Mystical Britain. England's Hanging Stone Mystery
Stonehenge - stone megalithic structure, built in the Neolithic era on the territory of modern England. It is located about 130 km southwest of London, about 3.2 km west of Amesbury and 13 km north of Salisbury. Stonehenge is a series of dilapidated stone circles. The most noticeable is the outer stone circle, consisting of U-shaped, and the inner one in the form of a horseshoe, consisting of giant triliths.
The name Stonehenge comes from Old English and means "hanging stones". The second part of the word "Henge" is currently used as an archaeological term for a class of Neolithic circular structures. Since 1918, Stonehenge has belonged to the British state.
The Stonehenge complex was built in several stages. Its construction took about 2000 years. The Stonehenge area was used by ancient man long before the advent of stone megaliths. Some finds in the area of the complex belong to the Mesolithic era and date back to about 8000 BC. Also in this area, the remains of ash from cremations belonging to the period from 3030 to 2340 BC were found in soil samples. e. These finds indicate that the Stonehenge area served as a burial site before the advent of stones. The latest burial found at Stonehenge dates back to the 7th century BC. n. e., and belongs to the decapitated body of the Anglo-Saxon.
In 1986, Stonehenge and surrounding areas were included in the list world heritage UNESCO.
1 - Altar stone, a six-ton monolith of green mica sandstone from Wales
2 and 3 - mounds without graves
4 - fallen stone 4.9 meters long (Slaughter Stone - scaffold)
5 - Heel Stone
6 - two of the originally four vertically standing stones (on the plan of the early 19th century, their position is indicated differently)
7 - moat (ditch)
8 - inner shaft
9 - outer shaft
10 - avenue, that is, a parallel pair of ditches and ramparts leading for 3 km to the Avon River (River Avon, Hampshire); now these shafts are barely distinguishable
11 - a ring of 30 holes, the so-called. Y wells; in the 1930s the holes were marked with round posts, which have now been removed
12 - a ring of 30 holes, the so-called. Z wells
13 - a circle of 56 holes, known as Aubrey holes (John Aubrey - Aubrey holes)
14 - small southern entrance
The location of the Stonehenge megaliths is such that on Midsummer morning, when the sun rises directly above the Heel Stone, its rays fall into the center of the structure, passing between the edges of the horseshoe. It is unlikely that such an arrangement of megaliths was chosen by chance. northernmost point rising sun directly dependent on latitude. Thus, the alignment of the stones must be accurately calculated according to the latitude at which Stonehenge is located. The heel stone is now considered part of the solar corridor.
The altar stone is a block of green sandstone about 5 meters long. All other stones in the circle are dolerites mined in the mountains in southwest Wales, about 240 km from Stonehenge. The stone blocks of the outer circle were to be brought in on sledges, which were to pull 250 a, on slopes up to 1,000 men. The altar stone is located a little away from the geometric center.
Origin of Stonehenge.
The various elements of the Stonehenge complex system were built in stages over the course of 2,000 years. In confirmation of this fact, the radiocarbon analysis of the stones, carried out in 1995, speaks. Based on the analysis of the measurements taken, archaeologists have identified three phases in the construction of Stonehenge.
The area before the construction of Stonehenge (8000 BC)
Archaeologists have found four large stone pillar Mesolithic eras (one of them may have once been a tree), which date back to about 8000 BC. This find was made in a place where there is now a parking lot for tourists. Three of the four pillars were located in a plane from east to west, this position may have had ritual significance. There are no similar sites in the UK, but similar sites have been found in Scandinavia. At that time, the current Salisbury Plain was covered with forest, later the area began to be cleared for farmers' fields. Around 3100 BC. BC, Stonehenge was built 700 meters (2,300 feet) north of where the first farmers began clearing land for fields.
The first phase of the construction of Stonehenge. (3100 BC)
The monument originally consisted of an earthen rampart and a moat running along its outer part, approximately 110 meters (360 feet) in diameter, with a large passage in the northeast and a smaller one in the southern part. The builders placed the bones of deer and oxen at the bottom of the ditch, as well as some flint tools. The soil extracted from the ditch was used to build the rampart. This first phase dates from around 3100 BC, after which the moat began to silt up naturally.
The second phase of the construction of Stonehenge. (3000 BC)
Material evidence of the second phase of construction is no longer preserved. There are suggestions that at the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC, there were wooden buildings inside the earthen rampart, in addition, there were gate-like structures at the northeastern entrance and a wooden corridor leading inward from the southern one. During the second phase, siltation of the moat continued, and the earthen rampart was deliberately reduced in height. However, thirty burials from this period with cremated remains have been found. Therefore, it is generally accepted that Stonehenge, during this period, was used as a place for cremation and burial, being the first known such place in the British Isles.
The third phase of the construction of Stonehenge.
The third phase was divided by archaeologists into 6 periods. Excavations have shown that around 2600 BC, the builders abandoned wooden structures in favor of stone ones and dug two rings of holes (Q and R holes) to be placed in the center of the site. Many of the stones were brought by ancient builders from the Preseli Hills in West Wales, 240 kilometers (150 miles) from Stonehenge. According to another theory, the stones were brought here by a glacier. Megaliths weighed about four tons, consisted mainly of dolerite with inclusions of tuff, volcanic and calcareous ash. Each monolith measured about 2 meters (6.6 feet) high, about 1-1.5 meters (3.3-4.9 feet) wide and 0.8 meters (2.6 feet) thick. The stone known today as the "Altar Stone" was almost certainly brought from national park Brecon Beacons, located in the south of Wales, and, most likely, was installed in a standing position.
During the next major phase of construction, 30 huge megaliths were brought to Stonehenge. The stones were set in U-shaped portals in a circle 33 meters (108 ft) in diameter. Portal lintel stones were installed using a giant wooden wheel and ropes. Each set stone was about 4.1 meters (13 feet) high, 2.1 meters (6 feet 11 inches) wide and weighed about 25 tons. The average thickness of the stones is 1.1 meters (3 ft 7 in) and the average distance between them is 1 meter (3 ft 3 in). In total, 75 stones were needed to complete the outer ring and the trilithic horseshoe, 60 to complete the circle and 15 to complete the trilithic horseshoe. The ring was thought to have been left unfinished, but a dry summer in 2013 revealed patches in scorched grass that may correspond to the location of the missing stones. Triliths inside the circle are arranged symmetrically. The smallest pair of triliths were about 6 meters (20 ft) high, the next pair slightly taller and larger, the last great trilith in the southwest corner being 7.3 meters (24 ft) high. Only one stone remains of the great trilith, which still stands today, it rises to a height of 6.7 meters (22 feet) and another 2.4 meters (7 feet 10 inches) is underground.
An "avenue" was also built, two parallel rows of ditches and ramparts 3.2 km long leading to the River Avon.
How Stonehenge was built.
There is no direct evidence that the creators of Stonehenge used sophisticated construction techniques. Over the years, various authors have suggested that the builders of Stonehenge used supernatural powers to move the stones, arguing that they could not have been moved otherwise. However, traditional Neolithic methods were quite effective in moving and placing stones of this size.
It has been suggested that a wooden frame, similar to a double wheel, driven by ropes and manual power, was used to set the cross stones. Another way of installation could be a wooden structure in the form of a ramp, with which the upper stone blocks collided with the lower ones.
Archaeologist Aubrey Burl suggested in his works that the megaliths of Stonehenge were not brought by a glacier, but were transported to the construction site from the quarries in Wales, using wooden structures and ropes. Based on his claims, an experiment was carried out in 2001 to transport a large stone from Wales to Stonehenge. Volunteers dragged it part of the way on a wooden sledge, then the stone was loaded onto a copy of a prehistoric boat. On the boat, the stone was supposed to make part of the way by sea, but this was not destined to happen and the stone sank in Bristol Bay.
According to some estimates, the ancient builders took a total of several million hours of work to implement all stages of the construction of Stonehenge. For example, Phase 1 of Stonehenge required approximately 11,000 hours of work to complete, Phase 2 required 360,000 hours of work, and Phase 3 required 1,750,000 hours to complete. The processing of stone blocks, given the fact that the builders used a primitive tool, would take 20 million hours of work. In order to build on such a scale and carry out complex related works (careful planning, detailed study of the location of stones, transportation and processing of stone blocks, providing food for people employed in construction), a society had to have a fairly complex social structure and a strong central authority.
Appointment of Stonehenge.
More recently, a new theory has been proposed. Geoffrey Wainwright, Professor and President of the Society of Antiquarians of London, and Timothy Darvill, MCO british empire suggested that Stonehenge was sacred place healing like the French Lourdes. As proof of their version, they cite the fact that a large number of burials with traces of injuries were found in the Stonehenge area.
Many ancient historians were influenced by various mystical stories in their explanations. So in 1615, Inigo Jones claimed that Stonehenge was a Roman temple dedicated to a pagan god.
A group of British researchers led by Mike Parker Pearson from the University of Sheffield believe that Stonehenge was built as a symbol of "peace and unity". As proof of their theory, they cite the fact that in the Neolithic era, the peoples living on the territory of modern Great Britain are experiencing a period of unification of cultures.
The first scientific attempt to investigate and understand the monument was made around 1740 by William Stukeley. He took measurements and drawings of the site of Stonehenge, which allowed him to better analyze its shape and function. In his work, he was able to demonstrate the relationship between astronomy, the calendar, and the location of the stones at Stonehenge.
As a result, archaeologists have come to the conclusion that Stonehenge is an ancient observatory, although the scale and possibilities of its use is a moot point. Some other theories suggest that Stonehenge symbolizes the female womb, is an ancient computer, or even a spaceport for alien ships.
Exploring Stonehenge.
Throughout history, Stonehenge and its surrounding monuments have attracted the attention of archaeologists. John Aubrey was one of the first to study Stonehenge in 1666 and sketched its plan. William Stackley continued Aubrey's work in the early eighteenth century, but his interest was directed more towards the surrounding monuments. He also began excavations of many burial mounds in the area.
William Cunnington was the next to explore the area in the early nineteenth century. He excavated 24 burial mounds surrounding Stonehenge and found burnt wood, animal bones, pottery and urns. He also identified the recesses in which the altar stone was placed. Cunnington's finds are on display at a museum in Wiltshire.
In Maryhill (Washington, USA) was built an exact copy of Stonehenge, serving as a war memorial.
In 1901, the first major restoration work was carried out under the direction of William Gowland. The work was aimed at restoring the position of stone number 56 of the outer ring of Stonehenge. As a result, the stone was set in a vertical position, but was displaced by about half a meter from its original position. Gowland also took the opportunity to conduct an archaeological dig at Stonehenge. The results of his work made it possible to learn more about the construction of stones than in the previous 100 years of research. During the next restoration work in 1920, William Hawley discovered the bases of six more stones and the outer ditch. His work helped to rediscover the Aubrey holes and the arrangement of two rows of holes encircling the outer circle of stones, called the Y and Z holes.
Richard Atkinson, Stuart Piggott, and John F. S. Stone discovered axes and daggers carved into the stones of the outer circle in the 1940s and 1950s. Atkinson's research contributed to a better understanding of the three main phases of the monument's construction.
In 1958, restoration work was carried out again, when three stones of the outer circle collapsed. They were re-erected and installed in concrete foundations. The last restoration was carried out in 1963 after stone number 23, standing in the outer circle, fell.
Later excavations conducted in 2003-2008, led by Mike Parker Pearson as part of the Stonehenge Riverside Project, revealed a circular area at the point where Stonehenge's "avenue" meets the river. In this area, four stones were probably placed, marking the beginning of the "avenue".
On September 10, 2014, the University of Birmingham, led by Vincent Gaffney, released a video describing current research and its results. The film tells about research carried out on an area of 12 square kilometers (1200 ha) and a depth of about three meters using radar equipment, mounds and stone or wooden structures found. The film also talks about the discovery of seventeen new monuments resembling Stonehenge, which can be attributed to the late Neolithic period.
Legends of Stonehenge.
"Monk's heel"
The monk's heel stone lies to the northeast of stone circle Stonehenge, near the start of the Prospect. folk tale, dated to the seventeenth century, explains the origin of the name of this stone.
The devil bought the stones from a woman in Ireland and took them to Salisbury Plain. One of the stones fell into the Avon River, and he scattered the rest of the stones over the plain. Then the Devil shouted, "No one will ever know how these stones got here!" The monk answered him: "That's what you think!" The devil got angry and threw one of the stones at him. The stone hit the monk's heel, bounced off and stuck in the ground. This is how the stone got its name.
"The Legend of Merlin"
In the twelfth century, Geoffrey of Monmouth tells a bizarre story in his Historia Regum Britanniae, which attributes the construction of the monument to Merlin.
According to Geoffrey, the stones of Stonehenge are life-giving stones called "the dance of the giant" that the Giants brought from Africa to Ireland. King Aurelius Ambrose wished to erect a memorial to the 3,000 nobles killed in battle with the Saxons and buried in Salisbury. On Merlin's advice, he chose Stonehenge. The king sent Merlin, Uther Pendragon (King Arthur's father) and 15,000 knights to bring him out of Ireland. But as the knights did not try to move the stones, they did not succeed. Then Merlin, using his skills, easily moved Stonehenge to the UK. After it was installed near Emsbury, Aurelius Ambrose, Uther Pendragon, and Constantine III were buried inside the giant ring of Stonehenge.
Excursions to Stonehenge.
Not far from Stonehenge is a small tourist complex, which includes: a small restaurant, parking, gift shop, museum, toilets. You can also book a tour here. You only need to pay for parking if you did not come to Stonehenge and you do not have an entrance ticket. The cost of parking is £ 5 (approximately 350 rubles). Guided tours can be booked in several languages: French, Italian, Spanish, German, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Dutch and Polish.
It is advisable to get to Stonehenge as early as possible, because it will not take much time to see it, but you can see other monuments in the area. The best view of Stonehenge opens from Amesbury Hill (Amesbury Hill, at a distance of 2 kilometers along the A 303 road). From here it leads hiking trail to a burial ground of the 3rd millennium BC, remote for 1 kilometer. e. to West Kennet Long Barrow. Highway A 4 continues (westbound) to Avebury. There is also a megalithic prehistoric monument here. It is constantly and free of charge open to tourists. Local stones are smaller than those of Stonehenge, but the area they occupy is larger. Historians date the complex to around 2500 BC. e. At the entrance there is a museum that provides information about the excavations and theories regarding the meaning and purpose of the complex. The museum is open daily. From April to October from 10 am to 6 pm. From November to March - from 9 to 16 (except Sundays). A regular ticket costs £3.70 (approximately 250 rubles).
How to get to Stonehenge.
Stonehenge is located 130 km southwest of London. You can get there by your own car along the M3 and A303 highways, which lead to Amesbury. Trains run from Waterloo Station to Andover and Salisbury, from where buses run to Stonehenge. From Salisbury - Wilts & Dorset Stonehenge Tour bus, fare 11 GBP, journey 40 minutes; or taxi for 30-35 GBP. From Andover - bus number 8 (Activ8).
In addition, in London you can buy a group tour, the cost starts from 65 GBP (entrance ticket and transport from the hotel included). From Salisbury also runs tourist bus Stonehenge Tour (17 GBP), which picks up tourists at the railway station, in the city center and in Amesbury. The ticket is valid for the whole day, buses leave every half an hour - an hour.
Note, however, that bus tours Stonehenge (especially in the summer months!) is enjoyed by most tourists.
The easiest and cheapest way to get there is by regular bus from Salisbury. Public transport to Stonehenge goes from the station on the street with the pathetic name Endless Street (and also from railway station) every hour, daily from 9.45 to 16.45. The ticket costs £5 (type of Explorer Ticket, that is, there and back). In addition, various bus and travel companies are fighting for the favor of the tourist, providing tours at a price of about £ 12.50 (including the cost of the "entrance" ticket).
You can get to Stonehenge in other ways: rent a car, order a taxi or rent a bike in Salisbury. Renting a bike will cost around £12 per day, or around £70 per week. The distance from the center of Salisbury to Stonehenge is about 18 km, the road passes along beautiful places along the River Avon, so for those accustomed to cycling, the tour can be quite enjoyable.
Opening hours and cost of visiting Stonehenge
It is a World Heritage Site megalithic stone structure located on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire ( England), 130 km southwest of London.
Secrets and mysteries of Stonehenge.
Scientists cannot determine the age of Stonehenge to this day, but many agree that it appeared between 1900 and 1600 BC. Stonehenge is a complex of 82 huge megaliths, 30 stone blocks and 5 triliths. Triliths - two vertical stones of 25 tons each and one horizontal stone, weighing about 5 tons, located on top. These triliths look like arches. Apparently, it was because of this that the theory appeared that Stonehenge was a magical place, a portal to other dimensions, although scientists suggest that they once served as pointers to the cardinal points. The easiest way to get here is by bus, which runs every hour from the English city of Salisbury, which is located half an hour from Stonehenge. Here you will be met by local guides and tour guides who will tell you the most interesting legends and myths associated with the oldest archaeological site in England.
An interesting fact is that there are no mountains in the area. Closest to stonehenge ancient quarries are located at a distance of almost 400 km. Remains for many years riddle , who built this structure, how ancient people were able to move such heavy boulders (the weight of the smallest stone block is about 5 tons), and most importantly - why?
What is Stonehenge? Who built it and why?
The purpose of Stonehenge is still the subject of fierce debate. Some say it's a variety sundial, others say that this is an ancient cemetery of the Celts or a place for the rites of the Druids. Ancient English legends tell of the great sorcerer Merlin, some people believe that Stonehenge was his "laboratory" and in itself is proof of the existence of the legendary magician who magically "transferred" these huge stones to the place where they are are to this day. Others are sure that Stonehenge is a landing site for alien ships that flew to our Earth in the days of distant ancestors. Actually, the construction of this structure is also attributed to aliens, because the easiest way is to say that they were them, then many explanations can not be sought.
In any case, all of these options remain theories, none of which has yet been proven. The most popular and more or less true is the statement of Gerald Hawkins, who claimed that Stonehenge is nothing more than an ancient observatory, he even wrote a book about it " clue secrets of Stonehenge". In this book, he talks about his calculations, by which he proved that the triliths of Stonehenge served as some kind of sights indicating the location of the celestial spheres, the Sun and the Moon, cardinal points, days of the year, etc.
Interestingly, the triliths are set exactly at the intersections of underground rivers. Skeptics neglect this fact, relying on the recently discovered facts of the reconstruction and restoration of Stonehenge.
If we compare the engravings of the late XIX century and pictures of stonehenge XX century, the naked eye can find differences. Many are sure that the Stonehenge that we can observe now bears little resemblance to what it was before the Cretan cataclysm. It was this catastrophe that Dr. Hawkins explained the small errors (about 1 degree) in the location of megaliths. However, not everyone agreed with Dr. Hawkins, and the controversy over Stonehenge continues to this day. It is unlikely that scientists will ever be able to say anything for sure, because no literature or documentation has survived to this day, and witnesses to the construction of Stonehenge have sunk into oblivion long before the first studies of the stone structure began, and now we can only speculate.
So Stonehenge in England there are many secrets and mysteries connected, which, probably, will never be able to solve. To date, scientists, historians, archaeologists and other great minds have not been able to agree on the fate of the "blue stones", each person is free to choose the theory about the origin of ancient megaliths that he likes best. Perhaps it is for the best that in our pragmatic age such mystical places, How Stonehenge in the UK that disturb our cynical souls.
London is not only fog and rain, classic English language and a special moral code, traditions and modern life, as well as an unusual atmosphere saturated with the music of The Beatles, it is also a mystical mix of what can happen day and night in the very center of London and in its suburbs. Ready for an incredible adventure?
If you have already managed to get acquainted with 80 theaters, 30 museums, numerous shopping malls and huge supermarkets, have fun in trendy nightclubs and want something special, then be sure to send to small towns, where they will certainly tell you about anomalous phenomena, ghosts, flying carriages and abandoned houses.
It is interesting that the British themselves willingly believe in ghosts, and according to a well-known hypothesis, the island climate just contributes to the appearance of ghosts. Multiplying everything by centuries of history, you understand that the strange events of Foggy Albion are an important part of the life of the British.
Important! In England, you can buy a guide to ghosts and do mystical tourism yourself. From this guide it is clear that ghosts can be found not only on the battlefields and mass deaths of people, but also on ordinary streets. Motorists become frequent witnesses of ghosts. So if you decide to rent a car, don't be surprised if you see a "Beware of ghosts" sign on the road. However, in such situations it is better to do without a car at all.
A strange story happened on the morning of 1934, when, driving along St. Mark's Road, the driver had to swerve sharply to the side, resulting in a collision with a wall, and the driver did not survive. The investigation showed that the car was in perfect working order, and the driver was sober. Witnesses say that shortly before the incident they saw a red double decker, which was rushing at high speed without a driver. All these events took place until 1990. Apparently, the unseen driver boarded the Hogwarts Express and fled. However, the existence of this bus No. 7 can be confirmed by both the police and the employees of the Museum. public transport. Interestingly, the London General Omnibus Company, which owned the bus, ceased to exist in 1933.
Going to Cock Lane, do not forget to arm yourself with strong nerves, a sedative and a camera. However, you may not have time to use it if you meet a poltergeist who lives next to St. Paul's Cathedral. In 1762, events unfolded there, which are still legendary today. Shortly after his wife's death, the husband began an affair with her sister. When the hero had to urgently go on business, terrible sounds began to be heard in the house at night. When Kent returned, they decided to urgently move out of the dysfunctional house, but the situation did not end there. After some time, the mistress died, and the ghost began to constantly disturb Kent's daughter from her first marriage. The story received a public outcry: onlookers came to the house and spent the whole night here to hear screams and groans; the commission conducted its own investigation, led by the skeptic Samuel Jones. This story can still be read in Victorian novels today.
intimidating stations
If you still think that all this is a fairy tale, then now we will go where even the British themselves do not want to go. There are several stations where, by coincidence, it is better not to be in the dark. The biggest psychological problem of waiting for your transport at night is the lack of equipment of the stations, as a result of which the passenger has to wait for his train literally in the fresh air. And everything would be fine if it weren't for the ghosts. At the station in Durham, a guy with a dog is often seen throwing himself at the train. Moreover, the same ghost of a dog bit a man who went to the hospital with complaints of burning and pain. To the surprise of the doctor, the bite could not be found. In Maryport, people constantly hear the cry of a child who died under the wheels of a train. It is at this moment that it is best to sit at home and read such stories, and not travel on your own.
Transport and drinking establishments
Do not think that the train itself can be much more comfortable. In 1923, a man committed suicide on the Orient Express. After some time, a famous parapsychologist was traveling on the same train, who felt the shot and felt that someone was next to him. From a conversation with the conductor, he learned about the tragedy and that many passengers feel about the same.
If you want a pint of beer, you can go to the Red Lion Pub in Avebury, just be prepared for the fact that your glass can literally be knocked over and the salt shaker thrown into the air. The thing is that this pub is located inside the ancient composition, consisting of stone blocks, where the pagans used to gather. A lady named Florrie loves to visit the Red Lion. Even now she sometimes wants to drink fragrant ale, apparently, therefore she does not give rest to those who come here. In the 17th century, Ferry's husband returned from the war and found his wife with her lover, who was shot dead on the spot. The wife was stabbed to death and thrown into a well.
Mystic Tower and Westminster
If you decide not to visit sinister places, go to the Tower of London. However, here you will not be able to enjoy the peace and tranquility. This is not only the main attraction of Great Britain, but also the place of execution of people. Here, not only ordinary citizens, but also VIP persons were tortured and beheaded. Apparently, they did not want to part with life, so they regularly remind of themselves. So here comes Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII, who was beheaded here in 1536.
After such stories, it seems that in England there is nowhere a quiet place that is not shrouded in secrets. So, even in the central part of London on the territory of the Westminster district, the ghost of the priest Benedict often appears. He did not conspire with the monks, who, together with the rector of the temple, the archaeologist Wenloch, found a secret corridor that led to the treasure. That very night, Father Benedict was at the cemetery, where he found the robbers, who soon killed him. After that, from the 14th century, many worshipers see the ghost of the holy father and hear unintelligible speech.
As you travel to Infield, be prepared to hear the story of the flying carriage. In December 1961, a young man named Robert Byrd was cycling down the street when he noticed a black carriage carrying two passengers coming towards him. He did not want to be crushed by four horses, but the wagon was moving so fast that Robert did not even have time to blink an eye as vehicle literally drove through it and disappeared from sight. This carriage is said to be from the 18th century. At that time there were no roads, and transport route passed through swamps, where carts sank.
But an ordinary-looking house in Sutton House, built in the 16th century, which originally housed a school, a little later the clergy, and at the end of the 20th century squatters settled here, makes local residents shudder even now. After the building was empty for some time, local activists decided to preserve the historic building by creating an art gallery there. From the inside, the building still resembles the Tudor era, and parapsychologists are frequent lovers of this house-museum. In the 16th century, the owner lived in the mansion, who loved dogs. Today, any dog that enters the house feels that something is wrong here. Barking dogs are heard here at night, and a white lady, who was supposedly the wife of the next owner of the house, died in childbirth. During the restoration of the house, the architect stayed here for the night, and soon he saw the same woman in white near his bed. The butler has repeatedly confirmed the existence of a female phantom in the house. In addition, dishes fly here, and the doors open on their own and it constantly gets either hot or cold.
A completely real story that happened in 1702 in Yorkshire. Thomas Busby prepared for death penalty for killing a person. The last desire of the man was to drink whiskey on his favorite chair at the bar. When the glass was empty, he uttered the words: "Death will overtake anyone who sits on my chair." For the next 10 years, no one sat on this chair, until a chimney sweep looked into the bar, who went straight to Busby's favorite chair. A day later, he died after falling from a roof. This story has spread throughout the neighborhood. The bar's next owner renamed it "Busby Stoop".
Since 1967, there have always been daredevils who sat on the ill-fated chair and died tragically. The owner did not want to throw out the chair, saying that this is history, and he has no right to change history, but over time he decided to remove the chair behind the fence. The story didn't end there. The last two victims of the chair were two women, the first boasted that she did not believe in the legend of the chair, and the second, after going over a bit in the bar, went behind the rope and ended up on the same chair. Both died. The first death occurred half an hour later in the elevator, which had a cable torn off, the second - the same evening from the bites of a pack of stray dogs. Believe it or not, the total number of stool victims was 65. Today the chair is in the museum at a height of one and a half meters. Next to it is a list of victims and a curse warning.
What to do in London?
And now about what places you really will not find in guidebooks.
Museum of brands, packaging and advertising. Here you will see items from the Robert Opie collection, which began its existence in 1800. interesting place, where you will not be taken on an excursion, there will be a transformer bridge. At first glance, this structure resembles an existing caterpillar, under which boats can sail. The bridge unfolds just as bewitchingly as it is assembled. The Ripley Museum is another incredible find for lovers of something special. There is more than enough original here: starting from dinosaur eggs, ending with the most unusual recreational activities. If you want to see life-size dinosaurs in stone and concrete, head to Crystal Palace Park.
Most Londoners spend a lot of time underground, but not in cold caves, as you might think. Chislehurst Caves offer 22 miles of dark and spooky tunnels in South East London that you can walk through. Here you will only have to enjoy the light from the lamp, so do not forget to take it with you. The mysterious dungeons are quite cool and mystic reigns around. However, this is not all. It is said that there are ghosts here. Want to check it out?
Among the hundreds stone structures, inherited by the British from their forefathers, Stonehenge (literally - “hanging stone”) occupies special place. Giant size(the weight of some blocks reaches 45 tons), a mystical, almost magical form (from a distance they resemble huge fangs) and a purpose still unknown to mankind make Stonehenge not only a symbol of dark power, but also an endless source of research.
The mysterious Stonehenge was built in several stages. According to scientists, Stonehenge began to be built around the 19th century BC (about 4,000 years ago) and completed only a few hundred years later.
Stage one, dated by carbon analysis to about 3100 BC. e., included the mysterious construction of a round ditch and an inner earthen mound. The moat is almost a hundred meters in diameter and has a single entrance. There are fifty-six holes around the perimeter, known as Aubrey Holes. Cremated human remains were found in them. It is believed that in the center was a mystical wooden sanctuary.
Stage two begins around 2150 BC. e. The sanctuary was replaced by two rings of "bluestones" (containing copper) that were brought from the Presley Mountains in Wales, more than two hundred miles away. In addition, parallel ditches were excavated, forming an alley oriented to the point of sunrise in midsummer. Outside mysterious ring The thirty-five ton Heel Stone was erected.
During the third phase of construction, ca. 2075 to and. e., blue stones were tumbled down, and in their place huge boulders (sarsens) with crossbars on top were installed. Such a combination of two vertically placed blocks, covered with a third, is called "trilit" ("three-stone"). Sarsenes (this is sandstone) were mined at the Marlborough Downs nearby.
During the fourth stage, approximately between 1500 and 1100. BC e., about sixty "blue stones" were again placed in a circle inside mysterious ring of boulders, and nineteen more are built in the shape of a horseshoe.
According to rough estimates, the entire construction time amounted to about thirty million hours of labor. Only a developed and organized society could realize such major project. Using the most primitive tools, the builders of the mysterious Stonehenge carved stones, grooves and spikes in them in order to connect the stone-beam with two vertical ones. With the help of deer antlers and bones, they dug holes for these stones.
The method of delivering blocks from the Preseli Mountains has been the subject of discussion among scientists more than once. Almost certainly brought by sea either through the Bristol Canal or around Lands End, and then dragged to Stonehenge. By sea, they were carried either on large rafts, or, as the archaeologist T.K. Lethbridge suggested, by water, secured between two boats. This theory was tested in practice in 2000 in the form of the so-called Millennium Project. A group of volunteers attempted to transport the blue stone, nicknamed Elvis, from the Presela Mountains to Stonehenge by sea, securing it between two light boats similar to those that might have been used in antiquity. During the implementation of the project, its participants encountered many problems. For example, the rope periodically slipped off the stone, and he almost went to the bottom of the Avon River. However, this only confirmed the plausibility of the theory, since Elvis was not the only block at the bottom of the river. Undoubtedly, our ancestors faced similar problems.
John Aubrey in the middle of the 17th century. suggested that the mysterious Stonehenge was built by the Druids to perform ritual ceremonies during the winter and summer solstices. This version has become widespread, but it is unlikely that the Druids had anything to do with the mystical monument, since its construction significantly anticipates their appearance in England. The mysterious Stonehenge was completed, and perhaps even abandoned, a thousand years before the time of the Druids.
Not a single monument has caused such heated debate about its purpose, and even today there is no clarity on this issue.
The author of another hypothesis, Leon Stover, is sure that the Druids have nothing to do with the monument, because the Mycenaeans built the Hanging Stone to protect themselves from the Atlanteans. According to this American professor, the Atlanteans were not the inhabitants of the legendary Atlantis, but ancient Chinese warriors who died during a natural disaster around 1400 BC. But even this theory crumbles before our very eyes: just look at Stonehenge to make it clear that no one defended himself against anyone with his help. Too much distance separates one stone from another to hide from the enemy.
The Arthurian legend gives us another reason to think. According to legend, about 300 worthy warriors fell in a heavy battle, and the king wished to erect the greatest of monuments on their grave. The wizard Merlin, the hero of Celtic folklore, miraculously moved the stones from Ireland, where, in turn, they were delivered from Africa to South England.
Oddly enough, the assumption that aliens were involved in the construction of Stonehenge deserves much more attention. Despite the seeming fantasticness, there are many reasons to trust this theory. First, in the period from 3000 to 1500. BC in Europe, and especially in the British Isles, many mysterious, unlike structures appeared. And not a house, and not a temple - but stones that form an absolutely regular geometric figure (most often a circle). There is no handwritten evidence of what exactly the ancients created, but here modern man their shape resembles a UFO. After several decades of assumptions and conjectures, when the idea of one-eyed cyclops giants throwing stones for fun was even expressed, science seemed to have forgotten about Stonehenge for a long time.
In the 1950s engineer Alexander Thom and astronomer Gerald Hawkins of Oxford University suggested that certain astronomical patterns existed inside the mysterious building, that Stonehenge was an astronomical observatory, and its builders had very extensive mathematical knowledge. Thousands of years before the discovery of pi, the designers of Stonehenge used this idea in their calculations.
However, the hypothesis of Tom and Hawkins was questioned by Benjamin Ray. In 1987, he suggested that most of Stonehenge's astronomical calculations were not as accurate as previously thought, and previous researchers, intoxicated by their findings, could wishful thinking to some extent.
Thus, the latest theories have returned to the fact that the mysterious Stonehenge performed a ritual function, where its astronomical properties were more of a tool than a main goal. Ray suggested that Stonehenge was, as it were, a stone version of the Neolithic wooden sanctuaries, one of which was located on the same site earlier. The fact that many ancient graves have been discovered around Stonehenge led Ray to believe that the mysterious monument played some role in funeral rites. In 1923, the skeleton of a man was found at Stonehenge, apparently decapitated with a sword. At first, scientists decided that this man died of natural causes, and only with the help of modern methods of analysis, after the re-discovery of the skeleton in the storerooms of the Museum natural history in London, it was possible to establish the true cause of his death.
However, there are more than enough weak points in each of the theories. However, it was they who pushed the history of Stonehenge to a new era - humanity finally realized that these are not just stones.
Stonehenge has always attracted tourists. Each of the visitors of the "Hanging Stone" tried to touch the riddle: who knows, suddenly stories about magical power are not a fairy tale, but luck will accompany all your life. But the pilgrimages, which turned into an epidemic, were limited by the authorities of the United Kingdom. Enthusiasts and ghost hunters almost destroyed Stonehenge to the ground: who will break off a pebble as a keepsake, who will leave an autograph. Archaeologists and researchers demanded to block access to the structure, citing the fact that soon only pitiful fragments will remain from the monument of antiquity. The scientists wanted more than just protecting Stonehenge. They were haunted by a mystery that, despite progress and high technology, mankind could not take away from the past.
Whatever theory about the true purpose of Stonehenge prevails, one thing is clear: these are not fragments scattered by the careless hand of a cyclops, but a mystical symbol of antiquity, the meaning of which we have not yet been able to unravel.
IN different centuries the blue stones of the complex disappeared for a while, and then appeared in their original places. In 1900, due to the inaccuracy of tourists, two stones of the complex collapsed. The owner of the structure, Sir Edward Antrobus, installs a fence and charges an entrance fee. Druid followers refuse to pay, but the court recognizes the owner's rights.
1915 - Stonehenge is sold, and the new owner gives it to the state, which, in turn, continues to exploit the stones. At that time, numerous druid sects had already united to perform joint rituals on the territory of the Hanging Stone.
2000 - on the night of June 20-21 (summer solstice), for the first time in 16 years, Stonehenge is open to visitors who wish to watch the sunrise there. Several thousand followers of the cult of the druids came to the very heart of the structure, where, according to their beliefs, a special power is concentrated.
Dowsers who have visited the stones claim to have recorded a high level of natural energy.
These manifestations of natural energy were described in 1200 by the Poet Layamon:
The stones are huge
And they have magic power -
People are sick
They arrive there
And wash the stone
And with this water they wash away their disease.
Enough admiring the very beautiful and architectural monuments different eras, more and more tourists want to touch some mystery, mystery or, in extreme cases, some mystical and otherworldly phenomenon in their travels.
The world leader in the number of ancient and not very secrets, of course, is Great Britain. The state, whose history goes back hundreds of years, is simply filled with various monuments, natural and historical objects full of riddles, secrets and mysteries. Many castles have not only centuries of history, but also a ghost or several ghosts. Scientists have hypothesized that such an "abundance" of ghosts, spirits and ghosts is associated with the island location of the country and the maritime climate. Not paying much attention to scientific theories, the owners of castles are happy to receive guests in their possessions. And if you think that the mystical sights of Great Britain are located somewhere in the outback and you have to look for them, then you are mistaken!
An ancient observatory or a pagan temple?
Despite many studies carried out at Stonehenge, scientists still cannot answer this question. There are also those who believe that the ancient and main attraction of the UK is a place to communicate with higher and extraterrestrial forces. True, there is no confirmation of this yet, but you can’t forbid to believe! This megalithic complex is located just 137 km from the British capital, in the county of Wiltshire. Someone will say that stones do not interest him. We are sure that such huge bluish blocks of "hanging stones" - this is how the word "stonehenge" is translated - will surprise and puzzle even the most inveterate skeptics. After all, in fact, a lot is interesting: why they were brought here and how they managed to put them like that many centuries ago, without using modern technologies and tools?
European pyramids
You are wrong if you think that Stonehenge is the end of Britain's megalithic sights. In the same county of Wiltshire, not far from the "hanging stones", is huge complex Avebury, the size and energy of which do not leave anyone indifferent. It consists not only of stones of various shapes and sizes, arranged in a circle. His integral part are Silbury Hill - "The Hill of the Shining" - the largest man-made European pyramid, ideally correct in shape, as well as the small tomb of West Kennet.
There are many versions about why Silbury Hill, 40 meters high and occupying an area of about 4000 m 2, was built. According to one of them, this is the burial mound of a powerful Celtic leader.
Meeting at the Red Lion
The Avebury complex is worth a visit to feel the mystery and mystery of this place. And, perhaps, you will be able to see in the county of Wiltshire those same crop circles, which some consider a successful hoax, and others - a message from the cosmic Mind.
If you have already seen Stonehenge when you get to Wiltshire, admire the impressive Silbury Hill and the megalithic sights of Great Britain, you are a little fed up, find the Red Lion Pub in Avebury. There, you may encounter ghost children or see strange shadows and circles of light that are often observed there.
Ghosts for kings
In the event that, having arrived in the English capital, you do not want to leave it anywhere, and the sights of the cities of Great Britain will wait until the next trip, then in London there are more than enough mysterious, mystical and mysterious places. At the same time, you don’t have to look for them especially - everything is located within the city or in its environs. In addition, most of them are popular tourist sites. So, in the British capital itself, where the main attractions of Great Britain are concentrated, most tourists must visit the Tower of London, chosen by many ghosts.
Castle Tower
For many years it served as a royal prison for the guilty nobility, and many people died within its walls. For centuries, employees and visitors have heard and seen many ghosts in various places of the castle.
The ghosts of the princes are most often seen in the Bloody Tower - King Edward VII and his younger brother Richard, Duke of York, wandering hand in hand. They were treacherously killed on the orders of their own uncle, Richard III.
Every year, on the anniversary of the execution of the Countess of Salisbury, beheaded by order of Henry VIII, a vision appears. Clearly and clearly eyewitnesses observe the ghost of the countess and hear her cries, see the executioner, suitable to do his job. As soon as the ax is lowered, everything disappears.
In addition to these ghosts, the White Lady, Anne Boleyn and Jane Gray appear quite often there.
Hampton Court Palace
Just 16 km from London is Hampton Castle, once a former royal residence. It was built in 1525 by one of the toughest kings, the wife-killer Henry VIII.
The ghosts of women tortured and executed on his orders often visit the castle. In one of the halls of the Hampton hangs a portrait of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of the cruel monarch, who was beheaded on the scaffold on his orders. Eyewitnesses noticed that on the anniversary of the execution, if a full moon occurs on that day, the image disappears from the canvas, and women's cries, weeping and moaning are heard throughout the castle.
But not only the second, but also the fourth wife of Henry VIII, Catherine Howard, whose life also ended on the scaffold, visits Hampton Castle after her death. Her ghost is seen at the castle chapel, where she quickly runs. Reaching the door, the ghost screams piercingly and disappears.
You can list the mystical, mysterious and mysterious sights of Great Britain for a very long time. The description can be entire volumes. But there is one folk wisdom that it is better to see once than hear a hundred times. Let's correct the old saying a little: it's better to see everything with your own eyes once than to read it a hundred times!
