The 18 bands that will compete at the forthcoming 170th British Open Championship in Birmingham are returning from their summer breaks ready to explore the musical mysteries of Jan Van der Roost's, Stonehenge inspired 'The Lost Circle' test-piece.

However, whether or not they will take into account the latest news that it has now thought that one of the major stones of the megalithic structure was transported from Scotland alongside the famous bluestones from West Wales remains to be seen though.

Fascination

Whatever they decide, it certainly shows that as Jan Van der Roost has said in his foreword to 'The Lost Circle' the fascination that Stonehenge has held for people for millennia remains.

It is as he says, "a monument that has been the subject of questions, guesswork, doubts and speculations from time immemorial."

Altar Stone

Now research led by a Welsh PhD student, Anthony Clarke, working at Curtin University in Western Australia argues that the six-tonne Altar Stone at the heart of the monument, which is surrounded by the inners stones from the Preseli hills in Wales and outer stones from England, is in fact from 434 miles away in northern Scotland.

Speaking to the BBC he said: "Stonehenge seems to be this great British endeavour involving all the different people from all over the island."

Questions

The bluestones at Stonehenge were identified as coming from Pembrokeshire in Wales from research made over 100 years ago although there still remains questions to whether they were actually quarried and transported or were simply found in the area due to glacial factors.

It has to be said though that not all experts and researchers are convinced that the stone does originate from Scotland, whilst the existence of a Lost Circle itself in Wales has also been questioned.

Perhaps we will never know, but what we will find out is who will be crowned 2024 British Open Champion at Symphony Hall on Saturday 7th September4BR

Find out

Perhaps we will never know, but what we will find out is who will be crowned 2024 British Open Champion at Symphony Hall on Saturday 7th September.

Tickets:

170th British Open Championship
Symphony Hall
Birmingham
Saturday 7th September

https://bmusic.co.uk/events/170th-british-open-brass-band-championships