A Stonehenge copycat has been engulfed by flames as the UK continues to battle ‘scorched Earth’ conditions.
The aptly named ‘Woodhenge’ structure was sadly destroyed after a fire outside the pub that built it.
The copycat monument stood outside the Square and Compass pub in Worth Matravers, Dorset, for more than a decade.
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It was severely damaged by the blaze on 9 Aug, as reported by NeedTo Know.
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said the fire began at the pub on Kingston Lane.
The structure was built by pub landlord Charlie Newman and his friend Nick Gray before the 2015 summer solstice.
Designed to line up precisely with the sunrise on the summer solstice, it was inspired by the real Woodhenge and Stonehenge, which stand near each other in Wiltshire.
The fire left the wooden structure so badly damaged that the remaining sections had to be removed for safety reasons.
The cause of the fire is currently unknown.
The unusual landmark came into existence almost by accident after Newman felled several Monterey pine trees, which were more than 100 years old.
Soon afterwards, a haulier delivered a consignment of wood intended to be used as firewood.
But one of the larger pieces fell from the truck and landed upright on Newman’s land, which sits in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The sight inspired Newman to create his own version of Woodhenge, as reported by the BBC.
He told the BBC: “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.”
The structure later attracted the attention of the council after a member of the public complained.
Newman was initially told to remove it because it contravened planning rules.
However, following public support for the landmark, the council later confirmed it could remain for a further two years.
It remained in place until the devastating fire.
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