Friday 1 November 2013

STONEHENGE PROJECT UPDATE

STONEHENGE PROJECT UPDATE

Autumn 2013

We are pleased to announce that the new visitor centre - the first phase of the long-awaited improvements to the setting and visitor experience of Stonehenge - will open to the public on 18 December
211 steel columns support the gently undulating canopy, under which sit two "pods" which house the exhibition, education, café, and retail space
211 steel columns support the gently undulating canopy, under which sit two "pods" which house the exhibition, education, café, and retail space
Apart from modern facilities, visitors can expect a stunning exhibition that will fascinate even those who have seen the Stones before. This is the first time Stonehenge has had a proper place to tell its story, and visitors will be able to find out much more about this complex monument, distinguishing facts from theories.
A 360-degree virtual, immersive experience will let visitors 'stand in the stones' before they enter a gallery featuring various displays and nearly 300 prehistoric artefacts. The archaeological finds on display are on loan from the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum, the Wiltshire Museum, and the Duckworth Collection, University of Cambridge. All of the materials were found inside the World Heritage Site and many are on public display for the first time.
Artist’s impression of the permanent exhibition which features, among other things, precious objects on loan from the Wiltshire Heritage Museum and the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum
Artist’s impression of the permanent exhibition which features, among other things, precious objects on loan from the Wiltshire Heritage Museum and the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum
Flint arrowhead, from a grave near Stonehenge on loan from Wiltshire Museum, Devizes
Flint arrowhead, from a grave near Stonehenge on loan from Wiltshire Museum, Devizes
The new visitor building, designed by leading practice Denton Corker Marshall, is reaching the final stages of construction and interior fit-out has started. It is a low key structure featuring many enhancements over what is on offer at Stonehenge now, including
  • an environmentally sensitive and fully accessible building with a high BREEAM rating (the industry standard assessment system for sustainable building design and construction). There are a number of green features such as an open loop ground source heating system, mixed mode ventilation and a treatment system for recycling grey water; 
  • dedicated education space; 
  • a bright and spacious café with indoor and outdoor seating for up to 260;
  • a bigger shop;
  • a visitors carpark with space for 500 vehicles and 30 coaches; 
  • ample toilets, including disabled toilets; 
  • a pre-booked timed ticket system to help minimise queues and avoid over-crowdedness at peak times; and 
  • new, downloadable and hand-held free audio guides in 10 languages.
Artist’s impression of the visitor shuttle which will transport visitors to the stones on a 10-minute ride
Artist’s impression of the visitor shuttle which will transport visitors to the stones on a 10-minute ride
Artist’s impression of the new café which has indoor and outdoor seating areas
Artist’s impression of the new café which has indoor and outdoor seating areas
Artist’s impression of the new retail space
Artist’s impression of the new retail space

Transforming the Landscape

When the new visitor centre opens in December, the transformation of the landscape setting of the Stones will not be finished but visitors will get a good sense of the vision we are trying to achieve.
The closed section of the A344 road will have been seeded with grass and the fences along it will have been removed. In January 2014 work will start on decommissioning the existing facilities and returning the car park to grass. This work will be complete by the end of June 2014, although it will take some time after that for the newly seeded areas to establish and for the full landscape vision to be fully realised.
Before and after aerial views of Stonehenge
Before and after aerial views of Stonehenge

Continued Access to Stonehenge

Switching over to the new visitor centre will happen overnight, which means there is no disruption to visitors and you can still visit Stonehenge now. There is continued road access to Stonehenge - motorists will need to use a diverted route via Longbarrow Roundabout (junction of A303 and A360) and Airman's Corner (junction of A360 and A344). Motorists travelling west on the A303 will see a sign in the vicinity of Stonehenge Bottom indicating that they should continue straight ahead for Stonehenge. There will also be signs at Longbarrow Roundabout.

A New Home for Airman's Cross

The other good news is that Airman's Cross, the memorial erected at Airman's Corner in 1913 to commemorate two pioneering airmen who lost their lives whilst flying on duty, has been relocated to a position with easier and safer access. 
The Grade II-listed Airman's Cross memorial commemorates Captain Eustace Loraine and Staff Sergeant Richard Wilson who lost their lives on 5 July 1912 whilst flying on duty - the first members of the Royal Flying Corps to do so. As the Cross is one of the very first monuments to military flyers anywhere in the country, it has come to be regarded as a symbol of all early flying on Salisbury Plain, the cradle of British military aviation, and we are very pleased to have provided a new home for it.
It is now located close to the pedestrian path linking the car park with the new Stonehenge visitor centre, away from traffic and overlooking the most likely position of the crash site itself. Thousands of visitors will now be able to see it at close distance and find out more about its fascinating history.
Airman's Cross being reinstalled
After being cleaned and kept in safe storage by the Royal Engineers, Airman's Cross has now been re-installed at the new visitor centre ahead of its opening

Salisbury Christmas Market | Salisbury Christmas Market

Salisbury Christmas Market | Salisbury Christmas Market
28th November – 21st December 2013

Come to Salisbury’s gorgeous Christmas Market! Rated by the Daily Telegraph in 2012 as one of the ‘Top 10 Christmas Markets in the UK’, we hope you will find it to be one of the prettiest, loveliest and most tasteful Christmas Markets in the country.

With beautifully decorated chalets, inspiring and desirable gifts and gourmet foods, a warm welcome from stall holders, a Father Christmas Grotto, a spectacular lantern procession, and traditional music by local choirs and schools to serenade you while you shop, we hope we have all the ingredients for the perfect traditional Christmas.
Salisbury Christmas Market (C) Simon Ward Photography