Stonehenge was round

[Duncan Head]

I suppose we've all seen the short hosepipe story:

http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2014/sep/01/stonehenge-dry-spell-grass-perfect-circle

http://antiquity.ac.uk/ant/088/ant0880733.htm

[Imperial Dave]

does this mean to say that nobody has ever noticed any brown scorch marks in previous hot summers especially in 1976 (for instance) unless English Heretics have been faithfully watering the grass since time immemorial? 

[Erpingham]

does this mean to say that nobody has ever noticed any brown scorch marks in previous hot summers especially in 1976 (for instance) unless English Heretics have been faithfully watering the grass since time immemorial?

Old style grounds maintenance probably has something to do with it but surveying for parchmarks probably focused on unknown areas, rather than on the world famous monument that had been frequently excavated down the road.  Using drones, small scale aerial photography of sites is a lot more possible now too.

[Imperial Dave]

more info here

http://www.sarsen.org/

[Sharur]

does this mean to say that nobody has ever noticed any brown scorch marks in previous hot summers especially in 1976 (for instance) unless English Heretics have been faithfully watering the grass since time immemorial?

Public access was available to all parts of the site until 1977, so any "scorch" marks before then would probably have been ignored as simply soil damage. As the monument was roped-off after then because of the amount of soil erosion, it's likely more care was taken over grass maintenance in the subsequent period. Presumably, cuts to public funding have meant less care has been taken over such things in the last few years. No doubt in a few more years it'll have been knocked down for a housing estate on the outskirts of London anyway...

[Duncan Head]

And it was in quite a crowded landscape: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-29126854

[Imperial Dave]

Yes, saw that Duncan, really interesting. Fascinating new insights coming to light on what many would have thought was one of the most investigated square few miles of our landscape