Infra-red Clarius units from GJD protects ‘one of the wonders of the world’

Photo: James O. Davies, English Heritage

Infra-red units from GJD protects Stonehenge Visitors Centre

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Stonehenge is perhaps the most famous prehistoric monument in the world. Begun as a simple earthwork enclosure, it was built in several stages, with the unique lintelled stone circle being erected in the late Neolithic period around 2500 BC.

Today Stonehenge, together with other associated sites, forms the heart of a World Heritage Site with a unique and dense concentration of outstanding prehistoric monuments.

One of the wonders of the world, Stonehenge now has a transformed visitor experience, with a new world-class visitor centre, housing museum-quality permanent and temporary exhibitions, plus a spacious shop and café.

Wessex Fire & Security secured the project to supply, install and commission the fire and security systems for the new Stonehenge visitor centre in early 2013. An independent specialist provider of fire and security services, to date they have installed in excess of 15,000 Intruder, Fire, CCTV, Access Control and Emergency Lighting Systems making them the service provider of choice to some of the regions’ leading businesses, sites and attractions.

The project at the Stonehenge facility involved the supply, installation and commissioning of the Fire Alarm, CCTV including the Clarius IR illumination, Intruder Alarm, PA/VA, Access, Control , intercom, short wave radio, induction loops and site wide integration.

Three buildings make up the new facility; the Main Visitors’ Centre, an Ancillary Building (for all plant, vehicles and machinery) and a hub/security post (the former visitors centre); which is sited away from the other two buildings and close to the monument itself. Wessex Fire & Security has provided a full site security network for the Stonehenge facility.

Wessex Fire & Security approached GJD Manufacturing who supplied their innovative Infra-red Clarius IM units to meet a specific client requirement. Through the course of the equipment verification process the client elected to use Video Analytics and as a consequence they needed to separate cameras from IR sources to minimise insect attraction to the cameras. Chris Stott, Director of Wessex Fire & Security comments “ we looked at a number of product alternatives but selected the ALT Clarius Illuminators due to our previous experience and to date we are really pleased with the equipment performance”.

GJD Manufacturing Limited is an industry leader in the design, manufacture and supply of professional external detector equipment as well as CCTV and lighting controllers utilised in the intruder surveillance industry.

Greg Stuttle, Sales Director for GJD comments: “We were very pleased to work in partnership with Wessex Fire & Security in helping to provide the client with the professional solution they required. Our IR illuminators are not only able to produce lighting for the cameras without causing light pollution, but they are also energy efficient making them the right selection for the environment as well – which seems very fitting with such an important Heritage site”.