Stonehenge./ plus Matt pope.

New bus service connecting Avebury and Stonehenge

A minibus service connecting Avebury and Stonehenge is being planned by the Devizes-based Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society. The society, which runs Wiltshire Heritage Museum in Devizes, hopes to have the service up and running by the Festival of British Archaeology in August.
     It is the brainchild of David Dawson, the director of the museum. He said: "It is still in the planning stage but we have submitted an application for funding, which we should hear about in two or three weeks' time. The route will run through August and September this year as a pilot. Depending on its success, we would want to run it throughout next summer and possibly make it all year round."
     The route will start at Avebury, travel through Beckhampton, with a side trip to Silbury Hill, West Kennett and the Sanctuary. Then it will head to Devizes, with stops at the museum and Wadworth's and on to Durrington, Amesbury and Stonehenge. The return trip from Stonehenge will also take in Alton Barnes White Horse and the recently opened Great Stones Way footpath. Tickets will be £10.To comment on the idea go to www.wiltshireheritage.org.uk

Dig to discover Jersey's Ice Age

A team of archaeologists have announced they are to investigate an Ice Age site in Jersey, a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy (France). An initial 18-day dig is to take place at seven sites including La Cotte, where Ice Age remains have been found. The 21-strong crew includes researchers from Southampton University, University College London, and the British Museum.
     Matthew Pope, a team member, said the dig aimed to be the most systematic study of how human life evolved in Jersey in a generation. He said: "La Cotte de St Brelade is a very important site that we all learnt about doing our undergraduate courses. No-one has looked at it in 30 years, which is why we want to do a full survey."
     In addition to La Cotte, the team plans to dig at Les Landes, and sites along the south coast from St Helier to Seymour Tower. The team, which is working with Jersey Heritage, intend to explore the sites over several years.