Saturday 27 July 2013

First Balloon Aerial Photos of Stonehenge - supersize

 

Click photos for much larger versions 
Lieut. P H Sharpe, RE photograph taken from a balloon, exhibited 6th Dec 1906, published in Archaeologia Vol LX
 

1 comment:

  1. Hi Tim,
    I have this one (as I suppose everyone does) in my collection - but there's always something to be said about good resolution. The large version of this is great!
    All this time I thought Y&Z parchmarks could be detected, when they simply turn out to be footprints.

    A lot of the 'mysterious' breaks in the Henge are clearly identified, as is the original Byway 12.
    This Byway continued to be used by the Military as quick-passage between the new Aerodrome, nearby to the Southwest, to the Larkhill training camps through the close of WWI. There are numerous photos of the Henge from it.

    Heavy traffic over many years had by then obliterated the North Barrow.
    Notice that the present Tourist Walkway closely mirrors the path of this poorly planned road.

    During WWI, flyers with this viewpoint complained that Stonehenge was a distraction while attempting to land and a dead-serious petition was submitted to the Home Office from the War Ministry to have the site bulldozed!
    Thankfully, wiser heads prevailed.

    Antrobus' infamous fence is in clear evidence, as is the odd enclosure around SS-93.

    Erecting the needful supporting telegraph poles 2 years before interfered with the shortcut pathway on the east side, where we see the center portion starting to heal a bit. The northeast section of it then doubled as an Entrance from the Ticket Office, located right next to the Heelstone. 1 shilling got you admitted, though the picnic lunch was offered at an additional charge.

    Great view of the fallen West Trilithon and we can see the now-righted, slightly skewed Stone 56.

    Keep 'em coming!
    Neil

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