There is nothing quite like Stonehenge anywhere in the world and for 5000 years it has drawn visitors to it. We shall never know what drew people here over the centuries or why hundreds of people struggled over thousands of years to build this monument, but visitors from all over the world come to marvel at this amazing feat of engineering.
Before Stonehenge was built thousands of years ago, the whole of Salisbury Plain was a forest of towering pines and haxel woodland. Over centuries the landscape changed to open chalk downland. What you see today is about half of the original monument, some of the stones have fallen down, others have been carried away to be used for building or to repair farm tracks and over centuries visitors have added their damage too. It was quite normal to hire a hammer from the blacksmith in Amesbury and come to Stonehenge to chip bits off. As you can imagine this practice is no longer permitted.
Stonehenge was built in three phases. The first stage was a circle of timbers surrounded by a ditch and bank. The ditch would have been dug by hand using animal bones, deer antlers which were used as pick-axes to loosen the underlying chalk and the the shoulder blades of oxen or cattle were used as shovels to clear away the stones. Excavations of the ditch have recovered antlers that were left behind deliberately and it was by testing their age through rasio carbon dating we now know that the first henge was built over 50 centuries ago, that is about 3,100 BC. Thats where the mystery begins. We have not just found old bones, around the edge of the bank we also found 56 holes now known as Aurey Holes, named after the 17th century antiquarian, John Aubrey, who found the in about 1666.We know that these holes were dug to hold wooden poles, just as holes were dug later to hold the stone pillars that you see today. So this was the first stage built about 5,050 years ago, wooden post circle surrounded by a deep ditch and bank.
Then about 4,000 years ago - 2,100 BC and about 2,000 years before the Romans set foot in Britain, it was rebuilt. This time in stone, bluestones were used. These came from the Prescelli Mountains in Pembroke, South Wales 245 miles (380Kms), dragged down to the sea, floated on huge rafts, brought up the River Avon, finally overland to where they are today. It was an amazing feat as each stone weighs about five tons. It required unbeleivable dedication from ancient man to bring these stones all the way from South Wales.
Before the second phase of Stonehenge was complete work stopped and there was a period of abandonment. The began a new bigger, even better Stonehenge, the one that can be seen today. Just under 4,000 years ago, about 2,000 BC, the third and final stage of what can be seen today.
The bluestones were dug up and rearranged and this time even bigger stones were brought in from the Marborough Downs, 20 miles (32 kms) away. These giant sandstones or Sarsen stones, as they are now called were hammered to size using balls of stone known as mauls. Even today you can see the drag marks. Each pair of stones was heaved upright and linked on the top by the lintels. To get the lintels to stay in place, the first wodd working techniques were used. They made joints in stone, linking the lintels in a circular manner using a tongue and groove joint, and subsequently the upright and lintel with a ball and socket joint or mortice and tenon. This was all cleverly designed on the alignment of the rising of the mid summer sun.
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Matthew Normans account of his recent visit to Bovey Castle restaurant. Bovey Castle is in Dartmoor National Park
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Bradgate Park Leicestershire
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Bradgate Park in Leicestershire is a well known and much loved visitor attraction. The Folly in the Park can be seen for miles around and the park is typical of an English country park where urbanites can escape the hurly burly of city life and breath som
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Brighton & Hove has always done things differnetly. Rather than using a cathedral as it's focal point this city on South England's Coast has the Royal Pavillion, built in 1815.
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Bristol a city built on its maritime past. An article by Jenny Spetter.
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A history of Cliffords Tower for the English Travel Guide. An essential guide to this English Heritage attraction in York.
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Croyde North Devon Village not far from Barnstable
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Derby is compact city at the centre of England, full of history, art and – reputedly – ghosts
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England has seen a high rise in tourism. Its main cities as well as its main coastal resorts have all benefited from this high rise...
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England has some of the best traveling the world. This travel guide highlights all the best travel resources from travel associated with the countryside to city travel. Mix with English people, English folklore and travel in one of the finest....
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English Travel Guide.com has been designed to provide a definitive easy to use travel companion for all your English Travel needs.
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English Travel Guide and Jurys
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English Travel Guide, the fastest growing Travel and Leisure website for England welcomes Jurys hotels to its growing family. Coupled to the English Travel Guides expanding list of attractions and features the leisure traveller and tourist can plan their
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Cornwalls oldest surviving Tin mine, now a popular tourist attraction.
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The effects on travel in England of a few heavy thunderstorms.
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HOLIDAY HOMES WITH A DIFFERENCE
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An apparently normal family will arrive by open boat at a rented holiday cottage in Britain to find there is no hot water or electricity... and the only lighting is a box of candles. Amazingly, they’ll be delighted.
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London Tourist Information
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London the capital city and major tourist attraction. A first stop on any travel, this major cosmopolitan city of the English speaking world. Population of just under eight million. This guide to the various sites to see is a must read in conjunction with
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Matthew Norman s review on Luc s Brasserie London EC3.
Sunday Telegraph Magazine 21 November 2004.
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North York Moors National Park
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A Visit to the North York Moors National Park
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Elfreda Powell article from The Sunday Telegraph magazine 28 November 2004
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Information on Penzance including hotels restaurants, attractions, museums and local points of interest. This market town is the Capital of west Cornwall and is a popular tourist attraction.
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One of the wonders of the world. This ancient stone circle is managed by Englsh Heritage and is truely a must see site for any visitor to the UK.
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Set in the far North Eastern corner of England this beautiful county borders Scotland to the North and the Industrial North East to the South. It has been designated an area of outstanding beauty.
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Rye one of the Cinque port towns on the Sussex
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The Battle of Hastings 1066
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Fought between Harold, King of England and the Norman French under William at Battle in East Sussex. The battle occured on October 14th 1066. The Battle Abbey near Battle provides information on the event.
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The Lion King - Lyceum Theatre
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Story of the Disney musical the Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre London. Search London Theatres for bookings.
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Plan a visit to this spectacular forest and enjoy the peace and tranquility and wonderful scenery of this exquisite forest.
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Article on The Close, the Organs and Bells of Winchester Cathedral
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