Best of British: Stonehenge

Monday, October 8, 2012

Stonehenge

It’s a pity that the builders didn’t leave notes about how to use it, but they probably thought that it would be obvious. It would probably have read like this..

“Despite a series of lightning 24 hour stoppages by the workforce and constant rain, we have managed to erect the central supports. However, after a meeting with the local landowner and the unions, we have decided to terminate construction. Note that construction will also stop at our Avebury site.

We have been granted a large piece of desert in Egypt and have been promised a willing workforce. As a result, we will be moving out within the week.

Due to the lack of stone in the area, we do not believe that you will get the co-operation required to finish the job, and you might want to consider reworking the original plans to include installing a timber roof and sides. It would make an excellent tea room and local tourist attraction for many years to come”

The one great thing about Stonehenge is that nobody really knows, and despite finding bits and bobs around it, the true usage is eluding everybody and probably always will. Unlike the Egyptians, nobody bothered to paint anything onto it, or maybe the constant rain washed off any decoration or record of usage. We just don’t know..

The photo at the top shows how Stonehenge looks now, but bear in mind that it has seen restoration over the years and has also been fenced off to prevent further vandalism. I was lucky enough to be able to walk through the stones last time I was there. Now it is a binocular job if you want t get up close and almost personal. There is not a great deal to see in all honesty, but a visit there will leave you asking two questions.

What did I honestly expect to see?
What were the original builders thinking?

So, this is what was standing over a century ago..

Compare it with the other photo and you can see that it has now been tastefully restored to the correct period.

The really important part is the Britain has got a Stonehenge, and everybody else hasn’t. It will remain one of the great mysteries in the realm of man made miscellany.

Here is a nice aerial view of the entire site..

For more.. http://www.stonehenge.co.uk/index.php

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Why so many manufactured goods?

Great Britain, the UK, whatever you want to call us is a small island surrounded by even smaller islands. Until the ice receded all of those eons ago, there was no island. The ice cleared late and, when it finally did, left little time for the development of flora and fauna. What wasn't there couldn't get there. Size also determined the amount of collectible raw materials available.

We don't have copious amounts of anything which we can sell in its raw state, but we can buy in raw materials and then make something really useful out of them. This enables us to trade with the rest of the world.

So now you know why this blog features so many manufactured items.

You may well make fun of us, but before you do, consider this.

Our small island, bordered by some of the roughest seas and oceans in the world, commanded an Empire larger and longer lived than any other nation on earth. The Industrial Revolution started in Britain and much of our technology and wares have found their way to many countries across the world. While much junk has been produced by us, there are some outstanding examples of Britishness that command respect from people across seas and oceans, classics of a time gone by.

If we feel the need, we can produce fine products which are head and shoulders above anything else. I will endeavour to show you what we have done and can do