Stonehenge History – Phases, People, and Legacy

Bottom line: Stonehenge is not a single event—it’s a layered, evolving monument shaped by generations.

Fast Facts

People and Logistics

• Communal organization, seasonal labor, and elite sponsorship.
• Durrington Walls settlement likely housed builders.
• Transport of bluestones from Preseli Hills in Wales.

Engineering Highlights

• Mortise-and-tenon joints in sarsen lintels.
• Tapered uprights to correct optical perspective.
• Avenue pegs movement from the circle to River Avon.

Image Highlights

After Lives

• Bronze Age burials and deposited artifacts.
• Medieval to modern curiosity, sketches, and science.
• 20th–21st c. conservation and World Heritage status.

Visiting Tips

• Read the stones as decisions over time; look for joint details.
• Explore the landscape trails to grasp the whole system.

Bottom Line

Stonehenge tells a long story where engineering, ceremony, and community meet.

See Also

• Who built Stonehenge?
• Sarsens and bluestones
• The Avenue and River Avon