Stonehenge Stone Circle News and Information

The Prime Minister has just said  the Government is “committed” to ending the traffic nightmare on the A303 between Devon and London. Everyone will welcome that (although even the preliminary study isn’t going to be produced before the next election). But from the point of view of prehistory fans the big issue that springs to mind is what will it mean for Stonehenge? There are three big reasons for concern:

1. For years English Heritage supported putting the A303 at Stonehenge in a massively damaging cut-and-cover tunnel.

2. Then, they supported a bored “short tunnel” despite the opposition of UNESCO and nearly all archaeological and heritage organisations on the grounds it too was very damaging.

3. It was cancelled due to cost but just last month Simon Thurley said they’d continue to argue for the tunnel, “with all our strength”.

We did ask WHICH tunnel [

It’s all very well English Heritage selling cute little furry birdies at their new Visitor Centre but what is to become of the REAL ones?

Jackdaws that have been gathering on the stones for many a year, regularly nesting in the crevices, certainly as far back as the 18th century. In recent times every night when the site closes they’ve been flying down to feast on bits of food left by the visitors but since the old visitor centre and carpark closed a week ago they have been having to go without their supper.

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Legend has it that if ever the ravens leave the Tower of London the kingdom will fall. Does the same apply to the jackdaws of Stonehenge? What arrangements have English Heritage made to feed them so they stay at Stonehenge? The public should be told!!

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The feedback from the new visitor centre yesterday was nearly all positive. The architecture works well (whatever happened to the holes in the roof?!), the exhibits are impressive (although rather limited in scale) and of course the location, just out of sight from the stones, is a huge relief. It still remains to be seen how things will work out when maximum tourist numbers turn up but the general consensus seems to be: so far, so good ….

One issue did seem to keep coming up though – the fact that as from February it will be necessary to book in advance. A lot of people are complaining about that, saying an  element of spontaneity has been removed. They have a point, so the question arises, why? There’s plenty of room inside the visitor centre and at the stones so if there’s any lack of capacity it must be…

There were people down at the new centre yesterday, adding more interest, and here are some more views. The reaction there seems to be overwhelmingly positive – to the building, which is alive to the landscape, to the displays, which are both beautifully done and bravely informative, and to the facilities. The land train may take a bit more bedding in, and of course the old car park and facilities are still there out at the monument.

Here’s a first peek at the visitor centre, which opens its doors tomorrow. I guess it won’t often look like this again in mid morning.

ARRIVAL

CAFE & SHOP ON LEFT

GALLERIES ON RIGHT

Smaller of the two circular video screens:

Video panorama on left, museum cases on right:

Lobby area with pull quotes and talking videos:

A temporary exhibition room, with some lovely large display cases, currently showing “Set in Stone?”, featuring the 14th century Scala Mundi that illustrates the stones, and other treasures:

Leaving into the area where the reconstructed neolithic houses will be, and the train pick-up:

Back inside, the panoramic video is truly spectacular. Here are some random grabs:

From today to the beginning, with an earthwork and ring of bluestones:

Meanwhile, up at the site work continues. A marker is being laid to show the solstice alignment. Waiting beside the new path, on left (look…