September | 2017 | Stonehenge Stone Circle News and Information

Hundreds of druids and pagans descend on Stonehenge to celebrate the Autumn Equinox

24 09 2017

Hundreds of pagans and druids descended on Stonehenge on the 23rd September to celebrate the equinox as autumn began.

Visitors headed to the famous 5,000-year-old site in Wiltshire in the dark to ensure they got to see the sun rise.

And they made the most of one of only four public annual events that allows people to get so close to the stones.

Photographs showed attendees singing and wearing a variety of extravagant outfits as onlookers watched on.

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Tags: Autumn Equinox, Druid Gathering, English Heritahe, Mabon, open access, Pagan celebration, Special Access, stone circle, Stonehenge, Stonehenge news, Sunrise, Wiltshire
Categories : Stonehenge Autumn Equinox Celebrations 2017

Stonehenge Autumn Equinox Open Access Arrangements: 23rd September 2017

21 09 2017

English Heritage are expected to offer a short period of access, from first light or safe enough to enter the monument field (approximately 06.30am) until 08:30am on the 23rd September this year

The Autumn Equinox (Mabon)
The 2017 Autumn Equonox is September 22nd at 21:02 GMT
Sunrise will be 6.58am

equinox-druids

It is the time of the autumn equinox, and the harvest is winding down. The fields are nearly empty, because the crops have been plucked and stored for the coming winter. Mabon is the mid-harvest festival, and it is when we take a few moments to honor the changing seasons, and celebrate the second harvest. On or around September 21st, for many Pagan and Wiccan traditions it is a time of giving thanks for the things we have, whether it is abundant crops or other blessings. It’s a time of plenty, of gratitude, and of sharing our abundance with those less fortunate.

Mabon is a harvest festival, the second of three, that encourages pagans to “reap what they sow,” both literally and figuratively. It is the time when night and day stand equal in duration; thus is it a time to express gratitude, complete projects and honor a moment of balance.

The word ‘equinox’ itself actually mean ‘equal’ (equi) and ‘night’ (nox).

Respecting the Stones
The conditions of entry for the Managed Open Access. Click here

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Tags: 23rd September 2017, Autumn Equinox, druid, english heritage, Harvest, Mabon, open access, Pagan celebration
Categories : Stonehenge Autumn Equinox Open Access 2017

We will learn more about Stonehenge…

19 09 2017

The Heritage Trust

Stonehenge on right, traffic flow on the nearby A303 left

Mike Pitts

In his letter to The Times (Saturday, 16 September) Mike Pitts, Editor of the British Archaeological magazine, writes –

Sir, Tom Holland (letter September 13) notes that archaeologists have found ancient remains across the Stonehenge world heritage site, and implies that a road tunnel would threaten more. He is correct, but this is a red herring. Any works close to Stonehenge must be preceded by an archaeological survey. In the latest announcement the proposed route has been adjusted to avoid newly discovered sites. It is inevitable, however, that not everything can be saved in this way, and then excavation must occur. Remains will be disturbed, scientific studies will be conducted and finds will go to the local museum. We will learn more about Stonehenge. The process – turning loss into enlightenment – is exactly the same for…

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A tunnel past Stonehenge will be dug largely along the route of the existing A303, the government has announced.

12 09 2017

Stonehenge tunnel route altered to protect winter solstice view

Previously it was planned to go south of the stones but there were concerns this would intrude on the view of the setting sun at the winter solstice.

How Stonehenge could be viewed if the tunnel is built

Historic England, the National Trust and English Heritage said “if designed with care”, this would “restore peace and tranquillity” to the landscape.

But campaign groups have called for a “complete rethink” to the plan.

They fear the work will mean the area will lose World Heritage Status after Unesco, the organisation that decides on such sites, said the tunnel should be “reconsidered”.

Unesco has previously backed the option for a bypass to be built.

What is new in this plan?

A tunnel that is “at least” 1.8m (2.9km) long beneath the World Heritage site
The western tunnel entrance will move 50 metres further away from the stones
A new bypass to the north of Winterbourne Stoke
A new flyover at the Countess Roundabout – on the eastern side of the tunnel
Junctions to the A345 and A360 at either end of the tunnel

Read the full story in on the BBC NEWS website

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Tags: A303, english heritage, National Trust, Solstice View, Stonehenge news, Tunnel, UNESCO, Worlh Heritage Site
Categories : A303 STONEHENGE TUNNEL NEWS

♔Stonehenge – The Enigma

8 09 2017

♔TQE

♔More than 1 million people visit Stonehenge each year. It is one of Britain’s most important ancient monuments, having been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986.

The Neolithic monument is widely believed to be a prehistoric temple built to mark the movements of the sun. Each year thousands of people descend on the ancient religious site to watch the sun rise for the summer solstice, marking the longest day of the year and the first day of summer.

As archaeologists and researchers continue to study the area, their recent finds paint a picture of a far more mysterious and elaborate Neolithic and Bronze Age world than previously thought.

19396955_1606728596004078_4828993708144872079_n People gather for the Summer Solstice

Archaeologists believe the area was occupied beginning around 9,000 years ago, suggesting it had significance long before Stonehenge was built. Remains of pits and cremations within and around the area, suggest as many as 150 individuals were…

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English Heritage will launch a new special exhibition at Stonehenge in October 2017

6 09 2017

EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW OF THE STONEHENGE FEAST

English Heritage will launch a new special exhibition at Stonehenge in October 2017 revealing the diet and lifestyle of the people who built Stonehenge. In the 4th special exhibition since the opening of the Stonehenge Visitor Centre, we reveal the fascinating results of the Stonehenge Riverside ‘Feeding Stonehenge’ project.

Drawing on recent archaeological discoveries and ground breaking science, the Feast! exhibition will tell the food stories of the people who built Stonehenge and how they lived. Find out more about this fascinating project and exhibition with an exclusive talk from our historian on the background of the project, followed by a talk from one of our collections conservators who was involved in overseeing the objects on display in the exhibition.

Following this, enjoy an exclusive tour of the exhibition, led by one of our experts and see some of these objects close-up. To finish your morning, enjoy our demo: Neolithic “Ready, Steady, Cook!” where you will be shown what ingredients were available during the Neolithic period what might have been done with them to create nutritious and tasty food.

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