The year 1918 shifted the history of Stonehenge, as it moved from centuries of private ownership into the hands of the British public. This change was made possible by Cecil Chubb, a barrister and local landowner from the nearby village of Shrewton, who had purchased the monument three years earlier. His decision to donate Stonehenge to the British government represented not only an act of individual generosity but also a strong gesture toward the protection of ancient monuments.

Cecil Chubb was not a nobleman or scholar, but rather a self-made man who was educated at Cambridge and successful in both law and business. In 1915, he attended an auction in Salisbury where Stonehenge was unexpectedly put up for sale by the Antrobus estate, following the death of Sir Edmund Antrobus. Chubb reportedly bought the site on a whim for £6,600, perhaps as a romantic gesture for his wife, who is said to have been less than thrilled with the gift because “Mary wanted Cecil to buy a set of curtains at the auction” (“Stonehenge: Who Owns It and Why?”).

Though not a trained archaeologist, Chubb recognized the significance of the monument and believed it should be preserved for public benefit. On October 26, 1918, he formally donated Stonehenge to the nation, on the condition that it was to be maintained in good order and made accessible to the public at a reasonable cost. This act turned what had long been a privately managed and inconsistently protected site into a national treasure under state care (“Stonehenge 100”).

The transfer of Stonehenge to the state occurred within the context of post-World War I Britain, a nation emerging from profound social, economic, and emotional upheaval. The war had deeply affected the region of Wiltshire, as Salisbury Plain had been used extensively by the military for training and encampments (Spender).  Just as anywhere, many local men had served and died in the war, and rural communities were struggling with loss and poverty.  

The Office of Works, which later evolved into English Heritage, took charge of the site and initiated a series of conservation efforts including stabilizing the stones, installing fencing and paths, and allowing archaeological excavations to better understand the site's structure and phases of construction. Thanks to the newly introduced public access policies, people could visit and learn about Stonehenge in a more structured and respectful way than before (“Stonehenge 100”).

For people living in and around Wiltshire, public ownership brought change as well. While it meant the end of free, unrestricted access to the stones, it also meant an influx of tourism, employment opportunities related to site maintenance and guiding, and greater investment in local infrastructure. At the same time, tensions occasionally arose over land use, spiritual access (particularly for Druids and neo-pagan groups), and the commercialization of the site (“Modern Wiltshire”).

Sources

"Modern Wiltshire." Wilcuma, https://www.wilcuma.org.uk/the-history-of-wiltshire-after-1066/modern-wiltshire/.

Spender, Humphrey. Salisbury Plain 1942. 1942, Imperial War Museums, https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/25309.

"Stonehenge 100." English Heritage, https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/stonehenge100#:~:text=A%20generous%20donation,auction%20just%20three%20years%20previously.

"Stonehenge: Who Owns It and Why?" BBC News, 17 Sept. 2015, https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-34282849.