‘Ness Henge’ man says its never too late to learn new interests

Sep 15 2010 Birkenhead News

THE man behind ‘Ness Henge’ in Wirral is encouraging people to take up an interest in continuing education.

Just five years ago John Hill, 56, was pursuing a career in banking in Bootle, but now he is taking a a Phd in archaeology.

Thanks to the Continuing Education scheme at the University of Liverpool, John’s life has taken a new direction, and he is encouraging others to also “scratch that itch” and go back to education, either for fun, or for qualifications.

John, from Aintree, will be running a course on an introduction to stone circles at the university in October, a far cry from his one-time job as a senior manager at the Alliance and Leicester’s main headquarters in Bootle.

John said: “As a youngster we used to take our holidays in Anglesey near burial chambers.

“Every night we’d walk amoingst the ruins. Ever since I’ve had the interest.But from leaving school I went into a full time job with banks.

“About five years ago I was 50 years old and decided to study archaeology by distance learning. My course opened doors to take a part-time masters degree and now I’m partway through a Phd.”

John is concentrating on experimental archaeology as part of his Phd, which led to his creation of Ness Henge in Ness Gardens.

John has developed his interest by studying experimental archaeology as part of his PhD, which has also led to him building a henge at Ness Gardens . He tried to work out how a prehistoric pre-literate society conceived and designed the ancient monuments.

He believed they used lengths of rope to set out a circle and to set all the features within the circle itself. John laid out the design in Ness Gardens, brought in a mini digger, put in 56 timber posts and raised about six stones.

John’s course has regularly attracted Wirral people; the cut-off date is this Friday.

For more details on Continuing Education ring 0151 794 6900 or log on to www.liv.ac.uk/conted