Stonehenge anyone?

[ellieanne]

In 1978, when I was not old as dirt but younger than springtime, my mother and I drove around England without getting lost too many times. We did find Stonehenge, and as KK mentions above, we were able to actually wander close enough to the stones to touch them. There were not very many people around. It was an almost eerie experience, one I recall all these years later. That freedom to wander among the stones changed with the massive influx of tourism, and the obvious deterioration that comes when too many people come into contact with historical monuments.

 

Stonehenge is one of the textbook cases of Tourist Caused Damage because of so many people walking around and touching the stones. I did my thesis in college on Tourist Caused Damage and it's the biggest reason I want to go to Stonehenge. And yes, I realize the irony in wanting to go and be one of the tourists causing damage because of the damage previous tourists have already caused.

 

But the management decisions at Stonehenge to try and minimize further Tourist Caused Damage are quite interesting to me, as frustrating as they are to current visitors who want to be able to walk up and touch the stones as you could n days gone by.

[Storylady]

If any of you have grandchildren and are going to Salisbury and Stonehenge, I would recommend the fiction story, “Ghost Knight” by German Award winning children’s author Cornelia Funke. She visited Salisbury Cathedral and took a tour and came up with a fabulous story concerning the effigy in the Cathedral of William Longspree, bastard brother of William the Conqueror. He was married to Ela of Salisbury, a very wealthy woman. And poisoned by a rival who wanted to marry her despite her happy marriage to William.

 

The story also concerns a boy unwilling sent to Salisbury Cathedral Boarding School. During the adventure they also go to several other historical places in the area, including Stonehenge and Old Sarum.

 

Show your grandchildren pictures of the Cathedral and his effigy. Then give them the book to read. Info on Ela and William is in the Chapter House where the Magna Carta is displayed. Plus, they have a handout for children on “Ghost Knight” at the info desk in the Cathedral. One of the best sense of place book for Children that I have read. Unfortunately, it probably isn’t as popular with American children unless they are aware of Stonehenge and Salisbury.