Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England. Archaeologists believe that Stonehenge was constructed from 3000 BC to 2000 BC. The site has been legally protected since 1882 but didn’t become an official heritage site until 1986. Stonehenge is not one of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, but it is often listed on a secondary Wonders list. So, it’s kind of a Silver Medalist of the not-so Ancient World. 

Stonehenge is owned by the Crown and managed by English Heritage with the surrounding land being owned by the National Trust.

Before you take in the main attraction, you have to have a ticket. Cost for one adult is just over twenty British Pounds. With this you also receive a Guide Pamphlet:

The pamphlet opens up to provide a detailed map of the area:

And you’re still not ready to see the Stones! Next, you pose for a picture in front of a green screen. Your family portrait will later be superimposed onto a Stonehenge scene of your choice. I chose thusly:

It comes in a paper folder and costs just over ten British Pounds. This includes a digital copy and more background options that you can access later online.

Now we can see what we came to see:

My family and I visited the site on Thursday, October 13th, 2022. It was just before noon and the sky was filled with clouds. If I shot into the sun, my pictures took on a foreboding darkness that was fitting to the monument. But when I shot with the sun at my back, it gave the stones a brighter, epic look.

The surrounding countryside is filled with sheep. But the enclosure of stones is home to many Ravens. A group of at least six captive ravens are famously kept in residence at the Tower of London to prevent the downfall of the Monarchy and England itself. A superstition that persists to this day! But at Stonehenge, I think they are there because no one can get rid of them.

Please enjoy the video below for a taste of what it’s like to be in the presence of such ancient history:

The stones are massive and had to be moved over 1.5 miles from the coast over very uneven ground. It is not known exactly how the stones were transported, but one possible method is shown below, in the picture on the right:

We spent about two hours exploring the area and the Visitors Center. There we toured a museum containing many artifacts from the ancient site.

The picture above shows the view we had as we looked back upon the site from the Bus Stop that took passengers to and from the stones.

All in all, it was an interesting adventure! Admission includes access to the Visitors Center, the Museum, Gift Shop, Restaurant, and of course, the Stones!

And yes, you do exit through a Gift Shop! Sort of. Here are a few things we picked up to commemorate our visit:

The shop had many different styles of magnets as well as just about every other product you could slap the word ‘Stonehenge’ on! I also purchased the Souvenir Book:

Although the English countryside on the drive to Stonehenge was magnificent and free to view, I would still recommend paying to see the Stones! Whether they were built for religious reasons, as a burial place, or for some other reason, they still put on quite the show, all these centuries after their construction.