Winter solstice attracts thousands to Stonehenge

Thousands of people greeted the sun with cheers as it rose over Stonehenge for the winter solstice yesterday morning.

- MAANYA SACHDEVA

Those who observed the spectacle at the neolithic monument on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire braved a blustery morning and overcast skies to catch a glimpse of the sun on the shortest day of the year. The winter solstice marks a seasonal turning point in the northern hemisphere, after which the days grow longer and nights become shorter.

It is believed that solstices have been celebrated at Stonehenge, a monument built on the alignment of the midsummer sunrise and the midwinter sunset, for thousands of years.

Describing yesterday’s “peaceful celebration” at the monument, Rebecca Eade from English Heritage, said: “It was wonderful to welcome approximately 6,000 people to Stonehenge this morning to celebrate a chilly winter solstice. We were delighted that a further 98,500 people watched the sunrise live online from right around the world. It was a peaceful celebration and despite a cloudy and blustery start, people did enjoy a bright winter solstice sunrise.”

Arthur Pendragon, a man who claims he is the reincarnation of King Arthur, knighted followers during the celebrations at Stonehenge – complete with music and dance.

“It evokes the start or perhaps hope for something new, marking both an annual cycle and change – all things that draw people to the site at this time of the year,” British Museum’s World of Stonehenge exhibition curator Dr Jennifer Wexler told The Guardian.