Ancient site to benefit from visitor centre
The World Heritage Site of Stonehenge is set to benefit from proposals to improve the area around the monument and its presentation to visitors.
A new visitor centre is planned along with proposals to close the A344 road, which currently passes close to the stones. Following its closure, the road will be returned to grassland, reconnecting the ancient stone circle with the rest of the site, including the ancient processional avenue.
Chairman Professor of English Heritage, Sir Barry Cunliffe, has welcomed the plans saying: “Our vision has always been to restore a sense of dignity to the setting of Stonehenge and to improve its visitor facilities.”
Stonehenge attracts over 887,000 visitors a year, who all flock to marvel at the awe-inspiring and mysterious stone circle. No-one can really say with certainty why Stonehenge was built or by whom, or even how they managed such an enormous feat, however there are a number of prevailing theories. A favoured argument is that it was constructed in the Neolithic period of around 3000BC, but other theories attribute the site to the Druids and even King Arthur.
The mysterious history of Stonehenge is part of the allure for visitors, and the plans for its future are long awaited. Malcolm Bell, director of South West Tourism, believes “the visitor experience has been marred by the proximity to the road and the associated traffic distraction. That is why this announcement is really welcomed and we cannot wait for work to start and, more importantly, be completed.”
The chosen site for the new visitor centre is Airman’s Corner, about 1½ miles west of the current visitor centre, on the junction of the A344 and A360. It has good access to the stones and an efficient, all-weather transit system is planned, which will drop visitors near the monument.
A planning application for the proposals will be submitted in the late summer. After a public consultation it is hoped that construction will commence in 2011 and the new facilities will open in time for the London 2012 Olympics.