The first construction of a wood henge on this site has been dated to 3100 BC from the remains of deer antlers used to dig post holes. There have been several significant phases of further development. The first is dated around 2100 BC when up to 80 of the famous ‘bluestones,’ weighing over 4 tons, were somehow brought over 250 miles from the Prescelly Mountains in south Wales. Apparently around 2000 BC about 45 staggering ‘sarsen’ stones, weighing up to 50 tons, were brought 20 miles from the Marlborough Downs. Several further phases of changes have been identified and dated to a period around 1500 BC .

These dates go back to the beginnings of the earliest civilisations of Egypt, Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley. It is particularly interesting to compare the interest in constructing ziggurat observatories in Mesopotamia in this same period. There is no evidence of the town life normally associated with ‘civilisation’ anywhere in Britain at this time. Yet it is impressive to recognise the communal cooperation required to produce this stunning construction, not least to transport massive blocks, apparently through friendly territory which lay across a considerable gulf of water.

Stonehenge was probably a sophisticated megalithic calculator dedicated to the paramount importance of heavenly events in the lives of these ancient Neolithic, stone age people. Above all to honour and worship the Sun.

The oldest circle of wooden posts no longer survives though its 56 holes are not in doubt. Unfortunately theories on its use have been confounded by doubts and the present stone positions only approximate at best to the necessary alignments. There is even a question whether the midsummer sun does rise exactly over the Heel Stone.

Immanuel Velikovsky has suggested his theory, describing dramatic celestial events affecting the Earth’s orbit as recently as 1500 BC , may explain these baffling inaccuracies in the Stonehenge alignments. There have been repeated rearrangements of the stones in various phases and Velikovsky believed these may be explained by his theories. It is impossible to calculate from what remains whether this is reasonable.