Stonehenge Cursus

Tours from Antiquity have released a new Archaelogy Tour for 2013.

The ultimate weekend excursion from London. Offering the best of British in a relaxed and well-paced holiday.
Some of the most imposing architecture and mysterious ancient monuments in the world, certainly within the United Kingdom. These sites coupled with the beautiful Wiltshire and Oxfordshire countryside offer the participants of this holiday a special and unique experience.

Special Access to the Stonehenge Circle.

Stonehenge, Prehistoric Wessex, Bath and the Cotswolds tour introduces our guests to some of the most imposing architecture and mysterious ancient monuments in the world, certainly within the United Kingdom. These sites coupled with the beautiful Wiltshire and Oxfordshire countryside offer the participants of this holiday a special and unique experience. Our holiday is original, imaginative, well-paced and carefully balanced. Knowledge of the subject matter provided by our archaeologist and the destinations combine with detailed attention to practical matters, ensure an enriching and smooth-running experience. Coupled with the archaeology, TFA holidays offer our participants immersion into the English countryside, focussing on local tradition, culture, archaeology, heritage, landscapes and food and drink.

6-8 September 2013
From London we start our tour with the ancient rolling downlands Oxfordshire and a visit to the internationally-renowned Bronze Age Uffington White Horse, situated within a unique complex of ancient monuments.

Our afternoon is spent enjoying two of Englands most picturesque villages, Lacock and Castle Combe. Lacock has been used as a background film set for films including Harry Potter and Castle Combe is regarded by many as the prettiest village in England.

We start the morning at the Avebury World Heritage Landscape. We visit Silbury Hill, the largest man-made hill in prehistoric Europe. We enter the 5500 year old burial chamber of West Kennet Long Barrow, entering a sacred space originally reserved only for ritual specialists and the dead. After which we visit the largest stone circle in Europe at Avebury, with its beautiful medieval village situated inside. As John Aubrey in the 1600’s notes [Avebury]…”does as much exceed in greatness the so renowned Stonehenge as a Cathedral doeth a parish church.”

Lunch is spent in Salisbury where we enjoy the splendour of Salisbury Cathedral.

The afternoon is spent exploring landscape directly surrounding Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain. We start by visiting Durrington Walls ‘Stonehenge builder’s village’ and Woodhenge, we then walk over the ridge visiting several burial mounds, Stonehenge Cursus and finally the Stonehenge Avenue. The day is finish with a private access visit to Stonehenge, an opportunity limited to a handful of visitors, were our archaeologist will delve into understanding this enigmatic and ancient monument.

We start our visit to the centre of Bath with a walking tour of the most impressive examples of architecture Bath has to offer, visiting the Assembly Rooms, Royal Circus and Royal Crescent.

Our guest then enjoy admission to the famous Roman Baths, the site of the only thermal springs in Britian. After you enjoy the splendour of the Baths, you are given amble ‘own time’ to explore the remainder of this city at your own pace.

Finishing the day with a visit to the National Trusts, Prior Park; with its beautiful views of the city-scape of Bath. From here we head back towards London.

Visit their website: http://www.toursfromantiquity.com

Wiltshire Tour Guide

We are proud to offer our new Stonehenge Tour including two World Heritage Sites. This exclusive walking tour covers 5km and allows our archaeologist guide to introduce you intimately to the World Heritage Landscapes of Stonehenge and Avebury.
The most spectacular walk is accessible only on foot. A walking tour through some of the most magnificent scenery in England. – Lunch is included at a beautiful English country pub.

Walking Stonehenge and Prehistoric Wessex introduces our guests to some of the most imposing and mysterious ancient monuments in the world, certainly within the United Kingdom. These sites coupled with the beautiful Wiltshire countryside offer the participants of this walking tour a special and unique experience.
The tour is split between two World Heritage Landscapes. In the morning Stonehenge, situated within the most concentrated prehistoric landscape in the world is explored, as we walk the ancient processional way of the Stonehenge Cursus, explore Bronze Age burial mounds and visit the possible site of the Stonehenge builders village.
We finish our morning walking along the Stonehenge Avenue, following the ritualised path laid down over 4000 years ago, concluding with a guided tour around Stonehenge itself.
The Afternoon introduces Avebury with the largest stone circle, largest man-made hill and most impressive prehistoric burial chamber.
We also enjoy an English country pub lunch, once used as a scene in Dickens’ The Pickwick Papers

Walking Stonehenge and Prehistoric Wessex is the unique opportunity to explore these famous sites in a well-paced and relaxed manor, enjoying the expertise of our archaeologist guides.

TOUR ITINERARY:
The morning starts with a visit to Durrington Walls and Woodhenge, home to the ‘Stonehenge Builder’s’ village and the most convincing evidence for human sacrifice. We then travel a short distance to Stonehenge. We enjoy a leisurely paced walk through the landscape immediately surrounding Stonehenge, visiting the Stonehenge Cursus, Bronze Age burial mounds and walk along the Stonehenge Avenue. We complete our morning at Stonehenge with a guided walk around the stone circle, our archaeologists bringing to life this enigmatic, ancient and mysterious monument.
It’s hard to miss this old gem of a pub as you drive into the Avebury World Heritage Landscape. Famous as the inspiration for a scene in Dickens’ The Pickwick Papers, this four hundred year old inn represents what an English pub should look like.

The Afternoon is spent at the Avebury World Heritage Landscape. We visit Silbury Hill, the largest man-made hill in prehistoric Europe. We enter the 5500 year old burial chamber of West Kennet Long Barrow, entering a sacred space originally reserved only for ritual specialists and the dead.
We finish by visiting the largest stone circle in Europe at Avebury, walking the West Kennet Avenue we enter the stone circle through the southern entrance, witnessing the contrast between the prehistoric remains and the beautiful medieval village situated inside. As John Aubrey in the 1600’s notes [Avebury]…”does as much exceed in greatness the so renowned Stonehenge as a Cathedral doeth a parish church.”

“A truly legendary day out in the ancient Kingdom of Wessex”

Full itinerary – http://www.stonehengetours.com/stonehenge-prehistoric-wessex-walking-tour.htm

The Stonehenge Tour Company