Stonehenge
Discover Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a Neolithic and Bronze Age stone monument in a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England. The WHS is quite large and contains many other structures from the Neolithic and Bronze Ages. Stonehenge is in a World Heritage Site of over 2000 hectares that is considered one of the most archaeologically rich megalithic structures in Europe. It is home to some of the most important Neolithic and Bronze Age finds and structures in the UK, and contains some 200 scheduled monuments. It is also the site of one of the biggest Chalk grassland reversion projects in the world.
What to Experience in Stonehenge
Taste of Stonehenge...
There is a well stocked cafeteria at the English Heritage centre, but those wishing for a more satisfying meal would be best advised to visit the nearby towns of Amesbury or Durrington which have several pubs, cafes and restaurants. A good bet is Kingfish Fish & Chips Restaurant & Takeaway located on Bulford Road, Durrington (Adjacent to Tesco express, enter via the Tesco car park) where you can eat in or grab a portion of your favourite traditional fish & chips to take out. Also in Amesbury is Amesbury Chippy, Flower Lane, in the centre of town near to Bath Travel, who provide traditional fish and chips freshly served. Hop Back Brewery based in Salisbury and Stonehenge Ales produce several fine ales that are served in most of the local pubs. Visits to Stonehenge can easily be combined with a visit to Salisbury where many hotels, bed and breakfasts, and hostels are available. There are several options locally however: There is a Holiday Inn business hotel next to the A303 in Solstice Park, but be warned that rooms start at around £150. For rooms under £50/night, consider the George Hotel, Antrobus Arms or Fairlawn Hotel in Amesbury, or one of the many charming B&Bs in the area. There is also a rather drab Travelodge on the A303 roundabout outside Amesbury. Camping is prohibited on the open land around Stonehenge, but campsites are available outside Old Sarum in Salisbury (8 miles), Upavon to the north (10 miles), or Stonehenge Touring Park near Shrewton (4 miles).
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Stonehenge into what it is today.
Evidence indicates that the area around Stonehenge has been occupied since around 8000 BC, but it was during the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods that the vast majority of the monuments around it came to be built. Early work at Stonehenge itself began in 3000 BC when an outer ditch and embankment was constructed, and standing timbers erected. From about 2500 BC, Neolithic and Bronze Age man started to bring bluestones and Sarsen stones from Wales and the Marlborough Downs. It was not until 1600 BC that Stonehenge was completed. Most of the other monuments in the area such as Durrington Walls and Woodhenge date from the same period. A nearby hill fort was built during the Iron Age, and there is evidence to suggest that the area was extensively settled by the Romans. The nearby town of Amesbury was later settled during the Saxon reign in 979 AD. Stonehenge and the land immediately around it was bought for the nation in 1918. Being on the edge of the military training area Salisbury Plain, a large number of military facilities have also been constructed in the area, including military barracks, a light railway and an aerodrome built within a stone's throw of Stonehenge (most of which has now been removed). Since then the National Trust has acquired some 850 hectares around Stonehenge, and the area was given UNESCO World Heritage status in 1986. The Stonehenge landscape is one of the best preserved areas of readily accessible chalk downland in the UK....
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsVisitors should first go to the visitors' centre then take the bus or walk from there to Stonehenge. If you are carrying heavy luggage, you may have to carry it around the entire landscape. So plan wisely. From London take the M3 and A303 to Amesbury. At the A303 Countess roundabout go south to visit Amesbury for food and accommodation, north to visit Woodhenge and Durrington Walls, or continue west to reach Stonehenge at the centre of the UNESCO site. A mile past the roundabout you can see Stonehenge from Kings Barrow Ridge, at the A360 roundabout go north to the visitor centre car park. From Salisbury and the South, take the A360, and from the north just follow the A360 south from Devizes. Stonehenge and Woodhenge are well signposted from Amesbury on the A345. The nearest practical stations are Andover and Salisbury which can be reached from London Waterloo on a direct service....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
The stones themselves can be reached by bus (cost covered by entrance fee) from the visitors centre along the old course of the A344, but for those wishing to explore, the local landscape is best enjoyed on foot or by bicycle. Several bridleways and footpaths criss-cross the area, and the National Trust allows access to a large amount of its land that is being reverted to chalk grassland. The path around the stones is wheelchair-accessible. The National Trust has opened some 260 hectares of its land to walkers so that they can access some of the monuments around the area. Several recommended walking tours are available on their website, and dogs are welcome on some of the paths as long as they are kept under control. Visitors have the option of parking at Stonehenge, Woodhenge, or Amesbury, and touring some of the ancient monuments from there. Care should be taken around the A303. OpenStreetMap, and apps that use it such as OsmAnd or Mapy.
Where to Stay
Visits to Stonehenge can easily be combined with a visit to Salisbury where many hotels, bed and breakfasts, and hostels are available. There are several options locally however: There is a Holiday Inn business hotel next to the A303 in Solstice Park, but be warned that rooms start at around £150. For rooms under £50/night, consider the George Hotel, Antrobus Arms or Fairlawn Hotel in Amesbury, or one of the many charming B&Bs in the area. There is also a rather drab Travelodge on the A303 roundabout outside Amesbury. Camping is prohibited on the open land around Stonehenge, but campsites are available outside Old Sarum in Salisbury (8 miles), Upavon to the north (10 miles), or Stonehenge Touring Park near Shrewton (4 miles). Although the Stonehenge landscape is relatively small and civilisation is never too far away, care should still be taken when out touring the area. Sensible shoes are recommended as some of the ground is uneven.
Money & Budget
Souvenirs are available to paying visitors at the English Heritage shop at Stonehenge, although a wider range of merchandise can be obtained from Salisbury. For those wanting something a little different, Stonehenge Lamb is available to buy from local farmers. There is a well stocked cafeteria at the English Heritage centre, but those wishing for a more satisfying meal would be best advised to visit the nearby towns of Amesbury or Durrington which have several pubs, cafes and restaurants. A good bet is Kingfish Fish & Chips Restaurant & Takeaway located on Bulford Road, Durrington (Adjacent to Tesco express, enter via the Tesco car park) where you can eat in or grab a portion of your favourite traditional fish & chips to take out.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Although the Stonehenge landscape is relatively small and civilisation is never too far away, care should still be taken when out touring the area. Sensible shoes are recommended as some of the ground is uneven. Mobile phone reception is usually good, and generally the area is easily accessible by emergency services. Animals often graze on the National Trust open grassland, including cattle. There are some busy roads between the monuments, and care should especially be taken if crossing the A303. A trip around the Stonehenge landscape and Stonehenge itself is best combined with a trip to Avebury to the north (which has an even bigger stone circle, with fewer restrictions, and far fewer tourists), or Salisbury to the south. It would be a push to visit all three and be able to fully appreciate them all in one day. Two days would be a better time-frame to consider.
Glimpses of Stonehenge
Stonehenge (Oct., 2006).
a large stone structure in the middle of a field
Stonehenge near Salisbury, England
Sun peeking through one of the Sarsen stones a Stonehenge
Stonehenge, UK
Stonehenge
Stonehenge Mystery
Although I live near to Stonehenge I’ve only been a handful of times, every time I do sunset is definitely the best time for a photograph sesh. Love dem stones.
gray rock formation on green grass field under blue sky during daytime
Stonehenge
Stonehenge (Oct., 2006).
a large stone structure in the middle of a field
Stonehenge near Salisbury, England