Stonehenge

Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England, is one of the world’s most recognized sites, a circle of mystery that fascinates visitors from all over the world. An icon of British heritage and indeed, a World Heritage site, Stonehenge is a must-see attraction on the Great British Heritage Pass.

Stonehenge is over 5,000 years old and contemporaneous with the Great Pyramid in Egypt.  No one truly knows why Stonehenge was built or how it originally got there; however, it does have a direct relationship to the rising and setting sun, and the stones align with the rising of the sun at the midsummer solstice.  Some scholars believe that Stonehenge was part of a huge astronomical calendar. 

Getting the stones to the Stonehenge site must have been a huge feat, carried over tens or hundreds of miles and then raising them up in alignment.  Those who built Stonehenge only had very basic tools, but they shaped the stones and formed mortises and tenons that links upright to lintels.  They also used antlers and bones in order to dig the pits to hold the stones, as well as the banks and ditches that enclosed them.  It was one huge feat, especially since the heaviest of stones weighs around 45 tons! 

Your visit to Stonehenge allows you to walk around the outside of the stone circle, and you can listen to some of the myths and legends about Stonehenge on the audio tour.  You can probably see some of the markings left on the stones by previous visitors, before English Heritage closed it off to wayward visitors! 

If you’re wondering where the name Stonehenge came from, it’s thought to have originated in the Anglo-Saxon period.  The old English word henge means hanging or gibbet, so Stonehenge literally translates to ‘the hanging stones.’  Today the word ‘henge' has a specific archaeological meaning: a circular enclosure surrounding settings of stones and timber uprights, or pits.

If you’re interested in more about the history of Stonehenge, you can explore some of the links to the people who built the structure in the surrounding area.  Some of their tools, artefacts, and pottery are on display at museums in Salisbury and Devizes.  Neolithic long barrows and over 300 burial mounds are visible around the landscape. 

In 1986, Stonehenge was awarded World Heritage Site status, due to its huge shaped stones and perfect geometry, making it the most sophisticated stone circle in the world.

Planning your visit to Stonehenge

Stonehenge is managed by English Heritage, who have custodians present at the circle on a daily basis. The Stonehenge custodians have a good knowledge of the history of the monument, the surrounding landscape and its development. Please feel free to ask questions.

Note that there is no access to the centre circle of Stonehenge during normal opening hours.

Stonehenge is open every day except December 24 and 25.

From March 16 until May 31 it opens from 9.30 to 18.00; from June 1 until August 31 it opens from 9.00 until 19.00; from September 1 until October 15 it opens from 9.30 until 18.00; from October 16 until March 15 it opens from 9.30 until 16.00 and on December 26 and January 1 it opens from 10.00 until 16.00. Last admissions are 30 minutes before closing.