Stonehenge – Seventh wonder or national disgrace?

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Stonehenge – Seventh wonder or national disgrace?

• Starter:

– Find Stonehenge on the map.– List 3 features of this place from the map.

E.g. It is in between 2 roads – the A303 and the A344.

Stonehenge – Seventh wonder or national disgrace?

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Stonehenge – Seventh wonder or national disgrace?

Geogra

phy @

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ory Where is Stonehenge?

• Explore Stonehenge using Google maps: http://maps.google.co.uk

h

2. Click ‘More’ and select the Photos and Wikipedia layers

1. Type in ‘Stonehenge’ into the search box

3. Explore Stonehenge by clicking on symbols. Record 5 things about the

attraction.

Stonehenge – Seventh wonder or national disgrace?

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What’s so amazing about Stonehenge?

• Read the three extracts.• Underline anything that answers the

question above.

Stonehenge – Seventh wonder or national disgrace?

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‘ If Stonehenge be then, as it is, a universal curiosity, for us Englishmen it is one of the three things in our island – the other two are Land’s End and Hadrian’s Wall – which each of us must see once in his life; it is a place of pilgrimage very sympathetic to this age, for Stonehenge is the shrine of an unknown God.

...it stands wholly within the shadow, over the horizon not only of history, but of legend, an aloof and inexplicable thing rising from the plain between the sky and the grass...’

The Highways and Byways of Britain. David Milner.

‘Things had changed at Stonehenge since I was last there in the early seventies. They’ve built a smart new gift shop and coffee bar, though there is still no interpretation centre, which is entirely understandable. This is, after all, merely the most important prehistoric monument in Europe and one of the dozen most visited tourist attractions in England, ....’

Notes from a Small Island. Bill Bryson

These are taken from two travel guides. Which one is the older extract? Why?

1897 - 1948

1993

Stonehenge – Seventh wonder or national disgrace?

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‘One of the most important prehistoric sites, the ancient ring of monolithic stones at Stonehenge has been attracting pilgrims, poets and philosophers for the last 5000 years. Despite the constant flow of traffic, and the huge numbers of visitors, Stonehenge still manages to be a mystical, ethereal place - a haunting echo from Britain's forgotten past.

A reminder of a lost civilisation who once walked the many ceremonial avenues across Salisbury Plain, Stonehenge is also still one of Britain's great archaeological mysteries: although there are countless theories about what the site was used for, ranging from a sacrificial centre to a celestial timepiece, in truth no one really knows what drove prehistoric Britons to expend so much time and effort on its construction.,

Lonely Planet, 2008. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/england/sights/5185?list=true

What about this one?

Stonehenge – Seventh wonder or national disgrace?

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But why is it geography?

• Use the evidence from the map and these extracts.

• Write a description of what you’d expect to see at this place.

I would expect to see......... because......

Stonehenge – Seventh wonder or national disgrace?

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Surprised?

• What is your reaction?

Stonehenge – Seventh wonder or national disgrace?

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Stonehenge – Seventh wonder or national disgrace?

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Problems – Geog in the news

• Read the article:• So what on Earth's the big attraction?• Make notes about the problems at

Stonehenge.

Stonehenge – Seventh wonder or national disgrace?

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Produce a comic strip

that describes

some of the geographical

issues at Stonehenge

Ideas: Use this space to record ideas

How to present?

1.First produce a draft version by hand.2.Then you can either:

a. Use one of these website to create a comic strip: (you will need an email address)

http://www.comicbrush.com/http://plasq.com/comiclife-win free 30 day trialb. Draw your comic strip by handc. Use PowerPoint

What to include?

• Photos / drawings showing how amazing Stonehenge is• Photos / drawings showing some of the problems with Stonehenge• Opinions of different people who like and dislike Stonehenge

Resources:

There is masses of information about Stonehenge. Try starting with some of these:• Google Earth File and Flickr photos: http://www.juicygeography.co.uk/stonehenge.htm#activity • Newspaper article http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2007/aug/17/travelnews/print • Lonely Planet http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/england/sights/5185?list=true • English Heritage http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/ • Also use the resources already given to you!

Stonehenge – Seventh wonder or national disgrace?

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Geographers can make a difference!

• Geographers are involved in making situations like this better.

Stonehenge – Seventh wonder or national disgrace?

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• http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2007/aug/17/travelnews/print

Stonehenge – Seventh wonder or national disgrace?

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‘Such is the majesty of this sanctuary; and yet it is most often said that at first sight – and especially now that it is fenced with wire – no great spectacle more disappointing.

...but now it has suffered the indignity of being enclosed within a wire fence, with a boot t one side at which one pays to enter the enchanted precincts. Near at hand is a car park, which yet does not prevent numerous motors from ranging themselves all too close to the monument on most days of summer. Motor coaches bring crowds of visitors ostensibly to see the wonders, but certainly not to show any realisation that this is other than a picnic ground.’

The Highways and Byways of Britain. David Milner. 1929

‘The big change is that you can no longer go right up to the stones and scratch ‘I LOVE DENISE’ or whatever in them, as you formally were able. Now you are held back by a discreet rope a considerable distance from the mighty Henge. This had actually effected a considerable improvement.

Notes from a Small Island. Bill Bryson. 1993.

Stonehenge – Seventh wonder or national disgrace?

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For such a celebrated site, Stonehenge has seen a surprising amount of upheaval over recent years. The tense stand-offs between solstice-goers and police have been replaced by a fresh controversy over the alleged mismanagement of the World Heritage site. Hemmed in by busy roads and wire barricades, jammed with visitors throughout the summer, and underscored by a cacophony of roaring traffic, it's a long way from the haven of peace and spiritual tranquillity most visitors expect to find, and was even described by one government department as a 'national disgrace'. Thankfully, plans are afoot to reinvent the Stonehenge experience.

Lonely Planet, 2008. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/england/sights/5185?list=true