Over 30 Years Expertise In Escorted Stonehenge Guided Tours. All Of Our Stonehenge Tours Are Backed By Our Reassurance Promise, Giving You Peace Of Mind. Trust Us To Provide You With An Expert Tour That You’ll Never Forget. We have many pages on independent ‘unedited’ reviews and we are confident your tour review will be added to this hall of fame. Please view our most recent 5 star testimonials and review below.

Stonehenge Tours have been operating since 1995. We are the original and still the best company to offer private guided tours of Stonehenge. We are based in nearby Salisbury conveniently close to the monument, making us ideally situated to assist with tours from far and wide for those who want an authentic Stonehenge experience. This can range from an individual on a budget tour to a VIP on an exclusive and bespoke customised tour.



Early Stonehenge Pioneers – The original and still the best!
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We are a family company with 30 years of experience who concentrate purely on Stonehenge and the surrounding area. We pioneered the exclusive Stonehenge ‘Inner Circle Access’ experience and were the first commercial operator to offer this unique visit

Over 30 Years Expertise In Escorted Stonehenge Guided Tours. All Of Our Stonehenge Guided Rock Tours Are Backed By Our Reassurance Promise, Giving You Peace Of Mind. Trust Us To Provide You With An Expert Tour That You’ll Never Forget. We have many pages on independent ‘unedited’ reviews and we are confident your tour review will be added to this hall of fame.

Hello George this is Debbie Bennett. I just wanted to let you know how wonderful our tour was with David. We could not have asked for a better guide! David was truly the best ever! His knowledge of Stonehenge plus English history was amazing. Having someone like him was perfect for first time Britain travelers. Thanks so much for putting us with him. If we are ever in the area again we will definitely be requesting David.
Kind regards,
Deb

And Jim Bennett- SEPTEMBER 2026

Good morning George,
Just wanted to send a quick note to say we had an absolutely brilliant tour yesterday with David. He was the best tour guide we have had ever. Astounding facts and anecdotes of every place we went and even made a diversion stop to Bishop Cannings for my brother and I to walk in the footsteps of our ancestors.
The Stonehenge sunset tour was nothing short of amazing and David made it so memorable.
Thank you so much for organizing the tour and for providing David to us for the day. A day we will never forget.
Warm regards,

Kelli Krauss- SEPTEMBER 2026

Hello George!
I just wanted to thank you for arranging our sunset inner circle tour on September 5th. It was truly magical and Sebastian our guide was the BEST. We learned so much before we even got there and appreciated this site so much more because of it! I have already recommended this tour to so many.
Thanks again and best regards,

Janet- SEPTEMBER 2026

Thank you for arranging our tour driver / guide, ‘Johnny’ to look after us yesterday 10 September 2026.
We would like to commend him on his expertise, knowledge, friendliness and Safety. We had the most wonderful and memorable day visiting Stonehenge for the sunrise private access tour, Lacock, Avebury and Salisbury. We were certainly taken care of by Johnny every moment of our tour.
Many thanks
Warm Regards

Stephen & Lynette – SEPTEMBER 2026

Hi George,
Apologies, as this message is long overdue. Our trip/cruise was a whirlwind, but I wanted to take a moment to thank you and share how truly wonderful our experience was with David.
From the moment we met, it was clear that David is exceptionally talented at what he does. The tour felt incredibly personal, thoughtfully curated, and filled with attention to detail that made the entire day memorable. Rather than simply showing us places, David brought each location to life with stories, context, and insights that made us feel connected to the history and culture of the region.
Our visit to Stonehenge was nothing short of amazing. Seeing such an iconic site is impressive on its own, but David elevated the experience far beyond what we expected. The depth of knowledge, fascinating historical perspective, and ability to weave together the stories behind the monument transformed the visit into something truly special. We left with a much deeper appreciation for Stonehenge and its significance than we ever could have gained on our own.
We also thoroughly enjoyed the journey through the New Forest. The scenery was beautiful, but what made it unforgettable was David’s ability to share the history, character, and unique stories of the area along the way. It felt less like a tour and more like spending the day with a passionate local expert who genuinely enjoys sharing the best of England with visitors.
At the heart of Disney, we are storytellers, and I can honestly say that David is a wonderful example of how storytelling can bring history to life. The passion, knowledge, and engaging style created an experience that will stay with us long after our trip.
We could not recommend David more highly to anyone looking for an exceptional and unforgettable experience. Please extend our sincere thanks and appreciation for making our day so special.
Thank you again for helping arrange such an outstanding tour.
Best Regards,

Todd- SEPTEMBER 2026

Greetings again, George.
It’s taken over a week for us to adjust time zones! I have finally written a review on Stonehenge Guided Tours’ FB page and tagged Keife.
I want you to know that the TRUST theme matters to me in this age of electrons and internet and pre-buying everything when we travel to touristy places. When I traveled in England as a child in the early 70’s, and as a college student in the mid-80’s, I would buy a ticket at the site, do things last minute, talk to someone in person to plan the activity. Now, all the travel plans feel like they must be made long in advance via electronic methods, which is great, and also makes one anxious that the purchase will reap the benefits. You, guys, came through big time!! Truly, we loved our day with Keife, and are still are processing ALL the info he provided. I am still overjoyed that everything worked as promised.
Your tagline on the Stonehenge Guided Tours is spot on: “GET IN TOUCH WITH STONEHENGE GUIDED TOURS. Talk to us – we talk back.”
I did, and you did. And, truly, one cannot emphasize enough that our trust (and money) placed in you (plural) was worth it.
Thank you so much for what you do (and did)!
Best regards,

Michelle and Michael – SEPTEMBER 2026

Good morning George,
Just wanted to send a quick note to say we had an absolutely brilliant tour yesterday with David. He was the best tour guide we have had ever. Astounding facts and anecdotes of every place we went and even made a diversion stop to Bishop Cannings for my brother and I to walk in the footsteps of our ancestors.
The Stonehenge sunset tour was nothing short of amazing and David made it so memorable.
Thank you so much for organizing the tour and for providing David to us for the day. A day we will never forget.
Warm regards,
Kelli Krauss-
SEPTEMBER 2026

George, we had a delightful morning with Johnny. He was the best!!! Thank you so much!!!
Valerie (and gang)
– SEPTEMBER 2026

Hi George,
We just got home from our trip and I wanted to let you know what a wonderful tour we had with David and Jonny! I cannot put into proper words how impressed everyone was with their professional knowledge, presentation, and passionate engagement they had the whole day. I knew I would enjoy the day because I love history. We went with four younger adults who could not stop talking about things they learned. It made my heart so happy to see them enjoy themselves.
Please relate to them how much we appreciated everything they did to make the day special!
Very Warm Regards,
Maria –
SEPTEMBER 2026

I wantet to let you know that we had an extremely enjoyable tour with Will the other day. He’s as knowledgeable as he is personable. I had been to Stonehenge once before and this time I learned things not mentioned on the previous trip; he’s a font of information. Salisbury Cathedral and Avebury were also wonderful. We all had a great time and if/when I return for more I’ll be sure to get in touch.
Thanks,
Bob-
SEPTEMBER 2026

I wanted to follow up with you, and let you know what a great time we had with Peter yesterday. He was unbelievably knowledgeable, and made everything so interesting. He engaged with the kids, taught us so much history, and provided a great background for the areas we visited. The best part of having Peter as our guide was that at the end of the day, I wanted to read and learn more about the science behind Stonehenge. Absolutely great experience, thank you for your help organizing it,
Mike Duggan-
SEPTEMBER 2026

George,
The tour with Will was wonderful. He is extremely knowledgeable, interesting and kind.
We made some on-the-fly changes to the itinerary, and Will quickly adjusted times and itineraries, and I was able to see everything I wanted PLUS three chalk horses! Uffington was beautiful!
Thank you for the amazing tour!
Lisa-
SEPTEMBER 2026

I wanted to reach out and say thank you for an amazing tour guide, Peter!!! I couldn’t have picked/imagined a more perfect way to start our holiday in England, both this experience and Peter.
Also want to thank you for being so accommodating and supporting our request for both pick up and drop off at our hotel.
Definitely will 110 percent recommend Peter and Stonehenge Guided Tours!!!
Respectively,
Matthew Norris
– SEPTEMBER 2026

Good Morning George
We just wanted to send a quick note to let you know what a great tour we had Thursday. We found Keith to be a very personable, knowledgeable and accommodating tour guide. His depth of knowledge about Stonehenge, the area and achiology was beyond our expectations.
This, along with how great you have been to deal with, truely provided a once in a lifetime tour for us.
Thanks so much to you and Keith for a truly memorable experience.
Dale, Heidie, Joanne and Wade

Hello George. We had our tour today with Will and are now back to our hotel. Wanted you to know that Will was great and that we had an awesome time. We will recommend your tour group, and especially Will, to anyone visiting London.
Regards.
Dennis-
SEPTEMBER 2026

Hello George, just wanna let you know we had a fantastic tour with Johnny! Thank you so much and I will recommend you guys to others. SEPTEMBER 2026

Rating: 5 STARS
Review: “This was an excellent tour. The guide was knowledgeable, humorous, capable interpersonally and well organized. It was a wonderful day; we highly recommend this tour!”

  • SEPTEMBER 2026

Hi George
I just wanted to let you know what a wonderful time we had with Will on our day trip to Stonehenge and the Cotswolds. He was an excellent guide—knowledgeable, engaging, and incredibly personable. He taught us so much throughout the day and brought the history of each place to life in such an interesting and memorable way.
Will made the entire experience feel relaxed, enjoyable, and very special. We truly appreciated his expertise, thoughtful attention, and great company. Please pass along our thanks and let him know how much we enjoyed our day with him.
Warmly,
Gauri- S
EPTEMBER 2026

Good afternoon George,
WONDERFUL tour with Keife!!
He was over-flowing with knowledge of the Avebury Stones, Stonehenge, archeological connections between them and Wales, Scotland, Turkey, etc. We learned so much, enjoyed hearing his connections to the area, even his travels and life beyond London and England. What a great day, and a great guy!!
So pleased with our Sunday private tour.
We’re on the train to Paris now and when I’m back stateside, I’ll do an online review for your company.
Best regards,
Michelle – S
EPTEMBER 2026

Hello! Nick was amazing, he is so knowledgeable and interested in the history, I would be happy to write an extended review for you once we get home and collect ourselves! I can’t think of anything that could have made our day better. Even my teenagers had a great time!! – SEPTEMBER 2026

Rating: 5 STARS
Review: ” Nick was extremely knowledgeable personable and enthusiastic. The perfect guide! We thoroughly enjoyed the experience and highly recommend it “-
SEPTEMBER 2026

Just a quick note to say Jonny was a great guide to us today. He is very knowledgeable, friendly and gracious. We had a great time learning about this impressive monument and human treasure.
Thank you,
Maria-
SEPTEMBER 2026

Totally worth the $ to get a LOCAL guide who can get you into the inner circle at dawn or dusk, when only a few can enter. Don’t go to Stonehenge any other way unless you don’t mind standing behind a rope, surrounded by the thousands of tourists from cruise ships, etc…
Nicholas was incredibly knowledgable about every aspect of Stonehenge and the surrounding areas, and he took some lovely photos of us. As two old ladies traveling alone, he made us feel very safe and attentively delivered us to the train station in Salisbury as we requested. Would tour with him again!
Kenny-
SEPTEMBER 2026

Thank you. It was a wonderful day. Steve is top notch! I would hire him every time I go anywhere if I could.
Kerry-
SEPTEMBER 2026

My friend Vicki and I had a wonderful tour with Sebastian today. He is so knowledgeable and a genuinely nice person. We really want to sing his praises and will highly recommend your company and Sebastian to anyone who is coming to this area.
Best, Kathy-
SEPTEMBER 2026

Hello, George!
I wanted to take a quick moment to tell you how absolutely amazing our tour with Keife was Wednesday!
We were all excited going into it, but he completely blew us away with his knowledge, patience, and charm. He brought an extremely personal connection to Stonehenge that I can’t imagine most guides can offer. The kids loved him; our 6 year old said he wants to become an archeologist and work with Keife one day! We learned, we laughed, and being inside of Stonehenge as the sun slipped below the horizon was incredibly moving.
Thank you so very much for making this experience happen for us. We will treasure these memories all our days.
Warmest regards!
Karen Kettner and family-
SEPTEMBER 2026

Dear George,
I wanted to send you a quick note following our tour with David today.
We had an absolutely wonderful day, and David was exceptional. His knowledge of Stonehenge, Salisbury, and the surrounding area added so much to the experience, but what really stood out was the way he tailored the entire day to our family.
He was incredibly accommodating and patient, never made us feel rushed, and went out of his way to show us additional highlights along the way that we never would have known to look for on our own. We also really appreciated all of his tips and recommendations throughout the day. It felt much more like spending the day with an extremely knowledgeable local friend than simply being taken on a tour.
David struck exactly the right balance between sharing his knowledge and giving us time to explore and enjoy each stop ourselves. His enthusiasm for the history and the area really came through, and he made the whole experience easy and enjoyable from beginning to end.
We’ve had a wonderful trip to England, and today was genuinely one of the highlights of the entire trip. Please pass along our sincere thanks to David. He represented Stonehenge Tour Experts exceptionally well, and we couldn’t have been happier with the experience.
Thank you again for arranging everything for us.
Best,
Mike –
SEPTEMBER 2026

Hi, George.
What a wonderful way for us to start our holiday! David couldn’t have been a more perfect tour guide. Informative, funny, easy to discuss topics with, just a total perfect fit. Thank you!!
Eric-
SEPTEMBER 2026

Hi George,
Thanks so much for our trip to Stonehenge and surrounding area. We really enjoyed it. Peter did a great job! He was very informative on each of the areas: Stonehenge, Bath and Lacock, giving us history, stories, and culture. We really appreciated his relaxed approach with a good balance of data and facts mixed with humor. He handled all my husband’s questions in a good-natured way and easily engaged each member of our group. Thanks again for a fun day.
Grace and peace,
Ginny – S
EPTEMBER 2026

Hello, George!
My husband and I just returned a few hours ago from our incredible day with Will touring Stonehenge, Bath, and a bit of Cotswolds, and I couldn’t wait another minute before letting you know what a truly amazing experience it was!
Though first, I must thank you so very much for the Facebook photo post this morning. It was a pure coincidence that I mentioned to Will the beautiful daily Stonehenge photo posts on Facebook which I enjoy, to which he replied “Oh yeah, that’s George.” I will treasure my “brush with greatness” today in personally witnessing the taking of the photograph you posted this morning.
Perhaps the occurrence of a nearly total lunar eclipse as we departed London was a good omen for the day; regardless, our day with Will was tremendous. We visited Stonehenge once previously, but the exclusivity and personal attention provided by Stonehenge Guided Tours made for a completely different experience.
Will presented his wealth of knowledge without any pretension and in a lovely, conversational style. He is the most natural and down-to-earth tour guide we’ve ever had! I especially appreciated that his enthusiasm for the great stones mirrored my own. He indulged my insatiable curiosity and interest, and kindly let me share a bit of my own ideas about this unmatched historic site. And the opportunity to be inside the ancient stone circle was truly a highlight of my life.
During our stop at Bath, Will treated us to a personalized tour of the town. Although we had been to Bath once before, we enjoyed tidbits of information and up close views we’d not previously known or seen.
Following Bath, Will gave us an unexpected surprise with a bit of a tour of Castle Combe in the Cotswolds. We had mentioned an upcoming day trip to the Cotswolds, and it was wonderful to get a “sneak peek” at this lovely region.
I told Will know how impressed I was with his breadth of knowledge – history, architecture, local economies, flora and fauna, the source of various related English idioms – he is truly amazing!!
By the end of our long and spectacular day, chatting with Will during the return drive to London felt as if I’d known him longer than mere hours. His unassuming personal style made for such a relaxed yet exciting beginning to our month-long retirement celebration trip to London, Dublin and Paris.
Will and Stonehenge Experience Tours have managed to set the bar extremely high for any and all of our upcoming travel tour experiences.
With truly deepest gratitude,
Jennifer –
SEPTEMBER 2026

VIEW MORE POSITIVE FEEDBACK: 30 Years of Positive Stonehenge Tour Reviews

WINNER: Best Stonehenge Tour Specialists 2021 / 2022 / 2023 / 2024 / 2025 / 2026
WINNER: Best ‘Historical Tour’ Operator 2021 / 2022 / 2024 / 2025

The Stonehenge Tour Experts
Operating Stonehenge Tours Since 1990
www.StonehengeTours.com

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Our pick of the best Christmas Tours from London. Spend the day visiting some of the most famous attractions in England. From UNESCO World Heritage Sites at Stonehenge to cosy Christmas lunches in traditional English pubs, and moving services at Canterbury Cathedral, there are many ways to spend Christmas Day 2025 on a day trip from London.

Prehistoric Stonehenge. See the ancient monoliths at Stonehenge and make your Christmas a memorable one. We hope we have all the ingredients for the perfect traditional Christmas.
Stonehenge Winter Sunrise

Salisbury, Stonehenge, Bath and Windsor at Dusk with Traditional Christmas Lunch
Make your Christmas an unforgettable day with a beautiful day trip from London to four of the UK’s most iconic locations – the historical Salisbury, the enigmatic Stonehenge, the charming Bath and the lovely Windsor. All this as you also get to enjoy a delectable Christmas lunch! BOOK HERE

London an Stonehenge Christmas Tours including Windsor, Stonehenge, Lacock, Bath and 14th Century Pub Lunch- Book here
Simply Stonehenge on Boxing Day – Morning Tour
Mysterious Stonehenge is one of the world’s greatest puzzles. These towering rocks have stood on Salisbury Plain for around 5,000 years and we still don’t know who put them there or why! Get closer to the truth this Boxing Day with a visit to Stonehenge from Central London travelling on a comfortable coach. BOOK HERE
Windsor, Oxford and Avebury’s Stone Circle with Traditional Christmas Lunch
This Christmas go on a great British adventure and discover three fantastic locations: the quaint town of Windsor, the charming University City that is Oxford and the historical stones of Avebury. Your exciting day trip with one of our professional guides will include a delicious three-course meal at a traditional British pub. BOOK HERE
FANTASTIC FESTIVE LUXURY COACH TOURS
Make extra-special memories this festive season with our selection of unforgettable journeys to Britain’s most iconic locations. Join us on a fantastic festive journey of discovery around London and beyond as your captivating guide unravels the sights, stories and magic of Britain at this most wonderful time of year. BOOK HERE

PRIVATE TOUR OPTION:
Only want to travel with your family or chosen group? Why not book the entire vehicle and take a private tour? Choose any Stonehenge itinerary from only £99 per person! (very limited availability) View our 
Custom Tours

‍Stonehenge Guided Tours
The Stonehenge Experts
www.StonehengeTours.com

Start or finish your special day with an exclusive trip to Stonehenge with a private inner circle tour. One of the wonders of the world and steeped in mystery, this ancient temple was built around 5,000 years ago, making it older than the pyramids of Egypt. It is classed as a World Heritage Site and thought to be a place of healing, as well as an astronomical clock and a religious site.

This is a unique and private opportunity to visit the landmark and walk among the stones either during sunset or sunrise.

Demand for our Stonehenge access tours far exceeds supply. Do not expect to get tickets without booking well in advance. Register your interest with us now and our booking team will send you various options and live availability.

Our customised private Stonehenge tours continue to get 5 STAR reports on Trip Advisor and other quality review sites. Please take the time to view our customer feedback throughout our 25 years of trading. Excellence as standard.

2023 Private Group Custom Tours.  Up close and personal
We specialise in arranging customised Stonehenge special access tours to suit your requirements. Our door to door friendly service will take you wherever you want to go…….at the time and pace to suit you. Our personalised service gives you the ultimate freedom and flexibility without the worry of driving so you can all relax and enjoy the day. Click here for private tours

To help you get the most from your Inner Circle experience, your Stonehenge tour guide will accompany you during private access to give you all the interesting stories surrounding Stonehenge.

Our new Stonehenge Tour portal offers over 100 exclusive Stonehenge tours

Email the Stonehenge experts.  A deposit will secure your tour.

View our Twitter / Instagram and YouTube channel for recent Stonehenge inner circle photos and videos.

WINNER: Best Stonehenge Tour Specialists 2021 / 2022
WINNER: Best ‘Historical Tour’ Operator 2021 / 2022

The Stonehenge Tour Experts
Operating Stonehenge Tours Since 1990
www.StonehengeTours.com

Start or finish your special day with an exclusive trip to Stonehenge with a private inner circle tour. One of the wonders of the world and steeped in mystery, this ancient temple was built around 5,000 years ago, making it older than the pyramids of Egypt. It is classed as a World Heritage Site and thought to be a place of healing, as well as an astronomical clock and a religious site.

This is a unique and private opportunity to visit the landmark and walk among the stones either during sunset or sunrise.

Demand for our Stonehenge access tours far exceeds supply. Do not expect to get tickets without booking well in advance. Register your interest with us now and our booking team will send you various options and live availability.

Our customised private Stonehenge tours continue to get 5 STAR reports on Trip Advisor and other quality review sites. Please take the time to view our customer feedback throughout our 25 years of trading. Excellence as standard.

2023 Private Group Custom Tours.  Up close and personal
We specialise in arranging customised Stonehenge special access tours to suit your requirements. Our door to door friendly service will take you wherever you want to go…….at the time and pace to suit you. Our personalised service gives you the ultimate freedom and flexibility without the worry of driving so you can all relax and enjoy the day. Click here for private tours

To help you get the most from your Inner Circle experience, your Stonehenge tour guide will accompany you during private access to give you all the interesting stories surrounding Stonehenge.

Our new Stonehenge Tour portal offers over 100 exclusive Stonehenge tours

Email the Stonehenge experts.  A deposit will secure your tour.

View our Twitter / Instagram and YouTube channel for recent Stonehenge inner circle photos and videos.

WINNER: Best Stonehenge Tour Specialists 2020 / 202 / 2022
WINNER: Best ‘Historical Tour’ Operator 2020 / 2021 / 2022

The Stonehenge Experts
Established 1995
Operating Stonehenge Tours Since 1990
www.StonehengeTours.com

Register and Book your 2021 Sunset or Sunrise Tours in advance

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Demand for Stonehenge access tours far exceeds supply, some 2021 dates are now published but many often sold out months in advance. Do not expect to get tickets without ordering well in advance. Register your interest with us now and our booking experts will send you exclusive dates sent in advance before official publication. Also includes our ‘early bird’ booking offer.
Stonehenge Special Access visits are available most, but not all months of the year, (no visits in October and November and are not available on and around the midsummer’s day). Evening Special Access is only available in the summer months.

Our customised private Stonehenge tours continue to get 5 STAR reports on Trip Advisor and other quality review sites. Please take the time to view our customer feedback throughout our 25 years of trading. Excellence as standard.

2020 Private Group Custom Tours.  Up close and personal
We specialise in arranging customised Stonehenge special access tours to suit your requirements. Our door to door friendly service will take you wherever you want to go…….at the time and pace to suit you. Our personalised service gives you the ultimate freedom and flexibility without the worry of driving so you can all relax and enjoy the day. Click here for private tours

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A truly magical experience..

Our Stonehenge Special Access Tours (1-30 persons) can depart from London, Bath, Salisbury, Oxford, Southampton or any location in the South West of England.

Explore the beautiful South West of England in the luxury of your own private car, MPV or mini bus, enjoying the knowledge and expertise of our professional local Stonehenge experts.

Our Stonehenge private access tours can also include Bath, Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey), Salisbury Cathedral, Castle Combe, Windsor Castle, Winchester, Avebury Stone Circle, Lacock Village, The Cotswold’s or where ever you want to visit. We will help with your tour planning

Stonehenge Spring Equinox 2021 – click here
Stonehenge Summer Solstice Tour 2021 – click here

Email us your desired dates and group size for a prompt reply.

View out Twitter and Instagram account for inner circle photos

The Stonehege Experts
Established 1995
www.StonengeTours.com

 

Book your 2018 sunset or sunrise tours in advance

Stonehenge Special Access visits are available most but not all months of the year, (no visits in October and November and are not available on and around the midsummer’s day). Evening Special Access is only available in the summer months.

2017-09-06 10.59.40

“Being able to walk amongst the stones at dawn without the crowds and without the rope barrier is a truly magical experience and wonderful phot opportunity”

Demand for Stonehenge access tours far exceeds supply, dates are often sold out months in advance. Do not expect to get tickets without ordering well in advance. Register your interest with us now and our booking experts will send you exclusive dates sent in advance before official publication. Also includes our ‘early bird’ booking offer.

Email: Experts@StonehengeTours.com

2018 Private Group Custom Tours
We specialise in arranging customised Stonehenge tours to suit your requirements. Our door to door service will take you wherever you want to go…….at the time and pace to suit you. Our personalised service gives you the ultimate freedom and flexibility without the worry of driving so you can all relax and enjoy the day.
Click here for private tours

Email: PrivateGuidedTours@StonehengeTours.com

Stonehenge Guided Tours
Est. 1995
Britains leading Stonehenge Experts
http://www.StonehengeTours.com

SUN-seekers will be alarmed to know that the summer solstice is just around the corner. The pagan celebration falls in June every year. 

Even though the midsummer date is when we get the most daylight of the year, it also marks the time where the days start shortening ahead of winter.

summer-solstice-getty-sun

The summer solstice is considered to be the longest day of the year because it’s when we get the most daylight. Getty Images

Here’s everything you need to know about summer solstice 2021…

When is the summer solstice?

The midsummer date is set based on the planet’s rotational axis.

It’s decided based on the sun’s tilt towards the sun, which hits its maximum at 23° 26′ and falls between June 20 and June 22 in the northern hemisphere.

This year, the summer solstice will take place on Wednesday, June 21st

solstice-moon

The date is decided based on the angle of the Earth’s tilt. Getty Images

What is the summer solstice?

The ‘longest’ day of the year marks the middle of summer.

This is because the tilt of the Earth’s axis is most aligned with the sun, providing us with the most daylight of the year.

After June 21, the nights will began to close in as our planet rotates away from the sun.

The date where Earth is the furthest from the star is marked by the winter solstice.

What’s the summer solstice got to do with Stonehenge?

The day is celebrated by pagans and druids, with rituals of rebirth performed throughout history on the day.

One of the biggest celebrations in the UK occurs at Stonehenge with crowds gathering to watch the sunrise.

The tradition sees revellers waiting by the Wiltshire monument on midsummer, facing towards the north-easterly direction.

Crowds of devotees, often dressed for the occasion, regularly gather to watch the moment the sun rises above the Heel Stone.

It’s just one of the many pagan festivals, which include midwinter and imbolc – the day that traditionally marks the start of spring.

solstice-party

Revellers face the sun as they watch it rise up around the Wiltshire monument

How else is the summer solstice celebrated?Midsummer festivities are held across the world in many different cultures.

In many cases, the rituals are linked with themes of religion or fertility.

Wianki celebrations in Poland are similar to those held in Britain, as the day is largely considered a pagan religious event.

There are different traditions across Europe, with Estonia using the day to mark a shift in agricultural patterns.

In Russia and Ukraine, it’s tradition for revellers to jump over bonfires to test their courage and religious faith.

Article source: By Sophie Roberts The Sun News

Cross it off your bucket list this year and join our Stonehenge Summer Solstice Tour. Guided tours with luxury transport depart from Bath and London on 20th and 21st for sunset and sunrise.

Stonehenge Guided Tours
The Stonehenge Experts
Established 1995

Stonehenge – a name that evokes a great many emotions in a great many people. For some it is a place of pilgrimage, a place to connect with the ancestors and for others it is seen as a tourist trap or something to tick off the bucket list. For centuries it has captured our imagination; never has a heritage site been so controversial – something which continues to this day. In this post it is not my intention to give a full on thesis about Stonehenge, there are plenty of books/websites who do this already. Instead it is simply an overview of what is currently understood about the site, its surrounding landscape and my own personal thoughts.

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Stonehenge is situated on the Salisbury Plains, to the south is the busy A303, a main road between the south-west and London, and for many years the equally busy A344 ran alongside the site. This latter road was removed sometime ago to improve the visitors experience. Today there are ongoing discussions regarding the upgrading of the A303 and a proposed tunnel. It is a highly emotive subject, on one hand I understand the need to improve the road situation (ask anyone who is stuck in a traffic jam on the A303) but as an archaeologist I am also aware of the sensitive nature of the surrounding heritage landscape (and yes I am on the fence). Mike Pitts in his recent post discusses the pros and cons for those of you who are interested.

For the visitor today the focus is on the large stone circle with its trilithons, they marvel at how it could have been built by ‘primitive man’ often leading to suggestions of alien intervention and lost technologies.  But such thoughts only serve to belittle our ancestors and our past.  Others may ask why did our ancestors build Stonehenge?  Often the answers are unimaginative and simple – sun-worship; display of power; ancient computer; druid temple – once more when we look only for one answer to a what is obviously a complicated site of great longevity we belittle their achievements.  Instead if Stonehenge was understood in terms of the wider landscape and as a site whose history spanned several millenia we might come to some small understanding of how and why.

In today’s world of instant gratification where everything has a beginning and an end,  it is hard to imagine beginning a project knowing you might not see it finished but this was a reality for the builders of Stonehenge.  It has lead some to suggest that it was not the end product which was important but the doing, the act of building which was in fact the purpose.  Suggesting a cyclical thought pattern which can be seen in other aspects of prehistoric life – round houses, stone circles, round barrows.  in addition, time itself was most likely viewed in cycles, the phases of the moon and the movement of the seasons are all cyclical events which would have been of great importance to prehistoric people trying to make sense of their world.

“So was Stonehenge ever ‘finished’?  The answer to that has to be no, because completion was never the intention of the people who created it.” (Pryor F. 2016 ‘Stonehenge: The Story of a Sacred Landscape).

It is well known that Stonehenge itself had many incarnations, perhaps meaning new and different things with each alteration or rebuild.  To understand Stonehenge it is important to consider it in the wider context of the surrounding landscape (there are literally hundreds of prehistoric monuments around it) in all the different phases.

The Mesolithic Story

The story of the Stonehenge landscape begins back in the Mesolithic, ongoing recent excavations at Blickmead are providing archaeologists with tantalising clues as to why this area was important to our ancestors.  The site is situated near a spring by the River Avon, excavations began in 2005 and almost immediately were fruitful.  Basically, the deposits consisted of an array of Mesolithic settlement debris, mostly flint fragments (tens of thousands) but also a great number of animal bones.  Interestingly, the site also yielded the largest collection of auroch bones ever found on a Mesolithic site in Britain so far.  Other animals which were hunted and consumed included red deer, wild boar and salmon – this has led archaeologists to suggest that feasting was a common occurence around the spring.  The spring itself is quite unusual as it has the tendency to stain flints and other materials a bright magenta pink – the importance of springs in later prehistory is well attested to.

In 1966 row of four large pit like features were found during upgrades to the old carpark close by Stonehenge.  When excavated one was found to be a the root-hole of a tree and the other three were holes dugs to hold large poles.   Examination of the material from these features gave a date range from between 8500 and 7000BC.  The posts would have been approximately 75cm in diameter and were from pine trees.  Later in 1988 another post-hole was discovered south and east of the original pits but it was contemporary.

So here we have a landscape already well populated by hunter-gatherer communities who revered certain natural features long before Stonehenge makes an appearance.  A landscape which had meaning to the people who inhabit it; who had traditions and memories of place.

At around 3500BC (Neolithic) with the arrival of farming these communities and their traditions had evolved and more permenant features began to make an appearance on the landscape.   Long barrows such as those at East and West Kennet or Winterbourne Stoke were the first to appear and by 3400BC the Stonehenge Cursus and Lesser Cursus was under construction.

3000BC – The first official phase of construction

In many parts of Britian at this time a new type of monument was being constructed, these were earthwork enclosures which are referred to as henges.  They consist of irregular cut ditches encircling a defined area with corresponding banks.  Stonehenge’s earliest phase was one such earthwork.  Here there were two entrances one faced north-east and the other faced south.  The north-easterly entrance remained in use for much of the sites lifetime and appears to be important to its function.  The entrance is aligned along a line of natural gullies which face towards the midsummer sunrise in one direction and the midwinter sunset in the other.

These natural gullies would have been visible to the people of the Mesolithic and may have been why the large pine posts were erected where they were – the midsummer and midwinter solstices were just as important then as they were to the later prehistoric communities.

Inside the earthwork enclosure around the inner edge of the bank were fifty-six regularly spaced pits – these are now known as the Aubrey Holes.  There is some discussion as to what they were or what they contained – small stone uprights or wooden posts?  However, what is known is that eventually they did contain cremated human remains.  Similar deposits have been found in the partly filled ditch and cut into the bank suggesting that at this stage in its history Stonehenge was used as a cemetary, among other things.
Read the full story (article source) here: Toni-maree Rowe – Write

Further Reading

Pryor F (2016) Stonehenge: The Story of a Sacred Landscape

Parker-Pearson M  et al (2015) Stonehenge: Making Sense of Prehistoric Mystery

Parker Pearson M (2013) Stonehenge: Exploring the Greatest Stone Age Mystery

Bowden M et al (2015) The Stonehenge Landscape: Analysing the Stonehenge World Heritage Site.

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The Stonehenge Experts

Why does Stonehenge exist? We explore the pick of the theories, which are all totally sane and reasonable.

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From archaeologists to modern-day pagans to Spinal Tap fans, Stonehenge is truly a place of wonder where the demons dwell, where the banshees live and they do live well. The prehistoric monument has been the source of a great deal of speculation over its meaning, purpose and construction. Here are some of the theories surrounding those ancient stones.

Merlin did it

Not as popular a theory among historians as it once was, the Merlin Hypothesis suggests that King Arthur’s pet wizard had Stonehenge constucted with the help of a local giant, the Devil or his own mysterious magic. Notable fabulist Geoffrey of Monmouth was a big supporter of this theory, which was pretty popular into the 14th century.

From archaeologists to modern-day pagans to Spinal Tap fans, Stonehenge is truly a place of wonder where the demons dwell, where the banshees live and they do live well. The prehistoric monument has been the source of a great deal of speculation over its meaning, purpose and construction. Here are some of the theories surrounding those ancient stones.

Merlin did it

Not as popular a theory among historians as it once was, the Merlin Hypothesis suggests that King Arthur’s pet wizard had Stonehenge constucted with the help of a local giant, the Devil or his own mysterious magic. Notable fabulist Geoffrey of Monmouth was a big supporter of this theory, which was pretty popular into the 14th century.

It was a very fancy cemetery

Over the years, the remains of 63 different people have been exhumed from the site – in the form of more than 50,000 cremated bone fragments. Apparently the burials occured way back around 3000BC, roughly 100 years after the first stones were placed on the site. Given those rubbery figures, its possible the initial structure was designed as an over-the-top headstone arrangement.

It was designed for healing and pilgrimage

There’s another theory about why those remains were found there, and it’s based on the fact that a lot of them appear to have suffered from illness or injury. This suggests that people saw Stonehenge as a place to travel when you weren’t well, in the hope of getting magical first aid. Further investigation revealed fragments of the first stones had been chipped away, which could have been so people could craft them into healing talismans. (Or they were just touristy vandals.)

Aliens did it

There was once a strong school of thought that held that ancient people were idiots who couldn’t build anything as amazing as the wonders still standing among us today, so they must have had help. Obviously Merlin and his fairy minions are ridiculous, but aliens – well, it makes sense that they would pop down and help our forebears construct monolithic calculators. All you have to do is squint, fudge a few measurements, take liberties in the interpretation of ancient artworks and/or Bible passages, and it makes perfect sense.

Druids used it as a measuring instrument

If you want to know exactly when the Winter Solstice is coming, Stonehenge can help you calculate that. The avenue connecting Stonehenge to the River Avon aligns with the sun that day. Apparently there are key points around the complex that could have been used to predict eclipses, too, which is pretty cool if true. By the way, the “Druids did it” theory began in 1640 but has been pretty well debunked. Sorry.

It was a feel-good collaboration to celebrate unity

And by “unity”, we mean “you’ve all been conquered, now help us build a stone circle so you’ll never forget it”. Everyone except the alien and fairy enthusiasts agree the work of bringing these stones to the site and erecting them in a circle would have required the efforts of many people working together. Under this theory, the Neolithic locals spontaneously banded together to create the ancient equivalent of the Statue of Liberty.

It’s monolithic porn

Look, it seems unlikely, but in 2003 one researcher claimed Stonehenge looked like female genitalia and was meant to celebrate the Earth Mother. This theory requires even more squinting than the alien one.
By Shane Cubis SBS

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