In 1998 the shifting sands of Holme Beach in North Norfolk revealed a secret that had been hidden from view for millennia. As the sea retreated, a tight circle of 55 oak posts appeared in the intertidal zone. In the centre was an upturned tree trunk, stripped of its bark. Using dendrochronology (the scientific method of calculating dates and ages using tree rings), archaeologists traced the posts back to the Bronze Age (they were felled in 2049 BC). Like so many prehistoric monuments, the exact purpose of this circle is unclear, but its discovery excited archaeologists (and the public) enough to award it the name Seahenge.
Tough decisions
Photographer Andrew Rafferty read about Seahenge in the press and, as a keen historian, he immediately felt the need to visit the site. Standing on the beach, his senses enlivened by the brisk sea air, he was astounded by what he saw. ‘I was staggered,’ he recalls. ‘The site delivered in every sense. Firstly, it’s amazing it has survived
