A friend and I had both been to Stonehenge when we were much younger and could actually go up to the stones. We have also seen it many times as we have driven passed, but we had never been to the visitor centre – which is relatively new. We decided it would make a good morning out, especially as we could use our National Trust cards, even though it is English Heritage. Actually, I believe the stones are English Heritage but the land and surrounding World Heritage Site are National Trust.
It was a horrible day – windy and raining but as we didn’t intend walking the mile and a half to the stones it didn’t matter! After parking and getting our entrance permit we went to have coffee before looking at the exhibits.
The first part was circular, as if one was standing in the centre of the stones and the pictures changed with the time-line and with the seasons, showing how the sun shone through the stones at the equinoxes.
We then moved on to the next room which had explanations and “finds” – some of which were reproductions. I had no idea that the stones had not always been in the same arrangement but had changed over the years. I knew that the stones came from Wales – but didn’t realise that it was only some of them – the blue stone – and the larger ones probably came from north Wiltshire. I also knew that it was part of a “complex” of other henges and burial mounds but it was good to see some of them displayed on a map, to show when they were made.
There were also artefacts, such as stone arrowheads, axes, knives, scrapers and hammers; bone tools and antlers probably used for digging and pottery of different types. There were even a couple of skeletons.
I am always amazed at the skills needed to make the stone tools. But the planning, organisation and man-power needed to transport the stones – especially those from Wales – and to set them up, is quite astounding, considering the lack of transport and communication. How do you get together all the people needed and persuade them to do the work? As my friend asked – were there slaves?
Having had a good look inside we noticed that it wasn’t raining so went out to look at the huts of the types that it is assumed the people who made/worshipped(?) at/congregated at Stonehenge lived in.
You could only go into one of the huts but there were several others with entrances blocked. There was also a model of one of the large stones set up to show the way they believe they were transported.
We then went back into the visitor centre where we had lunch and then went home.
So? There was really quite a lot of new things to find out – interesting!