No historical sight in England is more iconic or well recognized than Stonehenge. And despite the hordes of tourists which traipse past it every year and the encroachment of traffic from a major road less than 300 yards from the sight, it does a wondrous job of still maintaining its aura of magic and mystery. The henge was constructed in a number of stages starting at about 3000 BD, and its practical and ritualistic importance can only be guessed at, however, the alignment of the stones leaves us with little doubt that the circle was somehow connected with the sun and the seasons. The prehistoric builders (not Druids, despite popular belief) possessed an advanced understanding of mathematics and astronomy. 

The open countryside on which Stonehenge rests, known as Salisbury Plain, was an area populated by extensive prehistoric settlements, and today is riddled with ancient remains. Circular barrows, the burial mounds of the ruling class, dot the horizon near Stonehenge. Many artifacts, including ceremonial bronze weapons, have been excavated from the sites around Stonehenge. These items can be viewed at several museums in the area, including the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum in Salisbury and the Wiltshire Heritage Museum in Devizes.  

You can’t help but be awed and amazed by Stonehenge, even though visitors must stand behind a rope far from the stones. Perhaps it is the realization that you are seeing something that was built thousands of years ago, or the mystery of its origins and purpose. Maybe it is the impressive size of each individual stone, or the expanse of the land and sky surrounding it from horizon to horizon, somehow making the humongous rocks, and thus yourself, seem so very small in comparison. I’m not sure, but perhaps it’s all of it, coupled with the effect it has on your imagination. All you have to do is close your eyes and tip your head back, feel the sun upon your face, listen to the wind whistle through the tall grass, smell the crushed wheat beneath your feet, and suddenly you are transported to a different time. Even amongst the milling crowd with cars honking their horns on the highway in the distance, you can somehow forget all of the trappings of the twenty-first century and find yourself knee deep in prairie grass imagining the sun rising over the horizon through the stones.