StonehengeY entry

All photos were taken last April, during my UK visit.

‘Used max 3 optical zoom, Sony Point and Shoot camera

Did you know…

* Stonehenge was constructed in three phases.
* It has been estimated that the three phases of the construction required more than thirty million hours of labour.
* Speculation on the reason it was built range from human sacrifice to astronomy.

Quick guide
Age estimated at 3100 BC
Location Wiltshire, UK
OS Reference SU 122 422
Type of stone Bluestone, Sarson, Welsh Sandstone
Worship Lunar, Solar
Access English Heritage – there is a charge to visit the stones
Extra notes Except on special occasions, visitors are unable to walk amongst the stones

See the little black bird?

FAQs on Stonehenge

Did the Druids build Stonehenge?

The stones were built by three different cultures, Windmill, First Wessex and the Beakers – so named because when they buried their dead they had their pots interred with them.

Why has one of the stones got a smooth base?

One of the stones has experienced a lot of wear over the years and to support it and to prevent it from falling, a concrete core was put in to keep it upright. This was done in 1959.

Where are the Bluestones? None of them look blue?

The Bluestones are the smaller inner stones, which originate from Preselli mountains in Wales, and when they become wet they turn blue.

When did the ropes go up around the stone circle?

The ropes were erected around the stones in 1978 to help protect the stones from further damage.

Is Stonehenge the largest stone circle?

Stonehenge is not the largest stone circle in the world but it is the only one that has lintels around the top, making this unique.

Why was it built here?

There is no explanation as to why the site was chosen. Various theories have been put forward but no conclusive evidence has been found to support them.

Why can’t we go into the centre circle?

The stone circle has had a lot of footfall over the past few centuries and for conservation purposes it has to be roped off. We do, however, have out of hours Stone Circle Access which allows us to monitor numbers.

Why do we have to pay as this is our heritage?

The stone circle was given to the government in 1918 by Sir Cecil Chubb with the provision that a charge was to be made to pay for the upkeep.

What happened to the rest of the stones?

A lot of the original stones have been taken by our ancestors to build their houses and roads. Also, a lot of stones have been chipped away by visitors and taken away as souvenirs over the past couple of hundred years.

~~Inside of the stone, it was raining but it didn’t turn blue…maybe it wasn’t wet enough?~~

~~Would have been a fantastic experience (or course maybe shot) if it wasn’t foggy, if we were closer to the hills and it was summer. Even missed seeing those famous crop circles! Curved out of the chalk hills, white horses such as this are a feature of Wiltshire landscape. ~~