11 August 2001 Coach Trip to Stonehenge and the Roman Town of Bath


With the arrival of our first houseguests, Sue and Claire Kinzel,
we decided to take a Coach (Bus) Trip to see Stonehenge
and then on to the Roman Town of Bath


Claire, Sue and Judi waiting for the coach.

Stonehenge is the most important prehistoric monument in the whole of Britain.  It stands in Salisbury Plain, southwest of London.  

 

The monument we see today is  the much ruined final phase of Stonehenge, the prehistoric temple in use some 3600 years ago.  

There were three phases in Stonehenge's development.  

The first Stonehenge was a large circular earthwork, probably used as a ceremonial meeting place about 5,000 years ago.

This was followed by timber settings between 4,900 and 4,600 years ago.

The final phase came with the erection of 'bluestones' brought from the Preseli Mountain in Wales, followed by the building of the stone circle with sarsen stones from the Marlborough Downs.  In a sequence of settings between 4,500 and 4,000 years ago, Stonehenge finally took the form of the prehistoric temple, the ruins of which we see today."

(Extracted from the English Heritage publication, Stonehenge and Neighboring Monuments) 

 


Somber day at the monument


Circle of Sarsen Stones


The Sarsen Trilithons stand as high as four men


View from the Slaughter Stone

Claire, Sue and Tim
 

The pictures below are of the town of Bath (once called Aquae Sulis).   
"The Temple and Baths built around the hot spring, stood at the center of the Roman town.  It was named after the Celtic goddess of waters, Sulis.  The geographer Ptolemy (2nd century A.D.) called it Auquae Calidae, 'Hot Waters'...All Roman towns had temples and a bath-house.  Bath was different.
The unique hot springs were a source of healing and a powerful focus for native British and Roman beliefs."  (quotation from a placard in the Bath.)

 
Bath Abbey

 
The Square in front of the bath house


The bath itself

 
Judi (wondering if Tim will ever surface 
after taking this picture) 


 Claire, Sue and Judi in the Square

 A few pictures of the beautiful English countryside north of Bath