During our trip to London, we decided to use one of the days to see Stonehenge, Salisbury, and Bath. We used London Golden Tours to drive us between these sites, get our tickets into different venues, and provide us with some useful information and funny tidbits along the way. During our first stop, we were mesmerized by the mystery of Stonehenge. This famous landmark is 1.5 hours from London, and you can see it clearly from the highway. Once inside, there’s a path around the site so you can see it from all angles without getting too close.
(Spoiler alert: It wasn’t anything like European Vacation where Chevy Chase backs his car into the stones.)
A Brief History
We have to say that the main draw of Stonehenge is the mystery behind it. It’s a very unique monument and an important part of prehistoric history. Some of the stones date back to 3100 BC! It was built it several stages, demonstrating 2,000 years of continuous use. It began as a circular ditch and bank, which you can still see. The stones are large, with the heaviest weighing about 45 tons, and they come from places up to 150 miles away.
The Stories Behind Stonehenge’s Mysterious Past
The stones are carefully fitted together and leveled for alignment with the midsummer sunrise and midwinter sunset, but its exact purpose remains a mystery . Historians know that it was used as a burial ground because they found 64 cremations and about 150 buried individuals. They’ve also found objects that accompanied the burials. These include small ceramic pieces, a stone macehead, flint tools, and bone skewer pins.
Historians say it also appears to have been a ceremonial site; a temple to mark the passing of time, seasons, and cycles of life and death.
Theorists have proposed many other ideas about Stonehenge, including that it was a place for Druid worship, a place for sun worship, a huge calendar, an astronomical computer, a center for ancestor worship, or as a cult place of healing.
Historians and visitors alike also question how ancient people managed to carry these huge stones from so far away. Plus, how were they able to build this amazing structure using only primitive tools?
The mystery remains at Stonehenge, but it will never fail to impress!
