Moonlight on Stonehenge and Other Stone Circles

Who is this course for?

Our weekend courses are open to all adult learners with an interest in the subject and are taught at approximately first-year undergraduate level. 

Please complete any required reading before the course starts. This will allow you to fully participate and get the maximum enjoyment out of your course.

Course content

This course allows us to discuss the ‘big questions’ about stone circles and their landscape. Why are they where they are? What were they for? Looking at new discoveries at The Ness of Brodgar, Callanish, Stonehenge, Knowth and the Mull Circle, we will examine Neolithic and early Bronze Age monumentalisation of these landscapes and assess how and why people kept a close connection with them for thousands of years.   

Why did people imbue particular places and celestial objects with meaning for so long: stone and wood, moon and sun, rivers and springs and the land around them? Why did they cease? This course takes you on a journey through sites in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and the Isle of Man to better understand stone circles, barrows and other monuments in general in an attempt to 'decode' their meanings. 

Aims

This course aims to:

• offer a broadly chronological survey of Stonehenge and other major Neolithic and early Bronze age stone circles  
• enable you to place your own research interests within the broader context of developments in human society/culture in the Neolithic and early Bronze Age  
• gain an understanding of the new discoveries relating to these sites, and how these discoveries affect our understanding of the Neolithic and Bronze Age monumentalising of their landscapes

What to expect on this course

Class discussion (very important!), practical work, problem solving exercises, lecture and seminar formats (involving power points).  

Learning outcomes

• demonstrate an understanding how the movement of people and ideas in the above areas contributed to the establishment of their later renowned ceremonial character 
• understand how certain landscape contexts contributed to the selection of long term ‘special’ places that led to the establishment and adaption of stone circle monuments  
• appreciate the importance of multi proxy dating, pollen and animal DNA evidence and other artefactual evidence for understanding what went on in such monuments: what was different about them and what were potential common denominators in their design, use and symbolism 

Each weekend course features 7 sessions (1.5 hours each) running from Friday evening to Sunday lunchtime, plus regular breaks for meals and refreshments. On Saturday there’s also a longer break after lunch to relax, read or enjoy the gardens of Madingley Hall.

Course schedule and sessions

Please arrive between 4.30pm and 6.30pm. You can meet other course members in the Bar, which opens at 4.30pm. Tea and coffee-making facilities are available in the bedrooms.

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

The course ends after lunch.

Madingley Hall: an immersive experience 

Teaching and included meals take place at Madingley Hall, just 4 miles from the centre of Cambridge. A beautiful 16th-century Tudor hall, set in 8 acres of landscaped gardens designed by Capability Brown, it's a wonderful place to soak up the atmosphere, or spend free time reading and relaxing. 

Stay at Madingley Hall

For the full experience, book to stay at Madingley Hall. Rooms are comfortable, with views over the woods, gardens and courtyard. Each en-suite room has Wi-Fi, TV, phone, and tea- and coffee-making facilities. Breakfast is included in the accommodation rate.  

A lift gives access to two bedrooms adapted for wheelchair users. All ground floor areas can be reached once inside the building. A lift also gives access to first floor teaching rooms for those unable to use stairs. Let us know any additional requirements when booking. 

Check-in is from 4.30pm and check-out is by 11.00am. Please remember to check out before your Sunday morning class starts, luggage storage facilities are available at Reception. 

For more information on accommodation fees and booking options see ‘Fees and financial support’ below. 

Stay nearby

If you choose to stay nearby, no problem. You’ll still be able to enjoy the grounds during the day and enjoy the award-winning cuisine in our elegant dining hall. 

Meals

As a student, you'll enjoy award-winning cuisine in our elegant dining hall. Lunch and dinner are included in the course price. Lunches and Friday evening dinner are served buffet-style, while on Saturday evening, you’ll enjoy a served dinner. 

Dietary requirements

If you have any specific dietary requirements or allergies, please let us know when booking.   

Getting to Madingley Hall  

Madingley Hall is in the village of Madingley (CB23 8AQ), 4 miles west of Cambridge. It's 60 minutes from London, with excellent links to London airports.  And It's easily accessible from the M11, A14 and A428.  

If you're arriving in Cambridge by train you can take a taxi to Madingley Hall. Please contact Reception (by Saturday evening) to book a taxi for your return journey.   

Parking  

Free on-site car parking is available and we have a small number of spaces close to the Hall entrance for Blue Badge holders.

Fees

Financial support

We offer a range of concessions for our weekend courses including:

• Benefits concession: 25% reduction of weekend tuition fee, applicable to recipients of a UK state benefit. 
• School concession: 25% reduction of weekend tuition fee, applicable to staff who hold a contract of employment in any school or further education institution. 
• Cambridge Alumni (CAMCard) concession: 10% reduction of weekend tuition fee for Cambridge University alumni, applicable to learners with confirmed alumni status of the University of Cambridge and who are CAMCard holders. 
• University of Cambridge staff concession: 25% reduction of weekend tuition fee, applicable to employees who hold a contract of employment with the University or one of its Colleges.  

To apply for a concession, place your booking and supply the required proof when prompted.

A concession cannot be used in conjunction with any other concessions or bursaries, apart from the PACE Open Access Bursary or the Early Bird Concession.

Please see our concessions page for further details.

Booking a weekend course

We recommend that you book early and well before the booking deadline to avoid disappointment.

To book a weekend course and accommodation click the 'Book now' button in the course details section on this page. You'll go through to our secure bookings portal where you can create an account with us, select your booking options and make payment. 

Please let us know about any dietary or support requirements when booking. 

Waitlist

If the course is full, the ‘Book now’ button will be replaced with ‘Add to waitlist’. Please add yourself to the waiting list and we'll send you an email if a place becomes available. 

Paying for your weekend course 

You can pay for your course by credit/debit card using our secure online booking system, unless otherwise arranged. 

Payment options

You can pay:

• in full at the time of booking
• in 2 instalments (the first is 15% of the full fee, and the 85% balance is due 14 working days before the course starts, which will be taken automatically if your payment card is stored in our system)

All bookings made after the booking deadline must be paid in full.  

Booking deadlines

Bookings close 14 working days before the start of the course.  

Late bookings

If places are available, we can accept late bookings, after the booking deadline but before the course start date. 

We cannot always accommodate complex dietary/allergen or other additional support requirements for any bookings received or any requirements added after the booking deadline. Please consider this if you're asking to book after the deadline and have special requirements.

Visa requirements

It's important to be aware that entering the UK as a visitor for study purposes comes with certain expectations and restrictions. 

To make sure you understand the requirements, we advise you to read the in-depth information on the University’s International Students website. 

If you already have immigration permission in the UK, please inform us so we are able to confirm whether this allows you to study on the Weekend Courses.

Booking terms and conditions 

Before booking your course, please make sure you've read and understood our booking terms and conditions.

We are committed to helping you make the most of your learning experience. We offer a range of support to help meet individual needs. When booking, please let us know if you have any support requirements, including accessibility or mobility needs (such as building access or adapted accommodation) or teaching and learning support. The PACE Student Support Team will contact you to discuss your needs and advise on the support options available.