Stonehenge, the mysterious stone circle that rises from the Salisbury Plain in England, has captivated the human imagination for millennia. Its sheer scale, precise alignment and mysterious purpose continue to baffle and intrigue. From Stavanger we traveled to South Hampton, England.
Stonehenge, England
Constructed over several phases from around 3000 BC to 1600 BC, Stonehenge is a tribute to the ingenuity and complexity of prehistoric societies. The monument’s construction is a marvel of engineering, with massive stones transported from hundreds of miles away. Theories abound about its function, ranging from a religious site to an astronomical observatory or even a burial ground.
There are different stones on the site. Sarsen stones are massive sandstones weighing over 25 tons. These were added later and would have taken an incredible amount of work to move them here. Bluestones are smaller and believed to have been transported from the Preseli Mountains in Wales.
Solstice alignment. When the sun rises directly over the Heel Stone on the solstice, a shadow is cast through the monument. It has been suggested that Stonehenge was a place of religious ceremonies and spiritual gatherings. There is also evidence of human remains within the site supporting the theory that it was used as a burial ground.
This is a very popular destination. There are so many buses, but somehow, it doesn’t feel too crowded and people are far enough away in the background to not get in the photos.
Salisbury, England
This is a small city with a population under 50,000. The most notable structure is the Salisbury Cathedral. The new cathedral construction began in 1221. Supposedly, the site was chosen by shooting an arrow from Old Sarum, which was actually too far away, but it was rumored the arrow hit a white deer which eventually died on the spot where the cathedral is now. The cathedral contains the best preserved of the four surviving copies of the Magna Carta.
There is so much history here involving Kings, Barons, Popes, hunting grounds, taxes, wars and scandals.
We had lunch at a local pub. Delicious food and beer. Twenty-five minutes after ordering, we still didn’t have our food and we were getting nervous because we had only allotted 45 minutes and needed to return to the bus. After speaking with the waiter, he said that it usually takes 30 minutes to get an order out, reminding us that it wasn’t fast food. That made us realize we weren’t in the United States anymore.
We enjoyed walking around the beautiful town and seeing all the flowers in bloom. We definitely could have spent more time here.
