Stonehenge and a few more stops

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I never knew Wiltshire had so much to offer. This county is packed with sights. The most famous being Stonehenge, followed by Salisbury Cathedral. We found many small cities to explore; interesting ancient sights to wonder about and met some friendly “natives” that shared their legends and tales. One gentlemen even told us about the aliens and how much of the area was created by them. After seeing a few of these sights, hmmm maybe :-)Quick Tips: If you're coming in March, bring a raincoat. It was raining all the days we were in the area, mostly light rain. Get a good map especially if you're interested in viewing the White Horses. Luckly our host at the Bed & Breakfast had a perfect guide she...Read More

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Stonehenge

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Stonehenge Photo - Stonehenge, Salisbury, England

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You can get an excellent view of the monument without going into the fenced-in area. The visitor center at Stonehenge is weak. It has improved since the first time I came here in 1990 but it has a long way to go. It is a real disappoint for such a famous sight. The audio is free and offered in several languages. When I came with my mother here, she was so unimpressed with the monument, that I was dumbfounded but I’ve since learned a lot of people feel the same way. Oh well, I disagree. Stonehenge was built in three phases on a sacred site on the Salisbury Plain. The circular ditch and a bank (henge) were built in 3050BC. Next came a wooden structure constructed as a center around 2500BC. Finally ...Read More

You can get an excellent view of the monument without going into the fenced-in area. The visitor center at Stonehenge is weak. It has improved since the first time I came here in 1990 but it has a long way to go. It is a real disappoint for such a famous sight. The audio is free and offered in several languages. When I came with my mother here, she was so unimpressed with the monument, that I was dumbfounded but I’ve since learned a lot of people feel the same way. Oh well, I disagree. Stonehenge was built in three phases on a sacred site on the Salisbury Plain. The circular ditch and a bank (henge) were built in 3050BC. Next came a wooden structure constructed as a center around 2500BC. Finally between 2500-1500BC, the stone monument was constructed. It was arranged and rearranged for almost a 1,000 years. To this day no one really knows the reason Stonehenge was built. It is known that its axis is aligned with the sunrise of the longest day of the year, the Summer Solstice, 21st June. Which gives way to a theory that it may have been used as a sort of calendar. There is another theory is that is was built for religious worship, which may have sacrificial practices. To date there has been no evidence of human sacrifice found at the site or nearby areas. We know now that the Druids had nothing to do with the building of Stonehenge since evidence shows them arriving in the area after the monument had been already started. Later in time, they did use the site for their religious ceremonies. Modern day druids still use Stonehenge as a place of worship. Stonehenge is a series of concentric rings of standing stones around an altar stone at the center. The first ring has a horseshoe plan of originally five trilithons, each of two upright stones supporting a single immense lintel. Beyond these was first a circle of smaller uprights, sacred "blue" stones, which were transported from as far as the West Wales. Then there was an outer enclosing circle of sandstone monoliths 13.5 feet high, which support what was once a continuous lintel. Beyond this a circle of small, movable "marker stones" were set in pits. Farther out from the stones was a landscaped trench separated the site from the surrounding land. A long avenue marked by uprights sets up an axis, which is identified by the Heel Stone. The Heel Stone is a large stone with a pointed top. Scientific evidence revealed that the smaller stones used for the site were brought from the Preseli Mountains (legend call these mountains mystical) in Pembrokeshire, West Wales. That is some 100 miles from Stonehenge using a difficult route which included crossing the mighty Severn estuary. If they used an easier route it adds 80 miles to the journey. Read Less

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on November 25, 2000

Stonehenge
2 miles west of Amesbury
Salisbury, England
01980 624 715

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Salisbury Cathedral

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Salisbury Cathedral Photo - Salisbury Cathedral, Salisbury, England

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As you drive into Salisbury, the spire of the Cathedral is visible just about any where n the town. The city of Salisbury is the second largest in Wiltshire. It is situated between four rivers and is a great place to visit. This was my second visit to the town but this time I got to spend a few hours exploring since we came in our own car not on a tour from London, as I had done before. The Cathedral dominates the city. One legend has the site of the Cathedral coming from a dream Bishop Poore had. In the dream, the Virgin Mary told him to build in 'Mary's Field’. This site had been selected but it was low-lying and marshy and not everyone’s favorite choice but after the dream it was a “GO”. ...Read More

As you drive into Salisbury, the spire of the Cathedral is visible just about any where n the town. The city of Salisbury is the second largest in Wiltshire. It is situated between four rivers and is a great place to visit. This was my second visit to the town but this time I got to spend a few hours exploring since we came in our own car not on a tour from London, as I had done before. The Cathedral dominates the city. One legend has the site of the Cathedral coming from a dream Bishop Poore had. In the dream, the Virgin Mary told him to build in 'Mary's Field’. This site had been selected but it was low-lying and marshy and not everyone’s favorite choice but after the dream it was a “GO”. The Cathedral was built between 1220 and 1258. The Cathedral is built in a single style (very rare), which is called Early English Gothic. The Cloisters and Chapter House were built in the middle of the 13th century. The spire was added 100 years after its dedication. The Cathedral has the tallest spire in England at 404 feet. The Salisbury Cathedral built in the shape of a double cross with the arms of the transept branching off on either side. This isn’t very common for cathedrals. The cloisters are larger and older than any other of the English cathedrals. The Cathedral is home to an ancient clock mechanism dating from 1386, which is said to be the oldest piece of machinery still at work in Britain, if not the entire world. The Chart House has one of the four surviving Magna Carta (1215) on display. Here is a strange tale I have to share. All through our journey of England I had been thinking of something I wanted to do for a friend. Two months before I left for vacation, she received horrific news. Her mother had been diagnosed with untreatable terminal liver cancer and had been given two months to live. I had wanted to have her mother’s name listed in a prayer book at one of the churches we were going to visit. None felt right until I walked to the altar of Salisbury Cathedral. I found the prayer book (photo attached) and was going to write her name but I knew I was missing something. I walked to the Cathedral store and bought a crucifix on a rosary. I walked back to the altar, prayed for her and added her name to the book. I took the daily prayer and crucifix to my friend upon my arrival and I’m glad to say 8 months later her mom has had no change in her tumor since the first scan back in March 2000. Read Less

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on November 25, 2000

Salisbury Cathedral
The Close
Salisbury, England SP1 2EF
01722 555113

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White Horses

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Uffington White Horse Photo - Stonehenge, England

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Wiltshire has nine white horses cut into its hills. Only seven of the White Horses are now visible. Wiltshire County has a vast number of chalk downs, which with their smooth steep sides provide a perfect site to exercise the art of turf cutting. Within a five-mile radius of Avebury there are five horses, all very close to each other. Three more are just a bit further away. All may be visited by road. The white horses to be found in Wiltshire are in order of being cut -- Westbury – 1778, Cherhill – 1780, Pewsey – 1785, Marlbourough - 1804 (renovated 1873), Alton Barnes – 1812, Hackpen – 1838 Devizes - 1845, Broad Town – 1863, Inkpen - 1860s and Pewsey – 1937. In Wiltshire we viewed the Cherhill Whit...Read More

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Avebury

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Avebury Stone Circle Photo - Stonehenge, England

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This tiny village is the center of a wonderful concentration of prehistoric sites, including; Avebury complex, a massive circular bank and ditch surrounding settings of stone circles within the village, linked by avenues of standing stones leading towards West Kennet and the Sanctuary. These stone circles were built around 2200BC. The henge at Avebury is 16 timed larger than Stonehenge. There is no restriction on access at this site, so you are free to wander amongst the stones and soak up the magical atmosphere. Avebury is more than just a stone circle, although this is its main feature. There is also a rampart, a ditch and two mysterious avenues. The rampart (bank) is on the outside, and then co...Read More

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Silbury Hill

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Silbury Hill Photo - Stonehenge, England

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Silbury Hill lies just off the A4 between Devizes and Marlborough in the Winterbourne-Kennet valley. Silbury Hill is the tallest man made mound in Europe. It is part of the complex of Neolithic monuments located just south of the village of Avebury in Wiltshire. It is a massive artificial mound with a flat top. It is approximately 130 feet high and covers 5 acres. It is composed of over 12 million cubic feet of chalk and earth. The base of the monument is 550-feet in diameter and it is perfectly round. Its summit is flat-topped and 100ft wide. It was built in three stages starting in 2600BC. We came here because we had read about the crop circles, UFO and other stories concerning Silbury Hill and...Read More

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West Kennet Long Barrow

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West Kennet Long Barrow Photo - Stonehenge, England

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West Kennet Long Barrow, West Kennett, near Marlborough This is one of the largest prehistoric tombs in England and Wales. The tomb was probably built in 3500BC to serve the farming community. This is one of the biggest barrows in Britain. The barrow measures 340 feet long by 75 feet wide. The line of stones at its east end, some as high as 12-feet, form a corridor 40 feet into the barrow. There are five stone chambers inside the barrow. Studies have soon that it was used for almost 1,000 years. During this time 40 to 50 people were buried here. Which leads people to believe that only members of the ruling clan were allowed to be buried here, just not any one from the community. The barrows are...Read More

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