26 September 2007

September

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Wednesday 26 September 2007--I go to Stonehenge again this morning, very pleased that my membership in Historic Scotland gives me free entry to English Heritage sites, as well. After another good look, I drive up to Avebury to see the ring there. Along the way I espy one of the dozen or so White Horses cut into the chalky hillsides in and around Wiltshire. Most of these are two to three hundred years old, and this one, at Alton Barnes, dates from the early 19th century. The one I'd really like to see is in Uffington, which is too far for me to travel today. It's thought to be about 3,000 years old, the only one known to be of prehistoric origin, and, unlike the stiff and straightforward representations of the more modern White Horses, was done in an appealingly abstract manner, as if by a few artful brushstrokes. The Georgian Brits apparently thought it primitive and vulgar. I console myself with a postcard photo taken from the air, and the knowledge that its odd position makes it difficult to view from the ground. You can learn more about White Horses, and see photos, at Wiltshire White Horses.

Just outside Avebury is Silbury Hill, a 4700-year-old manmade cone of earth, 130 feet tall, its base covering five acres. I occasionally run into individuals who have difficulty stifling a yawn when I am prattling on about stone circles and chambered tombs, and, looking at Silbury Hill, I have some understanding of how they feel. Remarkable neolithic engineering achievement that it is, enigmatic of method and motive, it is still, as far as I can see, a pile of dirt. There is some surveying and restoration work being done on it; the inevitable Peter Gabriel running through my head notwithstanding, it isn't possible to climb it.

English Heritage's Silbury Hill page will explain to you why it is thought necessary to restore a pile of dirt. It's really much more interesting to read about than to see!

The Avebury circle is a slightly less familiar site than Stonehenge, and it's easier to look at it without preconceived notions. I know well that the circle is very large, but I am surprised by the size of the stones--they are massive. Photos don't seem to convey it. The surrounding ditch is very impressive, as well. The village of Avebury sprouted up within the circle, with roads passing through, which seems very charming if you are in the village, and a bit consternating if you are out trying to contemplate the circle itself. It is interesting to learn that in medieval times, many of the stones were buried at the urging of the church, which regarded them as pagan symbols. In latter years the marmalade heir Alexander Keiller (I'm not kidding) bought up much of the town, and set about restoring the ring. (The remains of one unfortunate fellow were found under one of the stones--the pagan gods' revenge, no doubt!) It's not all there, of course, but what is is marvelous. The Stonehenge site linked above has lots of info on Avebury.

Not far from Avebury is a chambered tomb called the West Kennett Long Barrow. It's interesting to compare the styles of the various tombs in different parts of the British Isles.

My landlady in Salisbury has suggested a visit to Lacock, a pretty unspoiled medieval village (if you don't count hordes of tourists as spoilage). There is an abbey off to one end of town that looks as though it would be well worth visiting; I have arrived rather late in the afternoon, however. I poke around the four main streets, laid in a square. I'm told the village is often used as a set for television and films. Stop for coffee in the George Inn, and find that one of its attractions is a dog wheel. A small dog placed in the wheel, like a hamster, turns the spit in the main fireplace. Apparently it is no longer used.

On the return to Salisbury, I stop at Stonehenge once more. It's too late to enter, but I take more photos over the fence, in the light of the setting sun.

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