Stonehenge


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Salisbury Plain
Wiltshire
SP4 7DE

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The pre-historic megalithic monument known as Stonehenge stands shrouded in myth, mystery and legend, in Wessex in the south west of England. Designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, today it is in the care of English Heritage and the National Trust.

At first sight, seen from a distance the monument appears smaller than expected, due to its isolated position on the vast Salisbury Plain. Closer up however, with a change of perspective, Stonehenge is all that one expects; mighty, awe inspiring and mysterious.

Stonehenge dates from the agricultural Neolithic Age, built in several stages and with various rearrangements to the stones, it was eventually completed in the Bronze Age by the Beaker Folk.

Around 2,950 BC there were no stones
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on the site, only the outer circular bank. The earthworks or Henge was surrounded by a ditch and a ring of 56 pits inside the ditch, that are thought to have held posts forming a timber circle. These pits are now known as Aubrey holes, named after the poet John Aubrey who discovered them in the 17th century.

Stonehenge lay abandoned until around 2550BC, when the Bluestones from Prescli in Wales were brought to the site. Weighing 3-4 tons each, it is thought they were dragged by sledges and rollers to Milford Haven and taken by rafts along the south coast of Wales.

Sixty to eighty of these great stones were set up in an incomplete circle, with one even larger of eight tons, which was placed near the centre at the focus of Stonehenge, the summer solsticial axis.

About 2500BC huge Sarsen stones weighing between six and sixty tons were brought to Stonehenge from a site near Avebury. It is thought to have taken between one and two centuries for all the stones to have arrived.

It is possible that the first Sarsen stone to be erected
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was the enormous Heel Stone, set outside the monument, and the 4 station stones, placed within the circular ditch near the Aubrey ring.

At the end of the final stage of building, the plan for Stonehenge comprised a ring of bluestones inside the Sarsen stone circle, and a horseshoe shape setting of bluestones inside another horseshoe setting of five gigantic Sarsen trilithons. The common axis of all the Sarsen stones and the bluestone settings were aligned with the midsummer sunrise on June 21st - the longest day of the year.

For centuries, questions such as 'what is Stonehenge?' 'who built Stonehenge?' And 'what was Stonehenge used for?' have been asked. Thanks to today's archaeologists and scientists we know the answers to some of these questions, however some are still unknown, shrouded in the mists of time.

There is no evidence that Stonehenge was built as a sacrificial site, or that the central stone, sometimes called the altar stone was used for sacrifices. Some say Stonehenge was used as a religious site of worship. Another theory is that Stonehenge was built to calculate the annual calendar and seasons.

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Opening Times
(2011 times)
1st September to 15th October:
Daily 9.30 to 16.00

16th October to 23rd December:
Daily 9.30 to 16.00

24th - 25th December:
Closed.

26th December:
Monday 10.00 - 16.00.

27th - 31st December:
Tuesday - Saturday 10.00 - 16.00

1st January 2012:
Sunday 10.00 - 16.00

2nd January - 15th March:
Daily 9.30 - 16.00

16th - 31st March:
/Daily 9.30 - 18.00

Admission Charges
(2011 prices)
Adult £7.50; Child (5-15yrs) £4.50; Child under 5 yrs Free.
Concession (Student or Senior)£6.80.
Family (2 adults + up to 3 children) £19.50.

English Heritage Members & National Trust Members Free

Directions
By Car:
2 miles from Amesbury & 9 miles from Salisbury at junction of the A 344 and A303 West of England trunk road.

By Bus

Buses run from Salisbury railway station and Market Square to Amesbury and Stonehenge.

By Rail

Direct trains to Salisbury depart from Central London-Waterloo, Exeter, Cardiff, Bristol, Bath, Bournemouth and Portsmouth.

By Bus:
The Stonehenge Tour Bus runs from Salisbury railway station via Old Sarum direct to Stonehenge.
Show map of Stonehenge...

Stonehenge Postcode for SatNav: SP4 7DE

Nearby Attractions
Old Sarum (6 Miles)*
The great earthwork of Old Sarum stands near Salisbury on the edge of Wiltshire's chalk plains. Its mighty ramparts were raised in about 500 BC by Iron Age people and later occupied by the Romans.
Wilton House (7 Miles)*
Wilton house, 450 year old home to the Earl of Pembroke, provides a fascinating insight into British history.
Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum (8 Miles)*
Let Salisbury Museum take you on a journey through one of the most fascinating areas of Britain.
more nearby attractions...
more things to do in Wiltshire and days out in Wiltshire...
* Distances shown are in a direct line. Distances by road will be longer.

Nearby Hotels
George Hotel (2 Miles)*
Comfortable hotel offering ideal accommodation for both business and leisure. Relaxed restaurant with wide choice of menu. an a good base for exploring the local area.
Holiday Inn Salisbury - Stonehenge (3 Miles)*
Located in the heart of Wiltshire this contemporary hotel is easily accessible when travelling from the M3 motorway, London, The Midlands and The West Country.
Holiday Inn Salisbury-Stonehenge (3 Miles)*
Situated in the heart of Wiltshire on the A303, Holiday Inn Salisbury-Stonehenge offers stylish accommodation and free parking and is the nearest hotel to Stonehenge. All rooms have a modern decor and luxurious bedding.
more hotels near Stonehenge ...
* Distances shown are in a direct line. Distances by road will be longer.

Nearby Self Catering
Fir Trees Apartment (6 Miles)*
Fir Trees apartment has been redecorated throughout for the beginning of the 2011 holiday season, helping to maintain the cleanliness and comfort holiday makers have welcomed.
The Blue Cottage (14 Miles)*
This beautiful 16th century thatched cottage stands on the edge of the small village of Ebbesbourne Wake, hidden away in the Chalke Valley, which runs between the city of Salisbury with its famous cathedral.
The Old Piggery (15 Miles)*
Comfort in the Old Piggery, Cools Farm Recently restored, this delightful 17th century farmhouse lies within the Cranborne Chase AONB - Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Nestling under the old Fonthill Abbey beacon.
Your property could be here
Advertising your self catering property or holiday cottage on AboutBritain.com will get you noticed by thousands of potential guests every day.
more self catering near Stonehenge ...
* Distances shown are in a direct line. Distances by road will be longer.

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