MEDIA REPORTS    SUMMER SOLSTICE 2003    ...Back to Home Page
                                                  

Jun 26   Salisbury Journal                                        Some photos 2003
             Devizes Gazette and Herald                                       

Jun 23  Independent

Jun 22   Sunday Telegraph 
             Observer                                           
             Sunday Express  
             Sunday Mirror
             The People
             News of the World
             BBC online
             Scotland on Sunday
             
Jun 21  ITV.com
             Miami Herald online  
             Sky News online
             Reuters
             WLOX
             Washington Times

Jun 20   Reuters
             Guardian
             BBC online
             Star (SA)
             
Jun 17   BBC online

Stones solstice celebration "best in memory"

RECORD numbers flocked to Stonehenge this year to witness what has been described as the best summer solstice in memory. For the fourth year running, English Heritage granted open access to the Stones to allow people to celebrate the dawn of what is officially the longest day of the year. And celebrate they did. Nearly 30,000 people from different nationalities and religions gathered to watch the sun rise over the world heritage monument. Huge cheers and the sound of beating drums greeted the dawn, when, just before 5am, the prehistoric stone circle was lit up by one of the most spectacular sunrises of recent years. Among the revellers were druids, pagans and white witches, but they were vastly outnumbered by ordinary folk, there to soak up the festival atmosphere.
Rosanne Bell (41), a white witch from Wolverhampton, was dressed in green and gold. She said: "Green because the earth is all green and the gold represents the sun and all the summer flowers. "I have been for the last four years - I just love it. "There are so many people here and everybody gets on together. "This is how I wish the world were."
Many people were there for the first time. Marg Templar (64), from Mere, said: "It's been an ambition of mine to come here - I've never been to the sunrise before. "It's such a perfect night's weather and to get that again is very unlikely. "There's a brilliant atmosphere."
Most people gathered outside the stones, juggling, singing, playing their guitars or mingling with friends and like-minded people. The more party-going revellers were packed inside the stone circle, where a heady mix of smoke and incense seemed to be billowing out of the stones themselves.
Simon Collins (35), from Birmingham, said: "I've been to Stonehenge before but never on a solstice - it seemed like the thing to do. "I'm a heathen rather than a pagan but I think Stonehenge is special to people from a number of different pagan faiths." He added: "It's bit of a madhouse in the circle itself - more of a party and less of a festival, which is bit of a shame."
A few individuals did choose to ignore English Heritage's plea and climbed on the stones, but most people adhered to the conditions of entry. And unlike last year, when several dozen people abandoned their children at times during the festivities, a firm eye was kept on the younger members of the crowd. All in all it was another very enjoyable summer solstice at Stonehenge.

-Quiet night for police: Page 3             

A colourful solstice reveller in joyful mood at Stonehenge. DA3322P01       PIC1

P3

Few arrests but long tailbacks as 30,000 gather for solstice

SUMMER solstice celebrations at Stonehenge passed off relatively peacefully this year, with only 16 people arrested for minor offences. These included possession of drugs, being drunk and disorderly, taking someone else's car without their consent and assaulting a police officer. Head of Salisbury police Chief Superintendent Jerry Wickham said: "We are very pleased with the outcome, particularly when you take into account that we had 30,000 people attending the event, and also when you take into context the intelligence that there was to suggest there would be a sit-in. "It was through some very good co-operation between English Heritage and ourselves that we managed to get to a stage where the monument and the car park were cleared by Saturday night " Clews Everard, director of visitor operations for English Heritage, added: "We are delighted that the summer solstice was an enjoyable and peaceful event for all the people who came along. "This builds on the considerable success of the celebrations in previous years." The only real problem on the night came from people who abandoned their vehicles on the A303, rather than park in the designated car park. Nearly 200 vehicles were towed away after their owners deliberately parked them on verges or at the side of the road. And with the closure of the A303 eastbound at Winterbourne Stoke and the dual carriageway reduced to one lane westbound from the Countess Road roundabout, the problem of abandoned cars did nothing to alleviate the already heavily congested trunk road. Chief Supt Wickham said there were long tailbacks until four or five in the morning. "In fairness, we did put notifications out on the radio telling people that, if they were intending to travel anywhere on the solstice, not to go near the A303 at Stonehenge," he said. "Next year's event should be quieter because it's on a Sunday night"

 Sunrise at Stonehenge on the longest day of the year. DA3322P16        PIC2

 A reveller greets the solstice dawn from the top of the Hele Stone. DA3322P02      PIC3

Devizes Gazette and Herald    Thursday June 26 2003

Dawn spectacular

FIFTY three cars left at the roadside by revellers attending the solstice celebrations at Avebury at the weekend were towed away on police instructions. A fleet of breakdown trucks was called in to remove cars parked on bends and on double yellow lines. They were taken to the car pound in Swindon where owners had to pay £105 to recover them. Another 100 drivers were booked for illegal parking. It was part of a police get-tough policy over illegal parking at events like the summer solstice which attracted an estimated 3,000 people to Avebury. As they feared, villagers were besieged for more than 48 hours as vast numbers descended on the stone circle to celebrate the longest day of the year. The gathering included a couple of American archaeologists who were keen to see how the solstice is celebrated in Britain, and a Japanese couple who planned their holiday in the UK so that they could join in the celebrations. Unlike Stonehenge where the Druids, pagans and others gather to watch the sunrise and then leave, at Avebury where admission is free and unrestricted, the revellers made their party last two nights. There were more people partying in the stone circle on Saturday night, as a result of Stonehenge celebrants arriving to join them, than there were on Friday. There were 25 police officers on duty in Avebury during the weekend, and they did their best to minimise the nuisance for villagers. Officers maintained a barrier across the High Street so that only villagers could drive through to their homes, but the main car park on the Beckhampton Road was full by Friday afternoon. Police and National Trust officials turned a blind eye when travellers also packed out the small car park in the High Street which is normally restricted for local use. At the recent illegal rave held in Savernake Forest during the May Day bank holiday weekend many complained that police ignored illegal parking. Last weekend police acted quickly to book illegal parkers on the B4361 Swindon to Devizes road through the village, near the Beckhampton roundabout and on the Kennett Avenue leading to West Kennett. On Saturday police called in contractors with recovery and breakdown vehicles to tow away the illegally parked cars and camper vans, but they did very little to interfere with the partying and merrymaking in the stone circle. There was a discernably easy-going atmosphere as the crowds descended on Avebury and made their way into the stone circle for the overnight solstice celebrations. Many of those attending were in family groups with children, and they took along blankets to help keep off the night chill until the sun appeared over the eastern horizon shortly before 5am. Unlike recent years when the sunrise was marred by low cloud or mist, the sky was crystal clear at dawn and there was a cacophony of chanting, drumbeats and didgeridoos that had been building up through the night. As the first rays appeared over the hills to the east of Avebury there was a huge cheer from the crowd. Casual visitors could not help but notice the pervading sweet, peppery smell of cannabis being smoked. Police, however, made no drugs arrests in line with their policy of booking the pushers and not the users. Police commander Insp Bill Dowling said the only arrest of the weekend at Avebury was for drink driving. He said police had been delighted with the way the weekend had passed with the general co-operation of the solstice revellers. He said: "It was a very successful weekend and a lot of the villagers told me it was the best yet."
At Silbury Hill, English Heritage operated a no-go policy. It closed off the car park which was patrolled round the clock by security guards. A few revellers gathered at the West Kennett long barrow for the solstice weekend but there, as with Avebury, the weekend was trouble free.
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PHOTOGRAPHIC GALLERY: UNSEEN #1

Tom Piltston's picture of revellers at Stonehenge for the summer solstice of 2000 features in Unseen, an exbibition of unpublished work by members of the British Press Photographers' Association. The exhibition, at Inside Space, Great Titchfield Street, London W1, opens today and runs until 19 July
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LONGEST DAY OF THE YEAR DRAWS THOUSANDS TO STONEHENGE

Some 30,000 revellers are treated to a spectacular sunrise as druids, pagans, new·age travellers and the simply curious gather at Stonehenge to mark the summer solstice yssterday. The sight of the sun breaking through trees on the horizon over the Heel Stone was met by a deafening chorus of drums, whistles, whoops and shrieks. Wiltshire Pollce sald that behavlour was good, although officers had made about 10 arrests, most of them for publlc order offences

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The Observer   Sunday 22 June, 2003

A crowd of 30,000 and a chorus ot whoops, drums and whistles greeted a spectacular summer solstice dawn at Stonehenge yesterday. An eclectic mix of druids, pagans, New Age travellers and the simply curious gathered at the 5,000-year-old World Heritage site for the start of the longest day of the year. There were only 10 arrests, most of them for minor public order offences. Photograph by

Bubbles but no trouble at Stonehenge       PIC1

Photograph: Kieran Doherty/Reuters

Sunday Express        June 22, 2003  p8

DRUIDS SEIZE THE DAY
But police seize their cars as 28,000 flock to Stonehenge

By Luisa Metcalf

A RECORD number of revellers converged on Stonehenge yesterday to celebrate the summer solstice. Thousands of robed druids, spiritualists and the simply curious sang and danced around the stones to welcome the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. But more than 200 were in for a shock after watching the sun rise. When they returned to collect their cars, they discovered police had towed them away. Frustrated motorists ~eaught up in huge queues to join the throng had left their vehicles on the side of the A303 near Salisbury, Wiltshire, causing more traffic disruption. English Heritage, guardian of the site, said about 28,000 people attended, up from about 20,000 last year Police, who increased security because of the growing popularity of the event, said they made nine arrests, mostly for drink and drug offences. As first light broke, a procession of drummers led by torchbearers circled the stones. The crowd cheered and applauded under a clear sky at sunrise, 4.46am. Druids, a pagan religious order dating to Celtic Britain, are drawn to Stonehenge because they believe it was a centre of spiritualism. The site is open to the public throughout the year but the solstice allows revellers a rare opportunity to touch the 20-ton stones and walk among them. This year was only the fourth in the past decade that the site has been open for solstice celebrations. Many locals believe that because the Stonehenge site was donated to the nation it should be free to visit throughout the year. "Absolutely, it should be free," said Kevin Corcoran, 49, who lives four miles from Stonehenge. "It's part of our history." Scholars say the circle was built between 3000 and 1600 BC, but there is no consensus on whether it was a temple, a burial ground, an astronomy site, or served a variety of spiritual and temporal purposes.

HERE COMES THE SUN: Revellers welcome the longest day of the year at Stonehenge yesterday. English Heritage sald a record 28,000 turned up          PIC1        PIC2   

Pictures: Chris Ison/PA

Sunday Mirror    June 22, 2003  p16

From Sydney Kids to Druids at Stonehenge..
WORLD GOES TO POTTER

by Colin Wells

AT the stroke of midnight the world went mad: Literally millions of kids, most dressed up as witches and wizards, were beside themselves with excitement as the long-awaited fifth Harry Potter novel finally went on sale. All over the pianet the frenzy for copies of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix never let up- WH Smith's alone reported selling eight books a second throughout its 120 stores in Britain. From Sydney to Stonehenge children and adults alike eagerly delved into the latest adventure of the teenage wizard ....

STONEHENGE: Druid and Harry Potter fan Steve Wilson gets stuck in          PIC1

The People   Sunday June 22, 2003   p25

THE HOTTEST DAY

Britain beats Bahamas

GET out the suntan cream and switch on the air con...today will be the hottest day of the year so far. Temperatures in Britain will soar to a sizzling 90F - putting the Bahamas and French Riviera in the shade. But with light winds it will feel very humid - and the heat could trigger thunderstorms. The Met Office's Roy O'Sullivan said: "Everyone should get long spells of clear skies through Sunday. Just watch out for the clouds building up later."

On the LONGEST day yesterday a record 28,000 cheered the sunrise at Stonehenge. New age spiritualists, pagans and partygoers joined a procession of drummers led by torchbearers at 4.42am. Reveller Andrew Reid said: "This is better than a rave. It's not about drugs, it is about the stones." But there were nine arrests, mainly drink and drug related.

The crowds were also out for the last day of Royal Ascot. Blonde racegoer Ellodie Gibbons, 27, said: "I'm probably betting a bit too much, but the weather's making us all a bit dizzy. It's what summer in Britain is all about." Meanwhile it should be a cooler 78F tomorrow - perfect for the first day of the Wimbledon tennis championships.

Glastonbury Festival fans are praying the sunny weather will stay until next weekend.

The forecast is for sunny spells but with some risk of rain.

News of the World   Sunday June 22, 2003   p21

Traffic cops get re-Henge

MORE than 200 revellers celebrating the summer soistice at Stonehenge yesterday returned to flnd their cars had been towed away. Poilce impounded the motors after thelr owners parked them on the busy A303 and joined the 30,000 crowd watching the sun rise at the Wiltshire site.

BBC News    Sunday June 22, 2003, 17:00 GMT 18:00 UK

Solstice revellers watch sunrise

Revellers said the sunrise over the stones was "spectacular" More than 30,000 people gathered at Stonehenge in Wiltshire to mark the summer solstice. Ahead of the midsummer event police warned people not to hold any unlicensed "mass gatherings" afterwards. English Heritage reopened the site to the public after the closures and clashes of previous years. Astrologer Roy Gillett, who was among the crowds there to watch the sunrise just before 0500 BST, said it was important to celebrate this the longest day of the year.

Friends shared the dawn experience.

He said druids were joined at the 5,000 year-old World Heritage site by anyone who wanted to "keep in touch with the flow of nature".
Revellers were delighted that the good weather allowed the sunrise to be seen over the ancient stones. The sight of the sun breaking through trees on the horizon over the Heel Stone was met with a loud chorus of drums, whistles, whoops and shrieks and music from samba-style bands. Because the solstice was at a weekend many more people were able to make the pilgrimage to Wiltshire from all over the country. The crowd was a mix of druids, pagans, new age travellers, nature lovers and anyone else curious to take part in the experience.
Primary school teachers Eileen Horner, 61, and Maggie Shepherd, 53, were first-timers despite living nearby in Salisbury. "It's good fun and everybody seems to be enjoying themselves. We haven't come in the past because it's usually on a work day so we've taken advantage this year."

Party warning

Police were on patrol in case of trouble but a Wiltshire force spokesman said there had only been about 10 arrests. These were mainly for minor offences such as public order breaches, drunkenness and drug possession. Police in the neighbouring county of Hampshire had warned they would not tolerate any illegal gatherings after the solstice. Officers were out in force in the area between Basingstoke, Andover and the Wiltshire border and thwarted any attempts to hold parties. Earlier Superintendent Mark Chatterton, Andover's divisional commander, said: "We are not being killjoys, we are all in favour of people having a good time provided the event is properly licensed to ensure that it is safe for everyone."

Scotland on Sunday   June 22, 2003

Crowds greet sun at Stonehenge solstice

CHRISTOPHER CLAIRE

TENS of thousands of sun-worshippers were treated to a spectacular dawn display yesterday as they saw in the summer solstice at Stonehenge. Police and English Heritage estimated that just under 30,000 gathered at the ancient monument to witness a rare sight - British weather actually allowing the sunrise to be seen over the stones. That, and the fact that the solstice fell on a weekend, meant many more people made the pilgrimage to the World Heritage site in Wiltshire. The site of the 5,000-year-old monument was opened up for public access for the usual eclectic mix of druids, pagans, new age travellers and those simply curious to experience what has become a traditional start to the longest day of the year. The sight of the sun breaking through trees on the horizon over the Heel Stone was met with a chorus of whoops and shrieks and an increase in volume from the gathered samba-style bands.

ITV.com   8.50AM BST, Saturday 21 Jun 2003

Thousands witness solstice

Almost 30,000 people have been treated to a spectacular dawn as they saw in the summer solstice at Stonehenge. They gathered at the ancient monument to witness a rare sight - English weather actually allowing the sunrise to be seen over the stones. That and the fact the solstice fell on a weekend has meant many more people made the pilgrimage to the World Heritage site in Wiltshire from all over the country. The 5,000-year-old World Heritage site was opened up for public access for the usual eclectic mix of druids, pagans, new-age travellers and simply those curious to experience what has become a traditional start to the longest day of the year. The sight of the sun breaking through trees on the horizon over the Heel Stone was met with a deafening chorus of drums, whistles, whoops and shrieks and an increase in volume from the gathered Samba-style bands. The standing stones had been off-limits in recent years following a number of clashes between solstice worshippers and police. However, monument caretakers English Heritage reopened the site to the public and its popularity has gone up each year.
English Heritage chief executive Dr Simon Thurley said: "Summer solstice is a special time which means different things to different people. "This year we are giving more access in daylight hours which will be far safer, and more family friendly than the all-night access we had in the past."
Primary teachers Eileen Horner, 61, and Maggie Shepherd, 53, were first-timers despite living in nearby Salisbury."It's good fun, everybody seems to be enjoying themselves. We hadn't come in the past because it's usually on a work day, so we've taken advantage this year. The police have been really nice and it seems well organised."
Amanda Belle from London was celebrating her 35th birthday with friend Adrian Lee, 41."It's really lovely, fantastic atmosphere. What a great way to celebrate your birthday!"
Steve Wilson of the British Council of Druid Orders said he was pleased with the way it had gone. "Some people had said we should just have restricted the celebrations to druids and held our own festival, keeping everyone else out but this is the festival now. It's more in the spirit of the solstice."
English Heritage said 29,100 people had been recorded attending. Wiltshire Police said there had been only about 10 arrests mainly for minor offences such as public order breaches, drunkenness, drug possession and motoring offences.
A woman was taken to hospital with head injuries earlier after she was involved in a collision with a bus on the A303.
The site is on the verge of what conservationists have called "A New Dawn" with a blueprint for a new £57 million visitor centre and a £193 million road diversion and landscaping being recently unveiled. The plans are currently under public consultation and a public inquiry is expected to be held in the autumn.
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Annanova.com used a shorter version of this story and included:

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Miami Herald     Posted on Sat, Jun. 21, 2003     Associated Press

Stonehenge revelers greet the longest day

STONEHENGE, England - Banging drums, blowing whistles and chanting, thousands of people greeted the dawn of the year's longest day Saturday amid the prehistoric stones of Stonehenge.
Almost 30,000 partygoers, druids and New Age followers gathered for the summer solstice at the 4,000-year-old World Heritage site in Wiltshire, southern England.
The English Heritage conservation group said the revelers, a record number, were treated to a rare sight when unusually bright weather allowed them to clearly see the sun rise over the lichen-covered stones. The sky is usually obscured by thick clouds during the event.
Stonehenge - the remnants of the last in a sequence of circular monuments built between 3000 B.C. and 1600 B.C. - is one of Britain's most popular tourist attractions and a spiritual home for thousands of druids and mystics.
It has become a traditional gathering place at the summer solstice, the northern hemisphere's longest day.
Exactly how and why Stonehenge was built remains a mystery. Some experts believe it is aligned with the sun simply because its builders came from a sun-worshipping culture, while others believe the site was part of a huge astronomical calendar.

  A reveller photographs the dawn of the summer solstice on            PIC1
his mobile phone at Stonehenge in England. Chris Ison, AP

Photos from other users of this AP agency story:

The Globe and Mail (Canada)

   The mid-summer sun dawns over Salisbury Plain on Saturday.           PIC1
   Carl de Souza/AFP

San Francisco Chronicle

 Druids Rollo Maughling, left, and Steve Wilson celebrate the dawn                PIC1
of the year's longest day at Stonehenge, England on Saturday. Chris Ison

Sky News online     08:47 UK, Saturday June 21, 2003

SOLSTICE SUNRISE TREAT

Thousands of revellers gathered at Stonehenge this morning to see in the summer solstice.
The 5,000 year-old World Heritage site was opened for public access with the usual expected mix of druids, pagans and new age travellers.
Onlookers were curious to experience what has become a traditional start to the longest day of the year.
The Wiltshire standing stones site had been off-limits in recent years following a number of clashes between solstice watchers and police.
But now English Heritage has reopened the site to the public providing a number of conditions are met.
These include not bringing glass bottles and pets and no climbing on the stones.
The site is on the verge of a multi-million pound renovation that includes a new visitor centre, together with a road diversion and landscaping.
Key to the development is moving of the traffic-congested A303 away from the sight of the monument so that the landscape can be returned to its "natural setting".
The Government and English Heritage proposal is to dig a mile long tunnel to cloak the road and return the plain to traditional grassland downs and grazing.
The plan is currently under public consultation and a public inquiry is expected to be held in the autumn.
The stone circle lies about eight miles north of Salisbury and is thought to date back some 5,000 years, probably to 1500BC.

                Crowds watch sunrise            PIC1

Reuters   Saturday June 21, 2003   05:10 AM ET

By Jason Hopps and Pete Harrison

Thousands Gather at Stonehenge for Solstice Party

STONEHENGE, England (Reuters) - A record number of revelers converged on Britain's ancient Stonehenge on Saturday to celebrate the summer solstice, get in touch with their pagan roots and party.
Thousands of robed druids, spiritualists and the simply curious sang and danced around the towering megaliths to welcome the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
"This is not a rave, it is a better than a rave, it is not about drugs, it is about the stones," said 29-year-old Andrew Reid.
English Heritage, a non-governmental group that is guardian of the site on Salisbury plain, said about 28,000 people greeted the sunrise at Stonehenge, up from about 20,000 last year.
Police, who have beefed up security because of the growing popularity of the event, said they made nine arrests, mostly for drink and drug offences.
As first light broke, a procession of drummers led by torchbearers circled around the ancient circle of standing stones.
The crowd cheered and applauded under a clear sky at sunrise at 03:46 GMT.
"This is not breaking news, this has been going on for centuries, it's in our blood," said Garret, 40, dressed as pagan god Pan.
Druids, a pagan religious order dating to Celtic Britain, are drawn to Stonehenge, about 160 km (100 miles) west of London, because they believe it was a center of spiritualism.
The site is open to the public throughout the year but the solstice allows revelers a rare opportunity to touch the 20-tonstones and walk among them.
This year was only the fourth in the last decade that the site was open for solstice celebrations.
Many locals believe that because the site was donated to the country it should be free and open to visit throughout the year.
"Absolutely, it should be free, it's part of our history, said Kevin Corcoran, 49, who lives four miles from Stonehenge.
Scholars say the circle was built between 3000 and 1600 BC, but there is no consensus on whether it was a temple, a burial ground, an astronomy site, or served a variety of spiritual and temporal purposes.
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WLOX online  (S Mississippi)   Saturday June 21, 2003

Thousands of revelers greet summer at Stonehenge

Stonehenge, England-AP -- This isn't just the day that the new Harry Potter book came out, it's also the first day of summer.
It's an astrological event known at the summer solstice, which in the Northern Hemisphere is the longest day of the year.
In Britain, some 30-thousand New Age followers, self-styled druids and just plain partygoers welcomed the day at Stonehenge. And this year they were in for a real treat -- an actual sunrise. Usually the ancient configuration of giant stones can count on cloudy skies. But this morning when the sun shone brightly on the horizon, revelers whooped with delight, banged drums and blew whistles.
And police report this year's crowd was friendly, with just ten arrests for drugs and drinking.

Washington Times online   Thursday June 20 2002, 04:22 PM

UPI NewsTrack TopNews

Solstice revelers gather at Stonehenge

WILTSHIRE, England, June 21 (UPI) -- More than 30,000 people flocked to Stonehenge to celebrate the summer solstice.
Drums, whistles, shrieks and hollers greeted the sun as it rose over the 5,000-year-old site, the BBC reported.
Samba-style bands played music as thousands danced in the ancient celebration.
The crowd was a mix of druids, pagans, new age travelers, nature lovers and the curious, the BBC said.
Police reported only 10 arrests, mostly for minor offenses. Officers were out in force to prevent any unlicensed "mass gatherings" or parties in the region.
Previous years had been marred by clashes with police and English Heritage had only recently reopened Stonehenge to the public, the BBC said.
Officials said the high number of visitors this year was probably because the solstice fell on a weekend.
The Ministry of Defense had been working with police in recent weeks to ensure a peaceful celebration.

Reuters   Friday June 20, 2003  09:19 AM ET

Druids Gather at Stonehenge for Solstice Party

LONDON (Reuters) - Thousands of robed Druids, spiritualists, ravers and the simply curious were descending on Stonehenge on Friday for what is expected to be the biggest-ever summer solstice celebration at the ancient stone circle. English Heritage, guardians of the site on Salisbury Plain, said they expect up to 30,000 revelers to welcome sunrise at the megaliths with dance and song on Saturday morning, the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere.
"This is the first time the solstice has happened at the weekend for a very long time and unlike last year it is not competing with (soccer's) World Cup," said an English Heritage spokeswoman.
Growing popularity of the event has spurred police to beef up security and enforce tighter controls around the site, open to revelers for solstice celebrations for only the fourth time in a decade.
A Salisbury police spokesman said the crowds will be kept away from the standing stones until 0200 BST, lest than three hours ahead of sunrise at 0446 BST.
The site is open to the public throughout the year, but the solstice allows revelers a rare opportunity to touch the 20-ton stones and walk among them.
Last year close to 20,000 chanted and danced around the stones to welcome sunrise. Among them were hundreds of Druids, a Pagan religious order dating back to Celtic Britain that believes Stonehenge was once a religious site.
Scholars say the circle was built between 3,000 and 1,600 B.C., but there is no consensus on whether it was a temple, a burial ground, an astronomy site or served a variety of spiritual and temporal purposes.
The Met Office has forecast mostly clear skies and a hazy sunshine at Stonehenge for sunrise on Saturday.

The Guardian   Friday June 20, 2003

Village draws lines at solstice party crowd

Maev Kennedy, arts and heritage correspondent

The tiny Wiltshire village of Avebury, the only one in the country built within a prehistoric stone circle, has drawn the line on summer solstice revellers. In fact, it has drawn thousands of metres of lines, a blizzard of double yellow lines along both sides of every narrow road in the village, looping around the minute triangle of green, heading down the lane that leads to the Ridgeway, the track believed to be one of the oldest roads in the country.
The villagers contributed £500 towards the work, and believe it will protect them this weekend from the chaos last year, when hundreds of cars and vans parked all over the village, having moved on from the sunrise celebrations at Stonehenge.
The problems the villagers dread are likely to start today and be over by Sunday, but the yellow lines will be permanent.
The circle of vast stones at Stonehenge, and Avebury, whose towering ramparts of chalk ditches are among the largest man-made monuments in Britain, are 5,000 years old, and part of the same world heritage site.
Some are appalled at the visual impact on a unique site. Kate Fielden, secretary of the Wiltshire Archaeological Society, described yellow lining to prohibit parking without making any extra legitimate arrangements as "a head-in-the-sand situation".
"The yellow lines might even add to the practical problems experienced during the one or two midsummer days of the solstice period. Then and for the rest of the year, they will certainly detract from the visual experience of very many visitors who feel that this is a special place which is, and should remain, the heart of rural England."
Jenny Baldrey, chairman of the Avebury parish council, which campaigned for the yellow lines and raised the villagers' share of the cost, said: "If you go to any honeypot village in the country, if you go to Cornwall, or Godshill on the Isle of Wight, you will see double yellow lines."
"It is a shame, because this is turning into fortress Avebury. Looking out of my window I can see a chain across the entrance to the playing fields, and the Avebury Working Men's club is already locked off, there's a temporary fence on one bit of open land, and the National Trust has put down thousands of wooden posts to stop people parking on the verges."
Although the situation has calmed down dramatically since the near riot at Stonehenge in 1999, when thousands of revellers clashed with heavy handed security, the fence was torn down and children were trampled underfoot in skirmishes in the road, the summer solstice is still the high point of the alternative society summer season. It attracts huge crowds; an improbable and occasionally volatile mix of druids, pagans, new-age travellers, ravers, and the merely curious.
English Heritage has announced that there will be free, open access to Stonehenge from 2am tomorrow, with free parking from midnight tonight. The last admission will be at 11am tomorrow, and all visitors must leave by 2pm - in previous years the site was cleared at breakfast time.
Fires and fireworks, climbing on the stones, amplified music, dogs and glass bottles will be prohibited, but "small amounts of alcohol for personal use" will be allowed.

      World heritage site: Avebury stone circle            PIC1

BBC News    Friday June 20, 2003  06:10 GMT 07:10 UK

Solstice revellers warned off parties

Up to 30,000 people are expected to gather for the solstice Summer solstice revellers heading for Stonehenge have been warned off holding any unlicensed "mass gatherings" after the event. Police in the neighbouring county of Hampshire say they will not tolerate any illegal parties after Saturday's solstice.
Officers are to be out in force in the area between Basingstoke, Andover and the Wiltshire border to thwart any attempts to hold parties.
Up to 30,000 people are already expected to gather during Friday in preparation for the solstice at Stonehenge.
Superintendent Mark Chatterton, Andover's divisional commander, said: "We are not being killjoys, we are all in favour of people having a good time provided the event is properly licensed to ensure that it is safe for everyone.

Speakers seized

"Last month 25,000 people attended the Homelands Festival near Winchester - they enjoyed themselves in a safe and properly organised environment.
"We will not stand for anyone setting up any sort of event that has not been through the safety and licensing process and there is nothing that meets that criteria in Hampshire around the solstice."
The police have said that sound systems and speakers will be seized in the event of an unlicensed gathering.
The Ministry of Defence, a major landowner around Andover, is also working with police to ensure that their sites are secure from occupation by solstice revellers.

The Star (south Africa)   Friday June 20, 2003   p4

More druids dance for solstice every year

London - Paganism and the ancient art of witchcraft are on the rise in Britain as the summer's most celebrated pagan festival approaches.
Experts said television, the Internet, environmentalism and feminism had played a role in the resurgence.
Soaring pagan numbers have churches worrying and calling for stricter controls on cult TV programmes and films that celebrate sorcery, such as the Harry Potter movies, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
Record attendance is expected at dawn on Saturday morning at the mystical megaliths of Stonehenge where pagans have celebrated the summer solstice for thousands of years.

'It's a religion that meets modern needs'

"The rise of interest in paganism is damaging because it normalises spiritual evil by presenting it as mere fantasy and fiction," said Reverend Joel Edwards of the Evangelical Alliance, a grouping of about a million UK Christians.
"The Evangelical Alliance calls on government and TV regulatory bodies to monitor programmes which promote or glamorise pagan issues."
Thirty thousand are expected to dance in the sunrise on summer's longest day at Stonehenge, says English Heritage, which manages the site.
Scholars believe the ring of 20-ton stones was built between 3000 and 1600BC as a sacred temple.
Many of the revellers will be there just to party, but among them will be druids, who believe in spiritual enlightenment through nature, and witches who practise Wicca - harnessing nature's power as magic.

'There are some bloody weird people out there'

At least 10 000 witches and 6 000 druids were practising in Britain at the last estimate in 1996, said history professor Ronald Hutton at Bristol University. He too suggested the number was rising.
"Both the witches and the druids were always heavily outnumbered by what I'd call non-attached pagans," he said. "There are perhaps 100 000 to 120 000 in Britain."
Paganism has been rising in the UK since the 1950s, said Hutton. "It's a religion that meets modern needs," he added. "Traditional religions have so many prohibitions: Thou shalt not do this or that. But paganism has a message of liberation combined with good citizenship."
He pointed to the ancient pagan motto: "And (if) it harm none, do what you will".
Matt McCabe, of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, said his order had grown from a few hundred in the late 1980s to 7 000 worldwide today. He put down much of the growth to the appeal of remote learning via the Internet.
"People are very reassured by the structured learning we can offer via the web," he said.
The 1970s environmental movement also had an impact, said McCabe, with a lot of environmentalists attracted to paganism because of its veneration of nature.
Hutton said feminism in the 1980s had a similar effect, with women drawn to the female goddess-figure. Then in the 1990s came the TV programmes Buffy and Sabrina, about teenagers with supernatural powers.
"Anything that makes teenage girls feel powerful is bound to go down well," joked McCabe.
Kevin Carlyon, High Priest of British White Witches, said the Harry Potter books and movies in recent years had continued the trend, helping to create what he called "the fastest-growing belief system in the world". But it was not all good, he added.
Fresh back from a trip to Scotland to lift an old hex from the Loch Ness Monster, he warned teenagers against joining witch covens too young.
"There are some bloody weird people out there," he said. - Reuters

BBC News    Tuesday June 17, 2003   09:45 GMT 10:45 UK

Stonehenge's summer solstice goes ahead

Tighter controls are planned for an expected 23,000 visitors to Stonehenge for the summer solstice. New restrictions this year will mean visitors will not be able to get onto the site until 0200 BST and will be banned from bringing sleeping bags.
The stones will be open from 0200 BST to 12 noon on Saturday 21 June, and access will be free.
Visitors face random searches before entering the site.
Dr Simon Thurley, chief executive of English Heritage, said: "We are very pleased to welcome people to Stonehenge to celebrate the summer solstice.
Conditions of entry No climbing on the stones No large bags, rucksacks or sleeping bags No fires, flaming torches, candles or fireworks No amplified music: acoustic only No dogs or pets No tents or garden furniture No glass or cans No bikes.
"We have set conditions of entry which are in accordance with our duty of care to the public and to Stonehenge."
Kevin Carlyon, a self-confessed white witch, told the BBC: "I can see where they are coming from. "Plastic only is a good idea, for example, as people do try and scratch their initials into the stone with pens and so on."
English Heritage says drunken, disorderly or antisocial behaviour will not be tolerated and that only small amounts of alcohol for personal use will be permitted.
English Heritage reserves the right to refuse admission.

   English Heritage says it has a duty to protect the site         PIC1