Stonehenge

Stonehenge needs little introduction. Friends and neighbours scoffed at our wish to visit the legendary World Heritage Site. Dismissed as nothing more than rocks, as common and everyday as the garden variety, we nevertheless made the short journey while spending a weekend in Windsor.

Similar to viewing the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London, one is not permitted to get close to the monument and must walk around it in a procession of people (certainly true in summer), dodging other people's photoshoots along the way. Kassie could not have been more unimpressed by the remnants of the Stone and Bronze Ages, erected between 5,000 and 6,000 years ago.

This monument (apparently not the first) consists of huge standing stones topped by lintels, forming a ring. The purpose Stonehenge served has long been a matter of debate. It obviously involved an enormous investment of labour and time–the stones are immense and many were brought from some distance away–attesting to the sophistication of the society responsible for its erection. Its orientation in relation to the rising and setting sun may be due to the fact that its builders came from a sun-worshipping culture or, instead, may form part of a huge astronomical calendar.

The mystery surrounding Stonehenge will not be solved anytime soon. What is certain are the ingenuity of its builders and our daughter's complete and utter lack of interest!

Date of Our Last Visit: July 2005