Near Amesbury, Wiltshire, UK
(English Heritage / Hulton Archive)
The prehistoric monument Stonehenge in Wiltshire is a standing stone ring within earthworks. Currently believed to be between four and five thousand years old, while it appears to align with the position of the sun during the summer and winter solstices, its exact purpose remains a source of speculation.
Between 1919 and 1926, British archaeologist Lieutenant-Colonel William Hawley was employed by the Office of Work to conduct restoration work. Almost seventy years old when work began, Hawley carried out much of the work alone, though in this photograph a team are seen righting a fallen stone. During his work, Hawley discovered a bottle of port wine in the socket of a stone, left by earlier archaeologist William Cunnington in 1810.
‘In recording the finds made during the course of the exploration of the site, no account has been taken of the modern rubbish unless it has been of special interest or was found at an unusual depth, as it does not concern the ancient history of the monument. At one time, coursing meetings were annually held near Stonehenge, and, before each meeting glass and other noxious detritus likely to hurt the animals’ feet were collected and buried, which will partly account for some of the modern materials found.’
Interim report on the exploration by Lt Col. W. Hawley, FSA, The Antiquaries Journal, 1921
