Briefcase Excursions are

quick explorations of

out-of - the-ordinary

areas near cities you might travel to

for business. Designed to cover the

highlights, they present interesting

activities and provide lodging and

dining suggestions that are worthy

of note.

For centuries, the stone circles of Stonehenge have fasci-nated and enchanted visitors. One of the most famousBronze Age monuments in the world, this prehistoric“cathedral” is set on a wide chalk plain in southwesternEngland. Just ten miles away, at Salisbury, is a “modern”cathedral—modern, in comparison to Stonehenge. Begunin 1220 AD and built in just thirty-eight years, in 2008Salisbury Cathedral is celebrating the seven hundred fiftieth anniversary of its consecration.

At Stonehenge and Salisbury, you see theearly beginnings of England, viewing monu-ments built by people to serve their gods andtheir God. Today, they are also powerful trib-utes to the builders themselves.

Salisbury, a short train ride from London’sVictoria Station or a ninety-mile drive on theM3 motorway and the A30, provides a com-fortable base for the region’s wide variety ofsights and activities.

THE SIGHTS

Stonehenge’s rings of various-sized stones capture theimagination of those who have visited or seen it in pic-tures. Most guidebooks describe Stonehenge as an awe- inspiring enigma, but from a distance, the stones seemalmost insignificant in relationship to the huge Salisburyplain. At a closer look, however, the skill and ingenuity ofthe builders is without question.

Stonehenge, England

B R I E F C A S EEXCURSIONS

60 SUMMER 2008

A STEP BACK IN TIMEPam Ellis and Peggy Edwards

The original purpose of Stonehenge has been the subjectof speculation for centuries. Some have theorized that itwas a temple built to worship ancient earth gods. Othersclaim it was an astronomical observatory for predictingthe movement of the sun and moon and the changing ofthe seasons. Archaeologists currently digging at the sitespeculate that the bluestones that formed the inner, earliercircle were moved one hundred fifty miles from Wales fortheir healing qualities and that Stonehenge was a BronzeAge equivalent of Lourdes.

Whatever its purpose, thesite was important enoughto the builders to investthe energy to move an-other set of huge stones,weighing as much as fiftytons each, more thantwenty miles and then touse levers to stand themupright in the outer circle.The circles were formed beginning about 2000 BC.

This UNESCO World Heritage site is accessible througha tunnel from the parking lot and visitor’s center. An audiodevice for a self-paced tour is included in the admissionprice. The multilanguage program is keyed to specificmarkers within the monument and offers detailed infor-mation about the site and the surrounding plain. It’s ratherhumorous to watch people turn-ing around to view various sightsat the direction of the unseenvoice in their ears.

In Salisbury, the excellent Salis-bury and South Wiltshire Mu-seum in the cathedral close givesvisitors even more background,including a hands-on opportu-nity to touch and lift the stonetools used by the builders ofStonehenge. It provides a verygraphic way to understand howthe stones were sculpted and

moved into position. Designed for children, the exhibitsare fascinating for adults as well.

Salisbury is an active, yet visibly ancient city of about45,000 people. It has the feel of a small town but earnedits designation as a city because of the cathedral. A centerof commerce, the old town adjacent to the cathedralboasts the current trends in chain stores, as well as uniquespecialty stores. Medieval streets lined with half-timbered

buildings mark the areabetween the cathedraland Market Square. Sal-isbury was the first cityin England to be laid outin a grid, although thatdidn’t keep the city fa-thers from changing thestreet names every block.

Plan to spend severalhours at Salisbury Cathe-

dral. It is huge and glorious and filled with beautiful carv-ings and wonderful craftsmanship. Atypical of mostEuropean cathedrals, Salisbury is surrounded by an ex-panse of lawn measuring more than eight acres, providinga view of the building from all sides. The four hundredfoot spire is the tallest in England. In fact, at the cathe-dral’s insistence, no buildings higher than four stories areallowed in Salisbury, ensuring that this spire can be seen

for miles on all sides of the city.Tower tours are available andtake about two hours.

The cathedral is undergoing athirty-year restoration that beganin the late 1980s. The nearbyChilmark quarry reopened toprovide stone for the reconstruc-tion to match that originallyused for the building. Look fornewly carved stones in the clois-ter gardens. These replacementsare on display for visitors beforethey are installed, and their

Stonehenge on the Salisbury plain

Salisbury Cathedral

62 SUMMER 2008

intended locations are indicated on building plans displayed with them.

Salisbury Cathedral owns the bestpreserved of the four survivingcopies of the Magna Carta. Thisdocument is on view in the cathe-dral’s octagonal chapter house,where it is gently guarded by do-cents (and behind-the-scenes majorsecurity). These docents can answervisitor questions and explain all theother pieces in the delightful collec-tion of historical documents.

If you can schedule your visit to at-tend a worship service at the cathe-dral, you’ll experience a taste of what the builders musthave felt when they bent their heads in prayer so manyyears ago. Building this majestic cathedral, completed inone stretch of four decades, must have involved two orthree generations of townspeople. Arrive about fifteenminutes early for the choral evensong, held nightly, andyou may be treated to a seat in the choir behind the chil-dren’s choir from the Salisbury Cathedral School.

Books and tours will add details about the building, his-tory, and significance of Salisbury and Stonehenge. For arichly imagined version of history that incorporates boththe facts and the legends of the area,read Edward Rutherfurd’s Sarum.The Salisbury Tourist Office is lo-cated at the rear of the Guild Hallon Market Square. Here you willfind an excellent selection of guide-books, maps, and brochures andplenty of helpful advice. There aretours and private guides available tomany area destinations, includingthe rather mystic “King ArthurCountry” of Glastonbury and theVale of Avalon and Avebury, sistersite to Stonehenge with a larger and older, but less well-known,stone circle.

LODGING &RESTAURANTS

A variety of lodging choices areavailable in Salisbury. Two inter -esting hotels offer comfort, convenience, and welcoming ac-commodations. The Rose andCrown, a thirteenth-century innset in rose gardens on the AvonRiver, offers views of the cathedralspire. It is a gem, built in the half-timbered style. Its location, aboutten minutes’ walk to the center oftown, is a drawback only in thewinter months.

The White Hart, close to thecathedral and the old town, offers blazing fireplaces in thelobby, an extra treat enjoyed with afternoon tea in thecolder months. This seventeenth-century inn has been alandmark since Georgian times and is now part of theMecure chain.

Both the Cathedral View bed and breakfast and its next-door neighbor the Steeple View bed and breakfast are justdown the street from the north gate into the cathedralclose. The Cathedral View’s owners, Steven and WendaRampton, offer warm hospitality, cozy rooms, and the de-tailed knowledge of the area that only locals can provide.

Their expert advice can help max-imize enjoyment of a trip to thisregion. Request a room with theirtrademark view.

Because the lodging establish-ments change owners, undergorenovations, and can be inconsis-tent, we recommend usingwww.tripadvisor.com to assess re-cent reviews before booking.

Restaurant choices range from theold in old buildings to the new inold buildings. The fourteenth-cen-tury Haunch of Venison has been

Steeple and old house

Ancient gate to the “modern city”

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I N D E X O F A D V E R T I S E R S

recommended for manyyears, always because it ishoused in a building soancient that the floors and walls are noticeablybowed. Sometimes, dur-ing its seven hundred- or eight hundred-year history, the food has beenrecommended, sometimesnot. The New Inn isn’tnew at all. It is an inn withfifteenth-century origins, situated just outside the cathe-dral wall on New Street. A central bar serves both a tinysitting area and a large pub with high-backed booths anda fireplace.

The Cloisters is across the street from the White HartHotel. It is a warm and cozy medieval public house offer-ing three fireplaces and an excellent selection of local realales, coffee and tea, and freshly prepared food. LX1Xboasts “no frills dining,” which perhaps refers to the mod-ern, simple décor. The food is presented beautifully, uti-lizing fresh local produce, and the service is charming.

Don’t miss the warm dou-ble chocolate cake withice cream. Prezzo, an Ital-ian restaurant in a veryold half-timbered build-ing is a happening placeon Saturday nights. In-side, the style is contem-porary and the food quite good.

Salisbury and the sur-rounding areas, especially Stonehenge, offer an excitingand entertaining present-day experience in a very ancientlocale. It’s an excursion not to be missed.

Business partners Pam Ellis and Peggy Edwards developedBriefcase Excursions after too many airport to hotel to confer-ence center to hotel to airport trips. They decided to break thecycle and add a day or two of exploring for their mental andphysical well being.

Rose and Crown Hotel, thirteenth century

Photos by Pam Ellis and Chelsea Knudson