Destination One: Stonehenge
We had a trip planned to Stonehenge on day three of
this Bath-Oxford weekend trip. We had purchased the tickets beforehand via the
online site. Find the link to the same here. We packed our bags and drove from
our Airbnb to Stonehenge. The drive to the site in itself is very soothing and
mesmerizing. The arrow twisting roads that lead you away from the main
motorways are a delight to enjoy a drive on as they are shielded from the heat
of the sun by the canopy that the never-ending line of trees cast over it. The
green surrounding is a treat to the city-sore eyes! The Stonehenge is located in
the Salisbury plains of Wiltshire, a county in South West England. It is located
close to both Somerset and Oxfordshire.
For most of us
the Stonehenge appears to be a familiar sight given the fact that it is one of
the most common desktop screensavers that Microsoft caters to. Believe me when
I say this, every photo that you take in front of the real structure ends up
looking as if it was taken against a green screen. In-person the prehistoric monument
is awe-inspiring! It amazes you, add to that the mysterious histories
associated with its genesis, it is a place of love for history lovers like us!
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| Stonehenge as seen from upfront |
Stonehenge is a unique prehistoric monument, lying at the
center of an outstandingly rich archaeological landscape. Constructed
from sarsen stones, a type
of silicified sandstone found in England, and bluestones, a dolomite variation
extracted from western Wales, they are an extraordinary source for the study of
prehistory and hold a pivotal place in the development of archaeology. Many
different theories have been put forward about who built it, when, and why. In
2016 Stonehenge celebrated its 30th year as a World Heritage site – in 1986.
Fun
fact: The Stonehenge was one of the very first sites in the UK to be inscribed
on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
As per the information
provided by the website English Heritage the significance of the Stonehenge can
be summarized as below:
- Stonehenge is the most
architecturally sophisticated and only surviving lintelled stone circle in
the world.
- The earliest stage of the
monument is one of the largest cremations cemeteries known in Neolithic
Britain. The stones were brought from long distances – the bluestones from
the Preseli Hills, over 150 miles (250km) away, and the sarsens from West
Woods, 15 miles (25km) north of Stonehenge on the edge of the Marlborough
Downs.
- The
stones were dressed using sophisticated techniques and erected using
precisely interlocking joints, unseen at any other prehistoric monument.
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| One of the rocks that was removed from the site |
There are many theories about how and why this circle was
created ranging from it being a coronation place for Danish kings, a Druid
temple, an astronomical computer for predicting eclipses and solar events, a place where ancestors were
worshipped, or a cult center for healing. However, today, the
interpretation of Stonehenge which is most generally accepted is that of a
prehistoric temple aligned with the movements of the sun. It being an icon of
the past and a powerful image of ancient achievement has been the subject of
many paintings and poems and featured in books, music and films. (info source: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/)Our takeaway from the trip for you all:
1. The site even during
the peak summertime was very windy and cold so be sure to have your
caps/earmuffs and jackets handy. Do not let the bright sun and clear blue skies
deceive you, it is cold.
2. On the site there are
various facilities that are made available to the tourists ranging from
restrooms to cafes to curator shops.
3. There is a good-sized
paid car parking facility on-site, so parking is not an issue there.
4. Once you punch in your
tickets a bus service is made available to take you to the main site. Many
people also opt to walk to the site, we recommend you take the bus as it will
save you time, but if you love to trek the walk is also a good option, but it
is going to be quite a long walk to the main site.
5. The stones are not
open to being touched by the public, they are encircled by a gallery, but you can
take photographs easily around them. Try looking at them from all the sides as
the view differs from each angle and direction.
6. Inside the main
entrance there are displays of some of the stones that are no longer a part
of the circle, feel free to take pictures with them.
7. Try to watch the
audio-visual presentations that are shown on a loop inside the gallery, they are
highly informative and entertaining.
Travel Checks: We strongly recommend that
you purchase your tickets for the tour beforehand as there are long queues at
the site. Find the link to the tickets page here.
Destination Two: The Windsor Castle
From Stonehenge, you can drive to Windsor castle via A303
and M3. The whole journey
will take you about 1 hour and 30 minutes (approx.) Windsor Castle is the
oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. It is open to visitors
throughout the year. Founded by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, it
has since been the home of 39 monarchs. Today The Queen spends most of her
private weekends at the Castle.
Note: We had to drive back to Manchester on
the same day so we had to drop our trip to the castle but we are providing you
with the plan so that if time permits you are able to make the visit to this
beautiful castle. Also if you are based in London, this castle is much closer.
The Windsor castle was
home to Queen Victoria and she spent most of the year there. William the
Conqueror chose the site for Windsor Castle, high above the river Thames and on
the edge of a Saxon hunting ground. He began building at Windsor around 1070,
and 16 years later the Castle was complete.
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| Image source: google |
Some facts about the
castle:
- The
Castle was originally constructed to guard the western approach to
London. Easy access from the capital and proximity to a royal hunting forest
made it an ideal location for a royal residence.
- The
walls of the Castle were originally made of timber but in the late 12th
century Henry II began to replace them with stone.
- Under
Queen Victoria a new private chapel was created at the eastern end of St
George’s Hall and the Grand Staircase were reconstructed.
- On 20 November 1992, a fire broke out in Queen Victoria’s private chapel. The fire
quickly engulfed the roof spaces, destroying the ceilings of St George’s Hall
and the Grand Reception Room, and gutting the private chapel, the State Dining
Room and the Crimson Drawing Room.
- A long process of repair and restoration began immediately, guided by a
Restoration Committee chaired by The Duke of Edinburgh. The highly acclaimed
restoration work was completed exactly 5 years after the outbreak of the
fire. (info source:
https://www.rct.uk/)al: Royal Collection Trust, UK).
The tickets for the
visit can be booked online. Find the link to the same here. Also, note that
given it is still privately occupied there may be changes made to parts that are
made open to the public for the tour without prior notice so it is strongly advised
that you check the official website of the Castle before planning your visit.
Usually, the castle is made open for public visits from 10 am with the last
entrance being at around 4 pm. Find the link to the timings here. The Castle is closed on Tuesdays and
Wednesdays.
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| Image Source: Google |
Ticket prices vary
from Adults being charged £23.50 to a family of 2 adults and three kids below
17 years charged £60.50. Find the link for the tickets here.
When
you are visiting the castle try to watch the “Changing the Guard”. This is a
colourful spectacle of British pageantry, which also has a military purpose.
The ceremony takes place to allow the handover of duties between two groups of
guards. The ceremony usually takes place at 11:00 on Thursdays and Saturdays,
but the schedule can change, check the British Army website for
details. The guards march through Windsor town into the Castle, where the guard
change takes place. However please note that to watch the full ceremony inside
the Castle you will need to purchase an admission ticket.
To
know what else you can do inside the castle click here.
While
our visit to the castle remained un-ticked we had to drove back to Manchester
and thus out three days of rendezvous with the beautiful cities of Bath and
Oxford culminated.
To read the first part of this tri-day trip click on the link below:
https://wanderwonderahrav.blogspot.com/2020/10/basking-in-bath.html
To read the second part of this tri-day trip click on the link below:
https://wanderwonderahrav.blogspot.com/2021/03/opulent-oxford.html
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