STONEHENGE, England -- Thousands of partygoers, pagans and self-styled Druids cheered and banged drums yesterday to greet the dawn at Stonehenge on the longest day of the year, the summer solstice.
Blowhorns signalled the rise of the sun over the ancient stone circle at 4:58 a.m. - although in typically English fashion, the sunrise was barely visible through the clouds.
Still, the mist and drizzle did not dampen the spirits of revellers who gathered under umbrellas, ponchos and plastic bags to greet the dawn.
"I've done this for the last three years," said Peter Rawcliffe, 26, who cycled the 80 km from his home in Oxford.
"I suppose I'm a bit of a closet druid. It's a really magical experience," he said.
Police estimated 28,000 revellers had made the trip, one of the largest numbers in years. There were 15 arrests for theft and minor offences.
Trevor Wyatt, 55, described the historic site as his "cathedral ... It's been a sacred place for 6,000 years for the people of this country."
Wyatt, who lives in London, said he is neither pagan nor druid, "just English."
In ancient times, a Druid was a member of the Celtic priesthood who would act as priest, arbitrator, scholar, magistrate and healer. They appeared in sagas and in Christian legends as magicians or wizards.
Solstice celebrations were a highlight of the pre-Christian calendar and in many countries bonfires, maypole dances and courtship rituals linger on as holdovers from Europe's pagan past.
Stonehenge, on Salisbury Plain, about 130 km southwest of London, was built in three phases between 3000 BC and 1600 BC. New evidence suggests the stone circle was used as a burial ground. It is one of Britain's most popular tourist attractions, drawing more than 750,000 visitors a year.
Blowhorns signalled the rise of the sun over the ancient stone circle at 4:58 a.m. - although in typically English fashion, the sunrise was barely visible through the clouds.
Still, the mist and drizzle did not dampen the spirits of revellers who gathered under umbrellas, ponchos and plastic bags to greet the dawn.
"I've done this for the last three years," said Peter Rawcliffe, 26, who cycled the 80 km from his home in Oxford.
"I suppose I'm a bit of a closet druid. It's a really magical experience," he said.
Police estimated 28,000 revellers had made the trip, one of the largest numbers in years. There were 15 arrests for theft and minor offences.
Trevor Wyatt, 55, described the historic site as his "cathedral ... It's been a sacred place for 6,000 years for the people of this country."
Wyatt, who lives in London, said he is neither pagan nor druid, "just English."
In ancient times, a Druid was a member of the Celtic priesthood who would act as priest, arbitrator, scholar, magistrate and healer. They appeared in sagas and in Christian legends as magicians or wizards.
Solstice celebrations were a highlight of the pre-Christian calendar and in many countries bonfires, maypole dances and courtship rituals linger on as holdovers from Europe's pagan past.
Stonehenge, on Salisbury Plain, about 130 km southwest of London, was built in three phases between 3000 BC and 1600 BC. New evidence suggests the stone circle was used as a burial ground. It is one of Britain's most popular tourist attractions, drawing more than 750,000 visitors a year.
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