Stonehenge is widely recognized today as a prehistoric site, often linked to the druids and ancient Celts. It was used for religious rituals and believed to be a place of worship for the cult of the dead. But how was it perceived in the Middle Ages? Was it simply abandoned to the passage of time?
Much like today, medieval people were fascinated by the monument and wondered about its significance. Stories about the origins of this enigmatic site emerged during the Middle Ages, and several medieval artists depicted it, providing us with insights into how they viewed the monument.
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Recent discoveries of chapels, shrines, and burial mounds indicate that the monument was used long after it was believed to have ceased serving religious purposes. Some scholars suggest that the bluestones comprising parts of Stonehenge may have had healing properties. Geoffrey Wainwright believed that ancient pilgrims used the monument for healing, although this view might be influenced by early medieval stories about healing stones and waters popular at the time.
The famous Arthurian author Geoffrey of Monmouth (1100-1155) wrote about Stonehenge in 1136. He claimed that it was commissioned by the mythical Briton king, Aurelius Ambrosius, while in exile in Brittany. According to Geoffrey, it was built as a memorial to 460 slain British lords betrayed by Vortigern and the Saxons. The men were tricked into meeting at the site to broker a peace treaty but were slaughtered instead.
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When Aurelius returned, he tasked Merlin with creating a memorial for the fallen. Merlin is said to have transported the stones from Ireland using his magic. Eventually, Aurelius and King Arthur’s father, Uther Pendragon, were supposedly buried there. This is one of the most popular medieval foundation stories surrounding the monument, firmly cementing Stonehenge’s association with the mythical Arthurian past.
Henry of Huntingdon (1088-1157) also wrote about Stonehenge in his Historia Anglorum, an account of England’s history up to 1154. In a section about the marvels of Britain, he writes:
The second marvel is Stonehenge, where stones of amazing bigness are raised in manner of gateways; nor can any one find out by what contrivance stones so great have been raised to such a height, or for what reason they have been erected in that place.
Stonehenge was also depicted by the Norman poet Wace (1110-1174) in his Roman de Brut, a literary history based on Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae. This work includes one of the earliest illustrations of the monument in the Middle Ages, showing Stonehenge and Merlin.
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A giant helps Merlin build Stonehenge. From a manuscript of the Roman de Brut by Wace in the British Library – MS Egerton 3028.
For one of the earliest known accurate depictions of Stonehenge, we turn to Flemish portrait painter Lucas de Heere (1534-1584). De Heere fled to England after Philip II of Spain (1527-1598) tried to suppress Protestantism. As a religious exile, he lived in England and became popular in the Tudor court. While in exile, he compiled a book about his time in England, covering everything from history to fashion and customs. His detailed painting of Stonehenge, created around 1570, is now in the British Library in London.
In 2006, a third medieval depiction of Stonehenge was discovered, dating to the 1440s. Historian Christian Heck made the discovery while examining medieval illuminated manuscripts at the Douai library in Lille. The drawing, found in folio 55R of the Scala Mundi text, is accompanied by Latin text that reads: “That year Merlin, not by force but by art, brought and erected the giants’ round from Ireland, at Stonehenge near Amesbury.”
Folio 55R in the Scala Mundi text
Stonehenge fascinated medieval writers, who incorporated it into their pseudo-histories of England and saw it as a link to a national, Arthurian past. The ancient site continues to captivate modern scholars, who debate its meaning and origins.
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Top Image: Lucas de Heere’ drawing of Stonehenge from the 1570s.
Stonehenge is widely recognized today as a prehistoric site, often linked to the druids and ancient Celts. It was used for religious rituals and believed to be a place of worship for the cult of the dead. But how was it perceived in the Middle Ages? Was it simply abandoned to the passage of time?
Much like today, medieval people were fascinated by the monument and wondered about its significance. Stories about the origins of this enigmatic site emerged during the Middle Ages, and several medieval artists depicted it, providing us with insights into how they viewed the monument.
Recent discoveries of chapels, shrines, and burial mounds indicate that the monument was used long after it was believed to have ceased serving religious purposes. Some scholars suggest that the bluestones comprising parts of Stonehenge may have had healing properties. Geoffrey Wainwright believed that ancient pilgrims used the monument for healing, although this view might be influenced by early medieval stories about healing stones and waters popular at the time.
The famous Arthurian author Geoffrey of Monmouth (1100-1155) wrote about Stonehenge in 1136. He claimed that it was commissioned by the mythical Briton king, Aurelius Ambrosius, while in exile in Brittany. According to Geoffrey, it was built as a memorial to 460 slain British lords betrayed by Vortigern and the Saxons. The men were tricked into meeting at the site to broker a peace treaty but were slaughtered instead.
When Aurelius returned, he tasked Merlin with creating a memorial for the fallen. Merlin is said to have transported the stones from Ireland using his magic. Eventually, Aurelius and King Arthur’s father, Uther Pendragon, were supposedly buried there. This is one of the most popular medieval foundation stories surrounding the monument, firmly cementing Stonehenge’s association with the mythical Arthurian past.
Henry of Huntingdon (1088-1157) also wrote about Stonehenge in his Historia Anglorum, an account of England’s history up to 1154. In a section about the marvels of Britain, he writes:
The second marvel is Stonehenge, where stones of amazing bigness are raised in manner of gateways; nor can any one find out by what contrivance stones so great have been raised to such a height, or for what reason they have been erected in that place.
Stonehenge was also depicted by the Norman poet Wace (1110-1174) in his Roman de Brut, a literary history based on Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae. This work includes one of the earliest illustrations of the monument in the Middle Ages, showing Stonehenge and Merlin.
For one of the earliest known accurate depictions of Stonehenge, we turn to Flemish portrait painter Lucas de Heere (1534-1584). De Heere fled to England after Philip II of Spain (1527-1598) tried to suppress Protestantism. As a religious exile, he lived in England and became popular in the Tudor court. While in exile, he compiled a book about his time in England, covering everything from history to fashion and customs. His detailed painting of Stonehenge, created around 1570, is now in the British Library in London.
In 2006, a third medieval depiction of Stonehenge was discovered, dating to the 1440s. Historian Christian Heck made the discovery while examining medieval illuminated manuscripts at the Douai library in Lille. The drawing, found in folio 55R of the Scala Mundi text, is accompanied by Latin text that reads: “That year Merlin, not by force but by art, brought and erected the giants’ round from Ireland, at Stonehenge near Amesbury.”
Stonehenge fascinated medieval writers, who incorporated it into their pseudo-histories of England and saw it as a link to a national, Arthurian past. The ancient site continues to captivate modern scholars, who debate its meaning and origins.
Top Image: Lucas de Heere’ drawing of Stonehenge from the 1570s.
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