Latest news with #JenniferWexler
South Wales Guardian
21-06-2025
- Climate
- South Wales Guardian
Thousands brave the heat to watch summer solstice sunrise
Those who gathered for the spectacle on Saturday at the neolithic monument in Wiltshire braved a warm start to the morning as they marked the year's longest day. Temperatures in Salisbury and Greater London reached 18C by 5am, according to the Met Office. The weather bureau confirmed that Yeovilton in Somerset and Crosby in Merseyside recorded the highest overnight temperatures in England, both reaching 19.7C by 6am on Saturday. Towns in Cumbria and Lancashire also recorded temperatures above 19C. An amber heat-health alert for all regions in England remains in place for the weekend. Solstice events at Stonehenge mark some of the rare occasions visitors are allowed close to the stones at the World Heritage site. English Heritage said around 25,000 people were at Stonehenge, with more than 400,000 views from around the world on the charity's livestream of the sunrise, which was greeted by the traditional drumming, chanting and cheering. Richard Dewdney, English Heritage's head of operations at Stonehenge, said: 'Coming together at Stonehenge for the summer solstice is a tradition that brings people from near and far, to see in the start of the longest day and celebrate the changing seasons. 'This morning was a joyous and peaceful occasion with the most beautiful sunrise. It is fantastic to see Stonehenge continuing to enchant and connect people. From sunset to sunrise, there was a fantastic atmosphere enjoyed by all, making for a truly memorable experience. 'Ensuring summer solstice at Stonehenge is a safe, enjoyable and sustainable occasion is a major operation that relies on our exceptional staff, volunteers, and the invaluable support of our partners, notably Wiltshire Council and emergency services. We look forward to welcoming people to the summer solstice again next year.' In the lead up to the event, both Stonehenge and Wiltshire Police posted social media warnings about heavy traffic and pedestrians. Stonehenge is a monument built on the alignment of the midsummer sunrise and the midwinter sunset. On the summer solstice, the sun rises behind the Heel Stone -the ancient entrance to the Stone Circle – and rays of sunlight are channelled into the centre of the monument. It is believed solstices have been celebrated at Stonehenge for thousands of years. The summer solstice takes place as one of the Earth's poles has its maximum tilt toward the sun as it reaches its highest position in the sky, ensuring the longest period of daylight for the year. English Heritage curator of history Jennifer Wexler said people had been marking the solstice at the stones going back thousands of years. 'The solstice at Stonehenge is one of our most special moments,' she told an English Heritage live stream. 'It's the longest day of the year, but also the time when the sun is the highest in the sky. 'We think people were marking it here on site and gathering here for thousands of years.' The amber heat-health alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for the first time since September 2023, is in force until 9am on Monday.
Glasgow Times
21-06-2025
- Climate
- Glasgow Times
Thousands brave the heat to watch summer solstice sunrise
Those who gathered for the spectacle on Saturday at the neolithic monument in Wiltshire braved a warm start to the morning as they marked the year's longest day. Temperatures in Salisbury and Greater London reached 18C by 5am, according to the Met Office. The weather bureau confirmed that Yeovilton in Somerset and Crosby in Merseyside recorded the highest overnight temperatures in England, both reaching 19.7C by 6am on Saturday. Towns in Cumbria and Lancashire also recorded temperatures above 19C. An amber heat-health alert for all regions in England remains in place for the weekend. Solstice events at Stonehenge mark some of the rare occasions visitors are allowed close to the stones at the World Heritage site. English Heritage said around 25,000 people were at Stonehenge, with more than 400,000 views from around the world on the charity's livestream of the sunrise, which was greeted by the traditional drumming, chanting and cheering. People gather at Stonehenge (PA) Richard Dewdney, English Heritage's head of operations at Stonehenge, said: 'Coming together at Stonehenge for the summer solstice is a tradition that brings people from near and far, to see in the start of the longest day and celebrate the changing seasons. 'This morning was a joyous and peaceful occasion with the most beautiful sunrise. It is fantastic to see Stonehenge continuing to enchant and connect people. From sunset to sunrise, there was a fantastic atmosphere enjoyed by all, making for a truly memorable experience. 'Ensuring summer solstice at Stonehenge is a safe, enjoyable and sustainable occasion is a major operation that relies on our exceptional staff, volunteers, and the invaluable support of our partners, notably Wiltshire Council and emergency services. We look forward to welcoming people to the summer solstice again next year.' In the lead up to the event, both Stonehenge and Wiltshire Police posted social media warnings about heavy traffic and pedestrians. Stonehenge is a monument built on the alignment of the midsummer sunrise and the midwinter sunset. On the summer solstice, the sun rises behind the Heel Stone -the ancient entrance to the Stone Circle – and rays of sunlight are channelled into the centre of the monument. It is believed solstices have been celebrated at Stonehenge for thousands of years. (PA Graphics) The summer solstice takes place as one of the Earth's poles has its maximum tilt toward the sun as it reaches its highest position in the sky, ensuring the longest period of daylight for the year. English Heritage curator of history Jennifer Wexler said people had been marking the solstice at the stones going back thousands of years. 'The solstice at Stonehenge is one of our most special moments,' she told an English Heritage live stream. 'It's the longest day of the year, but also the time when the sun is the highest in the sky. 'We think people were marking it here on site and gathering here for thousands of years.' The sun rises over The Shard in London (PA) The amber heat-health alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for the first time since September 2023, is in force until 9am on Monday.
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Yahoo
'Record-breaking' solstice crowd at Stonehenge
About 25,000 people have celebrated the summer solstice at Stonehenge - a record breaking crowd. The event is one of the few occasions people can walk next to the stones at the ancient site near Salisbury in Wiltshire. It comes on what could be the UK's hottest day of the year so far with temperatures predicted to peak at 34C. Stonehenge's operations manager Julia Richardson told the BBC it had been a peaceful event with an "amazing atmosphere". She added it was a "perfect combination" of the warm weather and solstice falling on a weekend that brought the crowds out. Jennifer Wexler, Stonehenge's curator of history, said the sunrise had been "amazing". "It's a really wonderful way to come and mark this seasonal moment in time," she added. Wiltshire Police said this year's celebration at Stonehenge was "a safe and successful occasion". "There were some traffic issues due to vehicles being abandoned which meant we had to close some roads around the site for the protection of pedestrians on the A303 and A360," it said. "Once the car park at Stonehenge was full motorists chose to park along the main roads, which caused further safety concerns and traffic management issues. "We appreciate the patience of those effected by the delays." The solstice attracted people from as far away as Hong Kong and America, along with thousands from the UK. Abigail Ng, 28, has lived in the UK for more than a decade and said she felt she had to visit Stonehenge before moving back home to Hong Kong. She said she was drawn to Stonehenge after hearing about the atmosphere and pagan festivals and traditions. "I had to come here before I left," she said. "So I grabbed my best friend who lives up in Edinburgh and dragged her here this morning." And, one family from Atlanta, Georgia, celebrated an 18th birthday at Stonehenge. They said when she was born they would take her to Stonehenge for the landmark birthday. "The weather has been absolutely amazing, the people have been amazing," said mum Kerri Hobson-Pape said. She said it is "really special" to be there for the solstice. Elsewhere, a crowd gathered on Glastonbury Tor to watch the sunrise ahead of the music festival next week. Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Thousands celebrate solstice at Stonehenge as UK faces 34C heat on longest day of year Yellow storm warning issued as UK heatwave set to continue English Heritage
The Independent
21-06-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Thousands watch sunrise over Stonehenge during summer solstice heat
Thousands of people gathered at Stonehenge in Wiltshire on Saturday to celebrate the summer solstice, marking the year's longest day. Attendees experienced warm temperatures, with Salisbury and Greater London reaching 18C by 5am, and some areas like Yeovilton and Crosby recording nearly 20C overnight. The solstice event is one of the rare occasions visitors are allowed close to the stones at the World Heritage site, which is aligned with the midsummer sunrise. English Heritage curator Jennifer Wexler highlighted that people have been marking the solstice at Stonehenge for thousands of years, observing the sun rising behind the Heel Stone. An amber heat-health alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency, remains in effect for all regions in England until Monday morning, following a heatwave that began on Friday.
South Wales Argus
21-06-2025
- Climate
- South Wales Argus
Thousands brave the heat to watch summer solstice sunrise
Those who gathered for the spectacle on Saturday at the neolithic monument in Wiltshire braved a warm start to the morning as they marked the year's longest day. Temperatures in Salisbury and Greater London reached 18C by 5am, according to the Met Office. The weather bureau confirmed that Yeovilton in Somerset and Crosby in Merseyside recorded the highest overnight temperatures in England, both reaching 19.7C by 6am on Saturday. The sun rises over Cullercoats Bay on North Tyneside (Owen Humphreys/PA) Towns in Cumbria and Lancashire also recorded temperatures above 19C. An amber heat-health alert for all regions in England remains in place for the weekend. Solstice events at Stonehenge mark some of the rare occasions visitors are allowed close to the stones at the World Heritage site. In the lead up to the event, both Stonehenge and Wiltshire Police posted social media warnings about heavy traffic and pedestrians. Stonehenge is a monument built on the alignment of the midsummer sunrise and the midwinter sunset. On the summer solstice, the sun rises behind the Heel Stone -the ancient entrance to the Stone Circle – and rays of sunlight are channelled into the centre of the monument. It is believed solstices have been celebrated at Stonehenge for thousands of years. (PA Graphics) The summer solstice takes place as one of the Earth's poles has its maximum tilt toward the sun as it reaches its highest position in the sky, ensuring the longest period of daylight for the year. English Heritage curator of history Jennifer Wexler said people had been marking the solstice at the stones going back thousands of years. 'The solstice at Stonehenge is one of our most special moments,' she told an English Heritage live stream. 'It's the longest day of the year, but also the time when the sun is the highest in the sky. 'We think people were marking it here on site and gathering here for thousands of years.' The sun rises over The Shard in London (PA) The Met Office confirmed that 'many places' in England and 'one or two areas' in Wales, including Cardiff, entered a heatwave on Friday. The amber heat-health alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for the first time since September 2023, is in force until 9am on Monday.
