Postcards, photos, Great Trilithon toasting forks and Spinal Tap: Stonehenge as tourist attraction
This article originally appeared on Culture24.
A new exhibition at Stonehenge tells the story of the famous monument as a tourist attraction. Here are ten tasters
An early postcard of Stonehenge, from the turn of the centuryThe new exhibition looks at another side of the famous stone circle – with an array of fascinating objects from the past few centuries on display.
Victorian Stonehenge porcelain
An example of late 19th century china depicting Stonehenge, before the tallest Sarsen stone was set straight.Highlights include Victorian china, the very first Stonehenge guidebook, printed in 1823 and an array of memorabilia ranging from a Great Trilithon-shaped toasting fork to postcards and snapshots through the decades.
A century of Stonehenge postcards 
100 years of Stonehenge postcardsIt's possible Stonehenge was considered a tourist attraction as early as the Roman period, and medieval people certainly visited the site - describing it as one of the wonders of the world. If only they had thought of postcards...
A Victorian tourist attraction 
An early 'tinted' postcard of Stonehenge The Wish You Were Here! exhibition begins with Stonehenge in Victorian
times when cards
in sepia and lurid ‘tints’ made an appearance. The changing face of the monument is then traced through war and peace and the post-war
years, both as a tourist attraction and global icon.
Tickets to get in
Early child and adult Stonehenge admission tickets, dated 19th August 1934Though an isolated ruin in the early 19th Century, the ancient monument saw
enough visitors to warrant the production of the first guide books and
souvenirs. In 1901 an admission charge was introduced to address the
cost of increasing amounts of damage and to help pay for a police
constable.
Great Trilithon toasting fork
A Great Trilithon shaped toasting forkPostcards went on sale in the early 1900s. It was just the beginning; a little further into the century toasting forks made an appearance.
Spinal Tap
The iconic Spinal Tap shaped LPBy the 1970s, the growing international recognition of
Stonehenge spawned an eclectic range of art,
music and popular culture. By the 1980s Spinal Tap got in on the act with their much-vaunted and misguided Stonehenge stage show, an epic song - and this Stonehenge-shaped LP.
The Stonehenge turnstiles 
An Amesbury resident at the turnstile for Stonehenge, 1935© Wiltshire Swindon History Centre and J Fuller“Anyone visiting Stonehenge today is part of a long tradition," says
curator and archaeologist Julian Richards. "I am fascinated by how
Stonehenge has been experienced by visitors over the years and the way
in which it has been used as an inspiration for art and music."
Postcards, postcards, postcards...
The best selling Stonehenge postcard of 2015The archaeologist, broadcaster and writer has been studying Stonehenge
and its landscape for 35 years and has been collecting ‘Stonehengiana’
for years. Many items from his personal collection feature in the
exhibition.
Comics, jigsaws, plates... You name it, Wish You Were Here! has it
English Heritage staff and Curator Julian Richards place objects in the display cases for the new Stonehenge exhibition, 'Wish You Were Here'"There are things here that I hope will make visitors smile," adds Richards. "Welcome to the wonderful world of Stonehenge!”
Wish You Were Here! runs from May 1 2015 until March 2016. Admission is included in the entry price for Stonehenge. Visitors are invited to share their experiences on social media with the hashtag #stonehengewishyouwerehere.What do you think? Leave a comment below. More on Stonehenge:
English Heritage and National Trust welcome Stonehenge tunnel plans
Stonehenge "may never be the same again" as new digital map reveals stunning hidden archaeology
Archaeologists say Stonehenge was "London of the Mesolithic" in Amesbury investigation
New visitor centre for Stonehenge finally opens to the public
Source: http://www.culture24.org.uk/history-and-heritage/archaeology/art525667-postcards-photos-great-trilithon-toasting-forks-and-spinal-tap-ten-stonehenge-tourist-gifts
