English Heritage has also been talking to some of the people who were involved in the last conservation project in the 1950s. A little-known fact is that one of the great sarsens at Stonehenge conceals a 1958 coin placed there by 8-year-old Richard Woodman-Bailey during the seminal restorations led at the time by his father, the Chief Architect for Ancient Monuments, T. A. Bailey. English Heritage and the Royal Mint have arranged for Richard, now 71 years old, to strike a special commemorative silver 2021 coin and come back to Stonehenge to place it within the new mortar holding the lintels in place.
Rebecca Morgan, Director of Collector Services at The Royal Mint comments: "We were delighted to invite Richard to The Royal Mint to strike his own coin that will take its place in history. In honour of the ancient site, we struck a 2021 dated £2 silver coin featuring Britannia. This symbol of Britain first appeared on UK coins 2000 years ago, and has been carried by visitors to Stonehenge for centuries. This is the joy of collecting coins; they tell a
story that connects generations."
English Heritage’s Heather Sebire continues: "It’s been a privilege to talk to some of those people involved in the last major restoration works at Stonehenge 60 years ago – their memories and their special bond with the place, really breathe life into the story of its conservation. We’re so delighted that Richard has agreed to be involved today – it’s a lovely example of how the lives of many people are intertwined with the stones."
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about-us/search-news/pr-stonehenge-conservation-project/Mr. Woodman-Bailey talks through the old photos here (not that interesting, to be honest):
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/history-and-stories/history/conservation/?utm_source=Lintels
Recalling his visits to Stonehenge during that time, he said: "Because we were down here quite a lot, certainly during the school holidays and half term, my mother would come down and make the cakes at home and then bring them down to the workforce and make the tea.
"I was just allowed to play round the stones. I've got vague memories of that. "
"But this particular day I happened to be onsite when they were doing this big lift with the heaviest of the stones," explains Richard, who says it was "dangling" just two feet above the hole where it was going to be replaced.
"It was with the stone dangling above me that I was given this 1958 ha'penny and they said 'here lad put that under the stone'.
"I do remember not being completely under but right beside this 60-tonnes worth of dangling stone, which is why it is imprinted in the memory and I'm able to tell the story now."
https://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/features/journalfeatures/19580130.richard-woodman-bailey-lays-newly-minted-coin-stonehenge/
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