Stonehenge – An Ancient Treasure

The below blog was contributed by the 11yr old nephew of adeo Travel’s managing director as he wanted to help is uncle’s work following the difficult times for the travel industry over the last year. We think he’s done a great job – your help is much appreciated, thanks Alfred! Read on and enjoy:

So, do you want to be one of the eight hundred thousand people who visit the iconic British landmark of Stonehenge every year? Then you’ve come to the right place! It is thought that this five thousand year-old stone formation took some 1,500 years to build. Located in Salisbury, England, the job of hauling these stones was passed down the generations until it was done. Scientists have examined these rocks and have found out that the larger Sarsen stones didn’t come from the local area, but from a place 25 miles away in the place known as the West Woods, south-west of Marlborough town. Weighing averagely 25 tons, the largest Heel Stone reaches almost 30 tons! The smaller Bluestones, came from even further afield, over 155 miles away in Preseli Hills, south-west Wales! Even though they might be smaller, they still weigh from 2 to 5 tons each. That would have taken a long time to haul!

Now that you know the primary facts, you can learn more about the meaning of building it and the connections to a similar site at Woodhenge in Wiltshire, England. It is thought that Stonehenge was built for two periods of the year, at the Midsummer Solstice and the Midwinter Solstice. It is said that before the morning of the Midsummer Solstice tribes from all over Europe would travel to the stone circle to set up camps, little wood huts with straw roofs hand built by the people that would live there for the next week as they waited for the day of the Midsummer Solstice. On that day the Sun rises on the stones and with its beam concentrated on the henge, the light would pass through all the gaps in the huge stones and especially through the main stone in the centre. Everyone would celebrate the dead; a day for tears and sadness but also a day for everyone to celebrate they would join them in later life. Once the celebration was over, they would travel to a nearby River Avon, walk down the river till they came to the end of the path to the wooden post formation, the exact same as Stonehenge, and here they would wait for the sunset where again the Sun would go through the posts, this time wooden ones, and here they would celebrate the living. It is thought that life was celebrated at Woodhenge because wood will eventually rot, mould then die just like us, but thedead were celebrated at Stonehenge as the rock will stay forever just like our ancestors’ spirits. On the Midwinter Solstice they would do the same thing just in reverse, starting at Woodhenge before their journey to Stonehenge to celebrate the days becoming longer.

So, are you intrigued? Do you want to go to the ancient treasure of Stonehenge for yourself? Are you ready for an adventure through time? Then please contact adeo Travel agents and let them help you arranging your trip.