Celebrations have taken place on Selsley Common to mark the coming of the winter solstice. While the annual Darkest Night celebration event was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Stroud artists Mermaid Chunky, Mega Mega, and Mould Collective enjoyed a socially distanced celebration on the ancient site. The common escarpment is the site of Toots Long Barrow, a scheduled Neolithic monument. Winter solstice arrived with the sunrise at 8.14am this morning (December 21). The start of the solar year represents a new beginning and the time when daylight hours start to become longer. It was a vital moment in the lives of early humans.