Mock 'Woodhenge' structure destroyed by fire
DWFRSA copycat "Woodhenge" structure that stood outside a Dorset pub for years has been destroyed by a fire.
The fire began at the Square and Compass pub, in Kingston Lane, Worth Matravers, on Sunday afternoon, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said.
The structure, built by pub landlord Charlie Newman with friend Nick Gray before the 2015 summer solstice, was so severely damaged the remaining wooden structure had to be removed for safety reasons.
It precisely lined-up with the sunrise on the day of summer solstice, so it functioned in a similar way to Stonehenge and the real Woodhenge, which both stand near each other in Wiltshire. The cause of the fire is currently unknown.
The structure came into existence almost by accident when Newman felled a number of large Monterey pine trees, which at the time were in excess of 100 years old.
Shortly afterwards, a haulier delivered a consignment of wood, which was intended as firwood, but one of the larger pieces came off the truck and landed upright on his land in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which gave Newman the inspiration for his own Woodhenge.
"It wasn't planned as such but it was such a wonderful opportunity, the scale of the wood was quite big. It was a real pleasure to construct," Newman said.
When the council became aware of the structure following a complaint from a member of the public, they told Newman to take it down because it contravened planning rules.
Following public support for the structure, the council later confirmed it could stay for a further two years, however, the structure remained until Sunday when the fire struck.
Newman added he felt "quite sad" it had been destroyed and "there was just a couple of remaining bits which we removed".
"It's been a great talking point, a lot of people have loved it and shared it and it has appeared on many maps.
"There are many photographs of it and it has been recorded in a reasonable fashion. It was quite substantial and stood out on the horizon."
