Seeing Stonehenge preservation work is like watching history endure: Reporter's notebook

The last time any work was done on the landmark was just after World War II.

Standing eye to eye with the top of Stonehenge, I was in awe of not just history, but pre-history. It's something so ancient, it dwarfs our concept of time and self-importance.

I was at a loss for words, and think what I managed to say was, "this is so exciting," as I tried to contain my urge to touch the stones.

We're shown how the stones were set up to align perfectly with the sun. Every year, thousands still come to see the sunrise through the stone's arches during the summer solstice and set during the winter solstice. While we still don't know exactly who built this monument and when, standing inside the heart of Stonehenge, it's clear there's been magic and myth here for thousands of years.

I got my eye-to-eye look while up on temporary scaffolding that's been set up beside these massive, ancient Neolithic stones as part of ongoing conservation work at the monument. It's rare access and an unusual sight. This work is the most significant conservation effort being done on the stones in 60 years and is expected to last about two weeks.