Simply Stonehenge!

In a way, it turned out to be exactly as advertised.

Grim, sinister, hauntingly scenic, it loomed up on the horizon, squatting on a gently rolling hill, waiting to tell its story. As if by design, we got the ‘perfect’ backdrop. It was cold and gray, with a fine drizzle and just a hint of sleet. And the wind was the way winds often tend to be. Cruel!

I’m convinced that much of the site’s charm stems from its complete isolation, so loaded with suggestion.  And its strong, indelible historical link with harsh, dark days far gone by, when primitive man strove to sustain himself in difficult conditions. 

The topography and setting could well be the prop for a Shakespearean tragedy. The monument squats all by itself- a bit awkwardly I think - on the top of a gentle incline, commanding fine views of the valleys and meadows of Wiltshire downland.  Mysterious and desolate,  it reveals the remains of a prehistoric monument that was ‘live’ thousands of years ago. Making the stones stand out with sharper effect is a green carpet of grass that covers the entire hill. The overall effect is stunning.

The fact is that Stonehenge can’t be given the miss. Considered the most outstanding historical and heritage monument in the British Isles, this World Heritage Site is the centre of one of the world’s earliest cultures, a marvel of English heritage, and a question mark on the past. Three good reasons to visit and be confronted with ancient history.

Records show that once there was activity here. Today, all is still. The prehistoric monument is surrounded by remains of ceremonial and domestic structures – some older than the monument itself. Many of these features – earthworks, burial mounds and other circular ‘henge’ monuments – are accessible by road or public footpath. Apparently, some years back you could actually touch the stones, but typically and sadly, this leeway was misused by vandals who climbed all over, and scratched their names on the prehistoric stones. The result is the rope barriers that isolate them today from visitors. 

Why. How. Who? There are so many points to ponder, which is precisely why the place is so interesting. Was this a shrine, or a site for rituals, or for passing judgement?  Stonehenge has several stories to tell, and they’ve been historically recorded for archives. They’ve unravelled part of the mystery, but what exactly went on at this strange site in those early days remains at least partly shrouded in mystery. It’s this corridor of uncertainty that tugs at your imagination as you get to relive the experience.

The discovery in the late 1960s of several Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age) pits at the far end of the car park - now indicated by white discs on the tarmac – shed light on the region’s physical composition. It revealed that some seven to eight thousand years ago the area was mixed hazel woodland and pine before becoming down land, as is shown in the tunnel.

The cold cutting through our inadequate clothing like a sharp scalpel, braving a gale-force wind that could well have swept one away, with the help of an audio tour, we set about understanding the site’s history and surroundings, in tandem with some hundred other tourists who’d also lost their mind like we had.

You walk right through the homes of the ancient people who mapped the course of the sun and the moon to build this unique monument.  And some minor detours bring you to the burial grounds where they buried their leaders in those ancient times.

Stonehenge’s construction spanned three main phases. Somewhere around 3050 BC a circular ditch and bank (henge) was built. Then, in 2500 BC circa a wooden structure was constructed at the centre. Somewhere from 2500 – 1500 BC the stone monument itself was constructed, arranged and rearranged over almost a thousand years to finally become what it is till today.

Known as Bluestones, the smaller stones seen in the circle are from the mystical Preseli Mountains in Wales, 385 km away. And the larger stones that are the main feature of the circle are Sarsen stones brought from the Marlborough Downs 30 km away from the site.

For a real insight, sign on for the 30 minute custodian tours available in English throughout the day. There’s also plenty of literature around that illustrates and brings alive the site’s history. Maps, pamphlets, and a good guide-book available at the entrance or shop, which contains photos, text and illustrations.

The shop located at the entrance to the tunnel through which you pass to emerge onto North Barrow is worth a brief stopover. You then tread a designated path that describes a circle right around the monument, literally within touching distance of the giant stones. The path straddles most of the site’s significant points like The Avenue, Station Stone, South Barrow, and Slaughter Stone.

The monument itself is a close cluster of stones describing a circle, with select points identified as the ‘Circle of Sarsen stones with lintels’; the ‘Circle of Bluestones’; and the ‘Horseshoe of Trilithons’.

Stonehenge’s orientation on the rising and setting sun has always been one of its remarkable features. Whether this was simply because the builders came from a sun-worshipping culture, or because – as some scholars believe – the circle and its banks were part of a huge astrological calendar, remains a mystery.

With its setting, mysterious background and ripe old age, Stonehenge has always aroused strong emotions and flights of fancy.

That was true. Things were rather pleasantly quiet. In comparative terms, of course! As if waiting for us to finish our exploring, the wind picked up, dispersing the hordes of visitors plodding around the site. It was time to leave.

Looking back as we drove away, I managed to put things in proper perspective. The giant rocks stood starkly exposed in the fading light. Appearing thinner by the second, they seemed to taper off, finally sticking out, needle-like on the patch of green on which they rest.

It was eerie. And it was beautiful. And then abruptly, it was gone from view. The perfect prop for the perfect script!