stonehenge - English Heritage

047-120 section 2.qxd 6/21/05 4:20 PM Page 93
known as By Way 10 was gifted to the nation in 1918 by Mr
(later Sir) Cecil Chubb. A programme of restoration and
investigation was instigated by the Ministry of Works in 1919
and lasted through to 1926 (Chippindale 2004, 179–83). Much
of the surrounding land was acquired by the National Trust
piecemeal from 1927 onwards when about 587ha was
purchased following a public appeal; the estate totalled about
760ha by 1990. As part of the management of the estate
through to the later twentieth century much arable land was
returned to pasture and a selection of monuments was
restored to the condition they had been in the 1950s. Further
excavations took place at Stonehenge itself most years
between 1950 and 1959 with some later work in 1964 and
1978 (Cleal et al. 1995, 11–12). In 1967–8 a major infrastructure
development took place north of the A344 to the northwest of
Stonehenge to create car-parks, visitor facilities, and an
underpass to provide access to the monument (Illustration
73). A Stonehenge Festival took place in fields around Fargo
Plantation between 1974 and 1985, eventually leading to a
decade or more of conflict and tension between the
authorities and a wide range of interest groups (Chippindale
1986b; Dobinson 1992; Bender 1998). From the mid 1970s,
Stonehenge became the only ancient monument in England to
be subject to its own piece of parliamentary legislation with
the passing of the Stonehenge Regulations which were
revised in 1983 and updated again in 1997 (Statutory
Instrument 1997 No. 2038). These regulations provide controls
over public access to Stonehenge and its surroundings.
Illustration 70
Vertical aerial photograph
of the area north of
Stonehenge, taken on
Christmas Eve 1943 by the
USAF. North is to the top. In
the upper part of the view
is the Larkhill Garrison with
traces of an underlying
prehistoric fieldsystem
between the buildings.
Earthwork remains of
defensive trenches and
emplacements can be seen.
The Stonehenge Cursus
runs obliquely across the
frame just below centre;
some of the mounds of the
Cursus barrow cemetery
are visible bottom left.
[Photograph: US/7PH/
GP/LOC122/1062 English
Heritage (NMR)
USAAF Photography.]
Illustration 71
The Lorraine/Wilson
memorial at Airman’s Cross
on the A360/A344/
B3046 junction west
of Stonehenge.
[Photograph: Timothy
Darvill. Copyright
reserved.]
93