HAVE you ever asked yourself how Stonehenge came to be built on Salisbury Plain? According to legend, it was transported there from Mount Killaraus in Ireland by the wizard Merlin. He was sent with an army to dismantle the circle and bring it to England, where it would serve as a monument to noble Britons killed in Saxon raids. Merlin had some fun with the soldiers in Ireland, laughing at their futile attempts to move the stones by brute force, before demonstrating his own superior engineering skills that allowed him to take them down with ease and have them carried to the ships and loaded. Once on Salisbury Plain, Stonehenge was set up in the same position as before, as Merlin looked on in satisfaction, making pointed remarks about the superiority of brains over brawn.
Once upon a time, many people would have known this vivid account, because it was included in a history of Britain by 12th-century writer Geoffrey of Monmouth. His book was copied countless times, the stories it contained repeated for centuries. Geoffrey, it must be said, was regarded with withering scorn by contemporary historians for his highly picturesque renditions of things he could have known little if anything about—but that did nothing to dent his popularity with readers.
Denne historien er fra November 22, 2023-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra November 22, 2023-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
