The design is based on an illustration by Heywood Sumner for an official HMSO guide published in 1924. I have used his plan view of the monument as envisaged in its' original state, as this has a pleasing symmetry. I've included the compass points in the design as the orientation of the stones is so significant, and they fit neatly into the horse shoe shaped central area.
|
|
It's difficult to know where to start when talking about Stonehenge as so much has been written and said about it over the years. Suffice to say that it embodies both deep history and tradition, along with counter cultural radicalism. In many ways the enigma does not just surround its' construction and use in the past, but extends very much into the present when attempting to fathom its' significance.
What seems certain is that it was used to mark certain key seasonal points during the year, particularly the mid summer sunrise . It suggests a complex knowledge of astronomy and geometry, as well as the ability to organise a large workforce and execute the complex engineering and building processes required.
It's documenters have included William Blake, Turner, Constable, Wordsworth, Thomas Hardy, Paul Nash, Henry Moore and John Piper. It is the ultimate piece of land art and embodies what Stukely termed the "struggle between art and nature." It's architectural influence has been felt in such diverse locations as Bath and Milton Keynes where, in the case of latter, the main road and shopping centre are aligned on the mid summer sunrise. It's modern apotheosis was perhaps Jeremy Deller's inflatable bouncy castle Stonehenge. He named it "Sacriledge" but it was great fun and very popular, such is the public affection for the monument.
