In message , Roland Perry
writes
In message , at 12:17:49 on
Mon, 11 Feb 2008, Ian Jelf remarked:
Although Stonehenge is often described as "disappointing",
It is *much* smaller than most people imagine.
The circle may be. The monument is much more. And much bigger.
Although that's partly because you can't get very close to it any more
(I can remember when you could wander round inside).
In fact you do go inside the monument; just not the stone circle
itself.
there is a reason it is so famous.
It is very old.
Actually, compared to other monuments, the present stone circles isn't
especially old. The earthwork on certain other features are indeed
much older, though.
When tourists come from a *State* that's only got 100 years of
history, some
thing that old is almost literally unimaginable.
To be fair, most people come from somewhere a bit older than 100 years
(even excluding any indigenous cultures. I regularly take people to
see attraction newer than many US or even Australia features, eg
Beamish, the Black Country Living Museum, Ironbridge Gorge, etc.)
It is, as far as I am aware, absolutely unique among the stone
circles of Western Europe for having the lintels across many of the
stone uprights. This represents the absolute pinnacle of what
Neolithic to Bronze ages peoples achieved.
Very few people seem to go to Stonehenge to wonder over the
architecture.
Mine do! ;-))
They would be better off going to Avebury, I think.
Avebury is also a wonderful place and an interesting contrast.
Furthermore, the story of the circle through three major phases and
innumerable "sub-=phases" is a fascinating one.
And one that is entirely over the head of 99.9% of the visitors I'm
afraid.
But 0% of mine, I hope!
In short it deserves to be seen.
However, visits usually involve an element of "disappointment because:
* The site is spoiled by its proximity to two busy roads.
And maybe I've been unlucky, but I never seem to go there other than
when it's blowing a gale and everyone is freezing to death.
I bet it was great at dawn today.
--
Ian Jelf, MITG
Birmingham, UK
Registered Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London and the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk