May 11, 2026

Best Stonehenge Private Guided Tour Reviews 2026.

Posted by StonehengeNews under Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , |
Leave a Comment 

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.

Our guides are carefully selected for their personality, expertise, wide knowledge and genuine enthusiasm for our style of tours. Never boring – you will find them informative, professional but down to earth with a real passion for showing you the very best of Britain! They pride themselves on entertaining you with tales of England’s rich history, culture and legend to ensure a memorable experience of the real England.

Here are some of our latest Stonehenge Guided Tour reviews:

I just wanted to reach out and let you know about our FANTASTIC day with Keife yesterday!!! He was great, extremely informative about Stonehenge as well as other sites we had no idea existed, entertaining and accommodating…all while being a safe driver!  He took us to Bourton on the Water and Stow on the Wold, introduced us to Pasties, and lead us to my husbands main goal: to have a beer at the oldest Pub in England, haha!  We could not have had a better day. Thank you for linking us up with Keife! Juli, – MAY 2026

We had our tour of Stonehenge, Lacock and Bath today with David. I wanted to let you know what a great experience he provided. We found him incredibly friendly, engaging, and knowledgeable. The day felt super easy going yet completely full of interesting stops and information. We saw everything we were hoping to and then some! Thank you again, we truly appreciated both your help with planning and David’s wonderful guidance throughout the day. The tour was a highlight of our trip.
Best, Gillian – MAY 2026

My wife and I wanted to share our experience today with Peter and the VIP visit to Stonehenge .  Peter was absolutely wonderful ! So well educated about Stonehenge and he took great care of us for the entire trip !  We will definitely ask for him when we contact you for our next visit !  Thanks very much ! MAY 2026
‍

I just wanted to take a moment and express how much my family loved the Stonehenge tour with Johnny. He went above and beyond in all aspects of the tour. His friendly nature, humor, and amazing energy provided us with the best day ever. I haven’t laughed that hard in ages at some of his quick-witted one-liners. Simply superb.
I give the tour a million stars!!
Thanks so much!! MAY 2026

Just wanted to let you know that we had an absolutely wonderful day with Will as our guide.  He was punctual, engaging, and extremely knowledgeable. His expertise went well beyond Stonehenge and will be of great benefit to us during the rest of our stay.
We would certainly engage him for future trips and would highly recommend him to other travelers.Thanks again for all of your help; our trip is off to a great start.
Jay and Bonnie MAY 2026

We just finished our time with Keife and…wow! What a wonderful, wonderful day! Keife was amazing—knowledgeable, friendly, easy to talk to, and just plain fun. We learned so many interesting things about the area, and of course Stonehenge blew our minds. Just a fantastic time, all around.
Thank you so much for helping us set this up. Truly a once in a lifetime experience!
All the best,
Louise – MAY 2026

I just wanted to let you know that we had a great time with David touring Stonehenge and Salisbury Cathedral on Friday. He was a perfect guide.  He is so knowledgeable about so many things and explained everything. He got to know us and learned we have an interest in WW2 and told us about many things in the area that related to the war and also made suggestions for future trips we might make back to England. We had a great conversation about the Normandy area where he occasionally leads tours and we happened to have taken a very similar tour several years ago!  He was friendly and easy-going and we feel lucky that he was our guide. While we were are Stonehenge he led us to the perfect location to see the sunrise right behind the stones and timed everything out just right.  It was a great day!  
Marie – MAY 2026

We are on our way back to the hotel, and it truly was a great day of touring. Johnny and Peter are taking good care of us and are great guides. 
Thanks for all your help on planning this MAY 2026

We are home from our trip abroad.  Just wanted to let you know our tour with Will was awesome!  Will did a great job and even got us a couple of Downton Abbey stops.  That hit the spot for the three who loved that show.  Take care and thanks! John – MAY 2026

I wanted to share how incredible Johnny, our guide for the Inner Circle access at Stonehenge, was. His knowledge is exceptional, and the way he presents it makes the experience truly unforgettable. He brought the history and significance of the stones to life in a way that made the visit feel special and meaningful. Everyone in our group—from age 15 to 50—was completely blown away. We learned so much, and it was easily one of the highlights of our trip.
I know we were a last minute booking. Thank you for all your help coordinating and making this happen. – MAY 2026

I hope you are well. I just wanted to let you know of the fantastic experience we had with our guide Peter to Stonehenge and bath. Peter was a wealth of information, very knowledgeable and made sure we were very well looked after, great communication from the get-go too, we really learned so much from Thanks for organizing! All the best, Ro MAY 2026

I wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know how much we enjoyed our tour with Peter. Stonehenge was an amazing experience and be in such close proximity was incredible, all made better by Peter’s knowledge of the area (though I still think aliens are involved)!

We will definitely keep you in mind the next time we are in Great Britain – Peter explained the difference among England, Great Britain and the United Kingdom- as well as how a handful of idioms came to be. Overall, a great experience!
Best, Sandi MAY 2026

We wanted to send in a 5 star review for Keife and our whole experience! We had the best day! It was definitely the highlight of our week trip to London. Keife was brilliant! He was so knowledgeable and passionate about Stonehenge, we felt so lucky to have him as our guide. He was a true professional and had such intimate knowledge of Stonehenge and the surroundings. We learned so much! On the way back, we were able to stop in Bath (had one of the best pasties per Keife’s recommendation) and then through the Cotswolds, which was just gorgeous. It was such a special experience for us and we highly recommend! 
Thanks so much! Jodi – APRIL 2026

Just wanted to express our appreciation for today’s tour. Jonny was a fantastic tour guide, very personable and knowledgeable. He made our day very enjoyable, and I’d highly recommend the tour to anyone I speak to.
Thank you again. Regards, Glenn MAY 2026

My family had their private tour with Will at 4:30am this morning. Just wanted to share how much we enjoyed it and Will made the whole experience special. He is very witty and knowledgeable. Thank you again! Best, Sukhbir APRIL 2026

I wanted to share how exceptional our Stonehenge tour with Keife was.
Keife was absolutely amazing – his knowledge of Stonehenge was extraordinary, but even more impressive was the passion and excitement he brought to sharing it. His enthusiasm for the history and archaeology was contagious and made the experience so much richer.
He was also incredibly attentive throughout the day, constantly checking that our group was comfortable, adjusting the pace as needed, and being flexible to accommodate our interests and needs (especially appreciated while traveling with elderly family members).
The private tour was absolutely worth it, and I can’t say enough about how special the Inner Circle access was. Having our own guide who is also an archaeological researcher allowed us to see and understand things regular tourists simply don’t. It felt immersive and deeply personal rather than like a standard tour. This was truly one of the highlights of our trip, and much of that was thanks to Keife. Please pass along our gratitude and highest praise – jennifer – APRIL 2026

Hey George.  We just wanted to let you that how much we loved Jonny.   He did a fantastic job of chatting with us about the history of your beautiful city.  I would recommend him to everyone!!   Thank you so much for making the start of our trip a fantastic experience!!  Carol – APRIL 2026

George – I wanted to drop a quick note and let you know what a wonderful time we had on the tour.  Peter was fantastic – knowledgeable, flexible, well-prepared, and kind.  Thanks so much for the great experience! APRIL 2026

I hope this email finds you well.  My daughter and I are happy and tired after a wonderful days outing.  Stonehenge was truly magical at sunrise, as was visiting Avebury, West Kennet Long Barrow, and the Cotswolds.  We absolutely enjoyed every moment of it!  Please forgive me, but our wonderful guide’s name is escaping me!  Nevertheless, I wanted to say how much I appreciated his knowledge, humour and brilliant guidance as he showed us all the sights, it was such a memorable day and one of the highlights of our UK trip. With thanks, Jayne – APRIL 2026

Hi George—Happy Saturday!  Just wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed the tour and, most importantly, Will.  We were hoping for a good day, and this was absolutely spectacular—clear skies, smooth ride, and a very knowledgeable and friendly guide.  We truly could not have envisioned a better Stonehenge experience.  And—Will is a good photographer too!  Thanks again—will highly recommend this tour to friends who are coming in the Fall!
All the best. Betsy- APRIL 2026

George, we had a fabulous trip yesterday. Will was amazing to work with. He has deep and thoughtful knowledge about Stonehenge, Avebury and the surrounding area. 

We really appreciated the way Will gave multiple perspectives on Stonehenge and then shared his own, learned insights. It really added to the trip in a thought provoking way that we talked about through the evening.  Every aspect of our trip exceeded expectations. Thank you! APRIL 2026

Just wanted to follow up to say thanks. William was wonderful, kind caring , considerate, down to earth. We were very happy with him as our driver and guide. He drove safely and the van was very comfortable. His knowledge of Stone Henge and The Windsor castle was encyclopedic. I will be sure to recommend your company to anyone visiting. Cheers! Kyle APRIL 2026

We have arrived back to our hotel after a wonderful day! Peter is a  super awesome enthusiastic knowledgeable fun tour guide. He picked us up at 10 which was appreciated – we saw so much. No trouble getting into Roman Baths early and the Abbey! Please let Peter know how much we appreciated such a wonderful day. It really was a VIP tour! You are an awesome communicator and I thank you for your patience and guidance. Maryjean APRIL 2026

Our day was amazing. Johnny is an excellent guide and driver. Would highly recommend. -Michele – APRIL 2026

Hi George – we’re heading had a GREAT time with Johnny yesterday & passing along a note of appreciation for helping get everything organized! The UK has some beautiful scenery – we feel very fortunate to have an opportunity to get to see some of the sights! Have a great day Bryan APRIL 2026

Good evening George, I hope you are well.

We just wanted to reach out to give feedback on our tour today. It was an absolutely wonderful experience, our tour guide was punctual, personable, professional and gave us an excellent experience. His passion for Stonehenge really shone through. Thank you so much Best wishes Sarah – APRIL 2026

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

Early Stonehenge Pioneers – The original and still the best!
‍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.  We continue to be the market leaders in exclusive sunrise and sunset tours.   We welcome customers back again and again.  

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

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

 

February 10, 2018

When is the summer solstice 2021 and how do Stonehenge revellers mark the longest day of the year?

Posted by StonehengeNews under Stonehenge Summer Solstice 2018, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , |
Leave a Comment 

Thousands descend on the Wiltshire monument to mark the longest day of the year,

THOUSANDS of revellers travel to Stonehenge every year to mark summer solstice.

But do you know why the Wiltshire monument attracts so many people on the longest day of the year? Here’s the lowdown…

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 June 21.

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.

When it ends, 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 has 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 inbolc – the day that traditionally marks the start of spring.

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.

Article Source: By Sophie Roberts The Sun Newspaper

Join the Summer Solstice celebrations on our exclusive Summer Solstice Tour and Winter Solstice Tour from London or Bath.  

Stonehenge Guided Tours
The Stonehenge Solstice Experts
www.StonehengeTours.com

 

January 21, 2017

The Great Stones Way. Walking from Avebury to Stonehenge Stone Circle.

Posted by StonehengeNews under The Great Stones Way Walking Tour, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
Leave a Comment 

This walking path links Britain’s two greatest prehistoric sites, Avebury and Stonehenge, and is as epic as the Inca Trail

The Great Stones Way is one of those ideas so obvious it seems amazing that no one has thought of it before: a 38-mile walking trail to link England’s two greatest prehistoric sites, Avebury and Stonehenge, crossing a landscape covered with Neolithic monuments.

great-stones-way-map

The Great Stones Way is a route using existing paths through the Wiltshire Downs, starting just south of Swindon and ending up at Old Sarum, on the outskirts of Salisbury. As long-distance trails go, this one is quite short, making it perfect for an energetic long weekend, or for more leisurely exploration over a week.

What’s the attraction?
Walking the Great Stones Way takes you on a journey through a landscape steeped in history, allowing you to discover the extraordinary sights our ancestors have left us. These include Iron Age hill forts with commanding views such as Barbury Castle and Old Sarum, while optional loops take you past the Neolithic henges and stone circles at the combined UNESCO World Heritage Site of Avebury and Stonehenge. There is also the option to finish the walk at Salisbury’s majestic medieval cathedral. The first part of the trail heads south through the rolling open chalk downland landscape of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

“I can’t help thinking how much better it is to arrive at Stonehenge on foot. The comparison that comes to mind, and which I know well, is the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. The experience of trekking to both sites is immeasurably richer, not just because you’ve “earned it”, but because both sets of ruins are only properly understood in the context of the sacred landscape that surrounds them.”

Stonehenge Guided Tours is proud to offer a Contours walking holiday following the ‘Great Stones Way’ Please visit our Stonehenge tour website for full details

We also offer  daily Stonehenge guided walking tours throughout the year.

Stonehenge Guided Tours
The Stonrhenge Tour Experts
http://www.StonehengeTours.com

 

November 26, 2016

Major New Find at Stonehenge

Posted by StonehengeNews under Stonehenge Discovery, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , |
Leave a Comment 

A major new archaeological find of causewayed enclosures and artifacts near Britain’s famous Stonehenge site is about to “rewrite” the history of the area and of northwestern Europe’s early inhabited history.

newobserver

Built 5,650 years ago—more than 1,000 years before Stonehenge—one of the enclosures appears to have been a major ceremonial gathering place.

The major enclosure’s precise original function remains a mystery, but the scant available evidence suggests that it was used for a mixture of ceremonial, religious, political, and mortuary roles.

According to a press release issued by a construction consultancy company involved with an unrelated new building project at the site, archaeologists have “discovered important new sites that rewrite the Stonehenge landscape” and which “predate the construction of Stonehenge itself.”

The remains, found at Larkhill and Bulford, were unearthed during excavations ahead of the construction of new British Army family accommodation.

About 70 enclosures of the type found are known across England and Europe, the press release continued.

The structure is one of the “earliest built structures in the British landscape,” and was used “for temporary settlement, as ceremonial gathering places, to manage and exchange animals, including the first domesticated cattle and sheep and for ritual activity.”

The Larkhill enclosure has produced freshly broken pottery, dumps of worked flint and even a large stone saddle quern used to turn grain into flour. The Neolithic period saw the first use of domesticated crops and this find provides evidence of this.

The Greater Cursus, an earthwork nearly 1.8 miles in length, is the longest structure. It connects and divides parts of the landscape, and separates the Larkhill causewayed enclosure from the place that became Stonehenge.

“The people who built the causewayed enclosure are the ancestors of the builders of Stonehenge and were shaping the landscape into which the stone circle was placed,” the press release continued.

“Their work shows that this was a special landscape even before Stonehenge was constructed. People were already living and working within what we now call the Stonehenge landscape and they were building the structures that would culminate in the Stonehenge complex of stones and earthworks.

Read the full story in the New Observer Online

Stonehenge Guided Tours offer daily tours of Stonehenge and custom private guided tours including Stonehenge and the surrounding landscape.  Stonehenge private access tours allow you to go onside the inner circle before or after the site is officially open. Join the Stonehenge experts and here all the many new theories.

Stonehenge Guided Tours
Operating Stonehenge Tours Since 1990
www.StonehengeTours.com

 

 

September 4, 2016

Britain’s pre-Stonehenge megaliths were aligned by astronomers

Posted by StonehengeNews under Stonehenge guided tours, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , |
Leave a Comment 

University of Adelaide research has for the first time statistically proven that the earliest standing stone monuments of Britain, the great circles, were constructed specifically in line with the movements of the Sun and Moon, 5000 years ago.

Callanish_aerial_picture_1687x1265

The Callanish Stones were erected in the late Neolithic era. They are an arrangement of standing stones placed in a cruciform pattern with a central stone circle 13 metres (43 feet) in diameter, situated near the village of Callanish on the west coast of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. Image credit: Gail Higginbottom & Roger Clay / RCAHMS.

The research, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, details the use of innovative 2-D and 3-D technology to construct quantitative tests of the patterns of alignment of the standing stones.

.

“Nobody before this has ever statistically determined that a single stone circle was constructed with astronomical phenomena in mind — it was all supposition,” says project leader and University of Adelaide Visiting Research Fellow Dr. Gail Higginbottom, who is also a Visiting Research Fellow at the Australian National University.

Examining the oldest great stone circles built in Scotland (Callanish, on the Isle of Lewis, and Stenness, Isle of Orkney — both predating Stonehenge’s standing stones by about 500 years), the researchers found a great concentration of alignments towards the Sun and Moon at different times of their cycles. And 2000 years later in Scotland, much simpler monuments were still being built that had at least one of the same astronomical alignments found at the great circles.

The stones, however, are not just connected with the Sun and the Moon. The researchers discovered a complex relationship between the alignment of the stones, the surrounding landscape and horizon, and the movements of the Sun and the Moon across that landscape.

“This research is finally proof that the ancient Britons connected the Earth to the sky with their earliest standing stones, and that this practice continued in the same way for 2000 years,” says Dr. Higginbottom.

The circle of the Stones of Stenness is 32.2 x 30.6 metres (106 x 100 feet). Its earthen henge is 45 metres (148 feet) in diameter, over 7 metres (23 feet) wide and over 2 metres (6.5 feet) deep and the circumference is 141.37 metres (464 feet). Image credit: Wikimedia Commons.
The Standing Stones of Stenness is another Neolithic monument — possibly the oldest henge site in the British Isles — located five miles northeast of Stromness on the mainland of Orkney, Scotland. The stone circle measures 32.2 x 30.6 metres (106 x 100 feet), surrounded by an earthen henge 45 metres (148 feet) in diameter. Image credit: Wikimedia Commons.

Examining sites in detail, it was found that about half the sites were surrounded by one landscape pattern and the other half by the complete reverse.

“These chosen surroundings would have influenced the way the Sun and Moon were seen, particularly in the timing of their rising and setting at special times, like when the Moon appears at its most northerly position on the horizon, which only happens every 18.6 years,” Dr Higginbottom says.

“For example, at 50 percent of the sites, the northern horizon is relatively higher and closer than the southern and the summer solstice Sun rises out of the highest peak in the north. At the other 50 percent of sites, the southern horizon is higher and closer than the northern, with the winter solstice Sun rising out of these highest horizons.

“These people chose to erect these great stones very precisely within the landscape and in relation to the astronomy they knew. They invested a tremendous amount of effort and work to do so. It tells us about their strong connection with their environment, and how important it must have been to them, for their culture and for their culture’s survival.”

Article Source: Astronomy Now

Join one of our guided tours of Stonehenge or Avebury and hear all the new theories.
The Stonehenge Experts
http://www.StonehengeTours.com

 

 

August 11, 2016

Aerial Stonehenge Landscape Tour. A unique view from a drone.

Posted by StonehengeNews under Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , |
Leave a Comment 

Stonehenge is perhaps the world’s most famous prehistoric monument. It was built in several stages: the first monument was an early henge monument, built about 5,000 years ago, and the unique stone circle was erected in the late Neolithic period about 2500 BC. In the early Bronze Age many burial mounds were built nearby. Today, along with Avebury, it forms the heart of a World Heritage Site, with a unique concentration of prehistoric monuments.

 

drones

Click to view

In addition to our exclusive scheduled coach trips and private custom tours of Stonehenge we also offer a unique opportunity to fly over Stonehenge in a helicopter.

Stonehenge Guided Tours

 

December 15, 2015

5 Facts About The Winter Solstice

Posted by StonehengeNews under Stonehenge Winter Solstice, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |
Leave a Comment 

At various times and in different (mostly Northern European) cultures, the solstice has gone by different names, such as Yule, Midwinter, and Jól. Nowadays, the solstice gets overshadowed by its more commercial and religious winter relatives: Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa; but plenty of people still celebrate the winter solstice in its own right.

20150923_063326

If you’ve ever wondered what the solstice is, or why it matters, here’s the lowdown.

What is it?

The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. From June to December, the days shorten and shorten until the solstice. After the winter solstice, days gradually grow longer again (yay!), which brings warmer temperatures. On the actual solstice, the North Pole gets zero energy from the sun — that is, no sunlight at all.

In the summer, we celebrate the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. (In the Southern Hemisphere, everything is flip-flopped — they’re celebrating the summer solstice in December.)

When is it?

Each year, the winter solstice falls on either December 21 or 22. This year, it takes place Tuesday, December 22 at 4:48 UTC (December 21 at 11:48 p.m. EST).

But I noticed the sun started setting later before the solstice…

An astute observation! Depending on where you live, the shortest day of the year doesn’t necessarily fall on the day with the earliest sunset or the latest sunrise. This has to do with what’s called “true solar noon,” the time when the sun is at its highest point in the sky. In early December, solar noon is about ten minutes earlier than it is when we hit the solstice. Thus, depending on the latitude where you live, the sunset may actually be slightly later on the solstice than it was earlier in the month. The closer you live to the Arctic, the more closely the earliest sunset and the winter solstice will match up.

What about the latest sunrise?

Unless you live in the Arctic Circle, the latest sunrise usually arrives in early January, which makes sense, knowing that solar noon moves later in the day starting in early December. There’s a variation in solar noon and noon on the clock, because of the tilt of the earth’s axis and the earth’s not-quite-circular orbit around the sun.

How long have we known about the solstice?

Our earliest ancestors tracked the seasons and years by changes in the sky: the movement of the sun, stars, and moon. Stonehenge is one of the most famous monuments in the world built to observe and celebrate our trek around the sun. Nowadays, 3,000 to 5,000 people visit Stonehenge to watch the sunrise on the winter solstice and up to 30,000 visit for the summer solstice.

Article source: Refinery 29

Solstice Events U.K operate guided tours from London and Bath.  Experience sunrise on the Winter Solstice, a truly magical experience!

Stonehenge Guided Tours

 

December 12, 2015

Stonehenge isn’t the only prehistoric monument that’s been moved – but it’s still unique

Posted by StonehengeNews under Stonehenge Tour News, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , |
Leave a Comment 

A great article by Professor of Archaeology, UCL – Mike Parker Pearson:

I led the team of researchers that discovered that Stonehenge was most likely to have been originally built in Pembrokeshire, Wales, before it was taken apart and transported some 180 miles to Wiltshire, England. It may sound like an impossible task without modern technology, but it wouldn’t have been the first time prehistoric Europeans managed to move a monument.

Archaeologists are increasingly discovering megaliths across the continent – albeit a small number so far – that were previously put up in earlier monuments.

Other ‘second-hand’ monuments

The best example of such a structure outside the UK is La Table des Marchand, a Neolithic tomb in Brittany, France, built around 4000BC. The enormous, 65-ton capstone on top of its chamber is a broken fragment of a menhir, a standing stone, brought from 10km away. The original menhir may be 300 years (or more) older than the tomb. Another fragment of this same menhir was incorporated into a tomb at Gavrinis, 5km away. This menhir, originally weighing over 100 tons, is actually one of the largest blocks of stone that we know of to have been moved and set up by Neolithic people.

La Table des Marchand. Myrabella/wikimedia, CC BY-SA

Another example of a standing stone reused in a megalithic monument is an anthropomorphic menhir – a standing stone carved in the form of a human figure – incorporated as the capstone of another tomb at Déhus on Guernsey. Another megalithic tomb, La Motte de la Jacquille in western France, is built of dressed stones that have been rearranged into a new tomb but it is not known if they came from a different location or were an earlier version of the tomb rebuilt on the same spot.

Archaeologists have known for many years that some of Stonehenge’s bluestones (the shorter stones in the monument) were reused. Two are lintels reused as standing stones, and two others have vertical grooves that show they were part of a wall of interlocking standing stones. Until now it was thought that these were evidence of reuse just within Stonehenge which was first built around 2900BC and rebuilt circa 2500BC (at this point, large local sandstones known as “sarsen” were erected). It was then rebuilt again in around 2400BC and 2200BC.

However, we identified the actual quarries in Pembrokeshire, Wales (around 3400BC and 3200BC) that the bluestones came from. This is a period before prehistoric people were building stone circles (normally dating from 3000BC onwards) so we also think it is very likely that the bluestones originally formed a rather different type of monument from a stone circle.

People in western Britain and Ireland at this time were building Neolithic stone tombs known as passage tombs – Newgrange in Ireland is the best known example. So it is just possible that there is a dismantled passage tomb somewhere near the bluestone quarries. That’s what we will be looking for in 2016.

Stonehenge – an unusual distance

An interesting outcome from a recent conference in Redondo, Portugal, on prehistoric megaliths and “second-hand monuments” is that – while some megalithic stones for monuments in Portugal and elsewhere were brought as far as 8km from their sources – the vast majority of Neolithic stone monuments throughout Western Europe were built less than 2km to 3km away from their stone quarries. So Stonehenge is a major exception to this rule, as its bluestones were dragged around 290km. This makes it unique for prehistoric Europe.

How the stones were moved from Wales to Stonehenge is something of a mystery but our excavations at one of the Welsh quarries reveals that the trackway leading from the outcrop was too narrow for rollers to have been used. Instead, we think that monoliths were loaded onto wooden sledges and dragged over logs and branches laid rail-like in front of the sledge.

Some archaeologists have speculated that Stonehenge’s bluestones must have been thought to have had special properties – as musical “gongs” or healing stones – for them to have been sought out from so far away.

But we think it is far more likely that the bluestones were derived from quarries in close proximity to each other – within 2km to 3km – and brought together to build a local monument in Pembrokeshire. Scientific analysis of strontium isotopes in the teeth of people buried in the Stonehenge area reveals that many of them have values consistent with growing up in western Britain. So the stones may have been brought by people migrating from Wales, bringing their ancestral monument as a symbol of their history and identity. Strontium isotope analysis is currently being carried out on the people actually buried at Stonehenge when the bluestones were erected, and we await the results to see if they show a similar picture.

It’s also possible that the bluestones were put up somewhere on Salisbury Plain before they arrived at Stonehenge. For example, one of the bluestones never quite made it to Stonehenge and was dug out in 1801 from the top layer of a Neolithic burial mound called Boles Barrow, near Warminster, also in Wiltshire.

Although this tomb was first built around 3700BC, it seems to have gone through modifications, of which adding a layer of large stones (mostly local sarsen stones and this one bluestone) happened at the end of its use. So we don’t know precisely when it got there but it may have been set up as a burial marker before the rest of the bluestones were erected at Stonehenge.

Rebuilding tombs and other megalithic structures as second-hand monuments is only now turning out to be recognised in various parts of western Europe as archaeologists start to look more closely at the detailed aspects of construction. Simple expediency of finding suitable stone does not explain sites such as Stonehenge and the Table des Marchand – they were most likely incorporating aspects of the past which had rich historical resonance for them.

Mike Parker Pearson

Professor of Archaeology, UCL

Stonehenge Guided Tours
The Stonehenge Experts
http://www.StonehengeTours.com

 

February 4, 2014

2014 Stonehenge Entrance Prices and Opening Times

Posted by StonehengeNews under english heritage, stonehenge private tours, stonehenge special access, Stonehenge tickets | Tags: , , , , , , , |
Leave a Comment 

The experience of visiting Stonehenge has been transformed and greatly improved.  The time it takes to visit Stonehenge and the new visitor centre is also much longer, at around 2 hours which is at least twice as long as previous years.

The reason for this radical change is the building of a brand new visitor centre where you start your visit just over 1 mile from the Stonehenge monument. Before you parked adjacent to Stonehenge and walked directly into the monument using the old tunnel.new-stonehenge-visitor-centre

For such a visited monument, facilities before 2014 were an embarrassment. Just a small gift shop far too small for the numbers visiting, turnstiles and toilets in portable buildings and no exhibition or educational facilities. An audio guide provided was your only way of making sense of what you saw before you.
It is now possible to download the Stonehenge Audio Guide in advance: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/stonehenge-audio-tour/id771690237?mt=8

The old facilities and car parks have been demolished and grassed over. The new English Heritage visitor centre is a purpose built structure with topical exhibits and facilities so you can be orientated on what Stonehenge is all about and information about the Neolithic people that built Stonehenge and discoveries in the Wiltshire area

To get to Stonehenge itself you now take a small shuttle Land Rover ‘train’  for the 10 minute journey to the Stones themselves

Stonehenge Entrance Prices & Opening Times

From February 1st 2014 you  have to pre-purchase tickets in advance from Stonehenge.

Advance booking is the only way to guarantee entry on the day and at the time of your choice.
Please visit the English Heritage website to book advance tickets: Stonehenge Official Ticketing Facility
English Heritage Members MUST also book in advance using the same link.

The reason for this is that you need to book your timed slot on the shuttle between the visitor centre and Stonehenge.
(Last admission time is 2 hours before the advertised closing time)

Please visit the new English Heritage Stonehenge website for 2014 prices and opening times: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/stonehenge/prices-and-opening-times

Stonehenge Special Access Visits

During normal opening hours you cannot walk up to the stones.  The nearest you will get to the stones is about 15 yards, the monument is roped off by a low barrier.

However it is possible to walk up to and among the stones at Stonehenge outside public opening hours. These are called Special Access visits. During these sessions of one hour duration, only a handful of people are allowed into Stonehenge going beyond the barriers and walking amongst the stones.

The Special Access Visits are also immensely popular, demand far outstrips supply and they are often sold out many months in advance.
Please visit our Stonehenge Private Access Tour page or the English Heritage Special Access page

Private guided Stonehenge access tours from London, Bath or Salisbury can sometimes be arranged for families and small groups.

Scheduled Stonehenge coach tours from London have pre-booked  tickets and enjoy priority ‘fast track’ entrance

Stonehenge Tour Guide

 

November 21, 2013

Archaeologists looking for Stonehenge origins ‘are digging in wrong place’

Posted by StonehengeNews under Uncategorized | Tags: , , |
Leave a Comment 

New research suggests stones came from Carn Goedog in Pembrokeshire – almost a mile from site of excavations

One of the mysteries of Stonehenge is how some of its stones were brought from Pembrokeshire in Wales to Wiltshire. Photograph: I Capture Photography/Alamy

One of the mysteries of Stonehenge is how some of its stones were brought from Pembrokeshire in Wales to Wiltshire. Photograph: I Capture Photography/Alamy

For almost a century archaeologists have been braving the wind and rain on an exposed Welsh hillside in an attempt to solve one of the key mysteries of Stonehenge.

But new research about to be published suggests that over the decades they may have been chipping away at the wrong rocky outcrop on the Preseli Hills in Pembrokeshire.

The work in the hills is a crucial element in the understanding of Stonehenge because it is generally accepted that the bluestones that form part of the ancient Wiltshire monument came from this remote spot in south-west Wales. One of the many huge puzzles remains how the bluestone from Wales travelled 190 miles to the heart of south-west England.

Since the 1920s much of the work in Preseli has focused on a spot known as Carn Meini. Now researchers are claiming that in fact the Stonehenge bluestones actually came from Carn Goedog – almost a mile away.

Richard Bevins, keeper of geology at the National Museum of Wales and one of those involved in the study, suggested he was not going to be terribly popular with some fellow experts.

“I don’t expect to be getting Christmas cards from the archaeologists who have been excavating at the wrong place over all these years,” he said.

The celebrated geologist Herbert Henry Thomas linked the Stonehenge bluestones with Preseli in 1923 and pinpointed the tor on Carn Meini as the likely source. Over the years teams worked assiduously on the spot searching for evidence of a Stonehenge quarry.

Two years ago there was excitement when a burial chamber was found, leading to speculation that this could be the resting spot of an architect of Stonehenge.

Now, using geochemical techniques, Bevins and his colleagues have compared samples of rock and debris from Stonehenge with data from the Preseli site and concluded the bluestones in fact came from Carn Goedog.

Bevins, who has been studying the geology of Pembrokeshire for over 30 years, said: “I hope that our recent scientific findings will influence the continually debated question of how the bluestones were transported to Salisbury Plain.”

There are different theories about how the bluestone may have got to Wiltshire. Some believe it was laboriously transported by man but there is another theory that it could have been swept east by glaciers.

Rob Ixer, of University College London, who also took part in the new research, said: “Almost everything we believed 10 years ago about the bluestones has been shown to be partially or completely incorrect. We are still in the stages of redress and shall continue to research the bluestones for answers.”

Bluestones are believed to have arrived at Stonehenge about 4,500 years ago. Some experts believe the bluestones – rather than the much larger sarsen stones that give Stonehenge its familiar shape – were the real draw because they were believed to have healing powers.

The paper setting out the discovery is to be published in the Journal of Archaeological Science.

: theguardian.com http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2013/nov/20/archaeologists-stonehenge-origins-wrong-place

Guest Blogger
Stonehenge Tour Guide

 

Next Page »