Stonehenge. It may have been an astronomical observatory or used for sacred rituals linked to the sun, successful crops or even the dead. We simply don’t know, but you can learn about them on the audio tour at the site - it’s in 10 different languages. We do know that Stonehenge continues to draw people from all over the world, who stand in awe at this feat of ancient engineering and soak up the atmosphere.
The tour also takes you past the huge earthworks of Old Sarum, an Iron Age hill fort, later inhabited by Romans, Saxons and most importantly, Normans. They built a castle and a royal palace, and by the mid-12th century it was a busy town with a fine cathedral. Lack of water and squabbles between church and military led to the building of a new settlement by the river now known as Salisbury. You can buy our Joint Ticket that gives you admission to Stonehenge as well as the tour.
For further information on Stonehenge please visit
english-heritage.org.uk.
