Barry Hancock writes: Stonehenge summer solstice 1988 Ok just to set the scene, this picture is of the altar stone at stonehenge its where I woke up on summer solstice morning 88 with a wound on the side of my head and my long hair streaked with blood. Here the story unfolds . . . .. Well going down stonehenge in 88 and expecting there to be a festival was a bit adventurous to say the least. The few years before had seen a massive police presence all over Wiltshire so much so that some called it a policed state for the whole of june (not to mention Beanfield 85). But anyway we were determined to have a festival come what may. I cant remember where the festival site was or how I got there but I do remember it was in the woods a mile or so from the stones. I recall being camped in the same area as a couple I knew from Surrey who wanted to have a druid wedding that year Salmon and Corrine. Also camped near us were two guys and a girl from the Chertsey (Surrey) area who had a land rover pick up. The atmosphere was great there, it was really feeling like how it should with good vibes, music, campfires and fun. Dont recall how long I was there before the solstice but it seemed like a good few days. So on solstice eve youve got the festival going full swing and the evenings drawing in and I guess a lot of people are thinking about the march up to the stones personally I hadnt given it much thought - I was just enjoying the warm vibes of the festie. Sometime towards early evening Im chilling out round where Im camped probably having food then someone offers me a cup of mushy tea which I savour slowly (whether this was the best thing to do considering how things panned out later who knows, but thats hindsight for you) then as the night gets later and later people start to talk about going up to the stones - I cant say I was entirely enthusiastic about the idea of walking a great distance due to the increasing effect the mushy tea was having on me, but anyway I warmed to the idea little by little. Ok so we set off or should I say I dragged myself along while the crowd overtook me. It seemed like a long and tiring tramp but we got there in the end or as far as we were going to get for the time being . . . . . Lets put it this way, arrayed along a considerable length of the road that runs adjacent to the stones was first us the hippies, then a line of grey waist-high metal barriers, then a line of normal police, then a line of riot police. So there was a stand off which lasted I dont know how long but there came a time when the line broke and all I can remember is loads of chaos, barriers breaking up and truncheons flying, basically everything just erupted. I dont remember anything else until daybreak. Were back to where I started this post - Ive just woken up and its broad daylight, Ive just been made aware (whether intuitively or someone telling me) that Im laying on the altar stone and the wound on the side of my head tells me Im injured, so because Im laying on the altar stone injured my first thought is; oh no Ive been sacrificed - thankfully this thought did not last for long - I got off the stone to realise that there were about 4 or 5 people standing close by, one of them said something along the lines of; you had a good time last night to which I thought; that could mean anything under the sun, whether good bad or just plain weird but I get the feeling they meant good. Its a shame there wasnt more time to have a chinwag but before I knew it we were being chased off the field by the boys in blue - but while this was happening I had the perception that because the cows in the field were running away from the cops, I actually thought the cops were chasing the cows - poor cows - nasty policemen! I started shouting at the cops to stop chasing the cows - such compassion - hilarious - (all thanks to Mr Mushy! ).when I did get out onto the road I got to what I recall to be an acute angled crossroads and I couldnt make up my mind which way I should go to get back to the festie - Id in down one road then change my mind and try another road - it was so confusing - what a headbanger! Got back to site to find the cops evicting everyone - what an atmosphere change from the night before. Basically the cops were saying get your stuff in your motor and drive. Salmon and Corrine had left already - I got a lift with the people from the Chertsey area because I lived in Dorking which was close enough anyway it was kind of them to help me out even if it did mean four in the front of a land rover. So I packed up my tent and stuff and headed off to . . . . Well I think we stopped off in Addlestone (near Chertsey) at a chemist to get some paracetamol for me to take due to my injury. Next stop was a very quiet travellers site where I could stay. There were only about three benders max in the field. I stashed my tent and stuff in a guys bender hoping to get it later after Id been to the local hospital to get my head checked out (I never did make it back). The local hospital was a long walk away and when I got there I was told that I might not be seen for a couple of hours - the thought of waiting somewhere for a couple of hours was not something I thought I could cope with - I was too restless - so I went for what I intended to be a walk around the block maybe find a shop and then saunter back to the hospital in a bit more of a collected state of mind (never made it back there either). The last thing I remember that night was talking to a tramp somewhere in Addlestone sitting by what seemed to be the river, and I think thats where I slept. Well thats it. Sorry its a bit long, but its a bit difficult trying to keep something like that short. I guess part of the reason for writing this is to try to piece together and make sense of such a chaotic yet beautiful time of my life. My closing sentiment is quite ironic; THAT WAS MY LONGEST DAY!!!
Posted on: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 16:19:51 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015