Stonehenge and Avebury

Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument in Wiltshire and is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. It is a ring of large stones. It is surrounded by Neolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age remains.

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Stonehenge was first built in around 3000BC. A second phase of building can be dated to 2580BC. It was used as a cemetery from 3000BC to 2300BC.

Plans of Stonehenge phases

The stones are a combination of sarsen stone, probably from the North Wiltshire Downs 30km away and so-called ‘bluestones’ from the Preseli region of SW Wales 220km to the west. Stonehenge aligns with the solstice and so may have cosmological associations. It may also have been built as a symbol of “peace and unity.” At the time Britain's Neolithic people were experiencing a period of cultural unification.

Reconstruction of Stonehenge

Stonehenge was a cemetery consisting of 240 cremations buried over 600 years (63 recorded cremations and over 40 unburnt human bones). It is therefore the biggest cemetery in Britain (but could be a small dynasty).

Stonehenge Cemetery Avebury is another henge monument in Wiltshire. Built in the Neolithic in about 2600BC, it is the largest stone circle in Europe.

Avebury Stone Circle

It is made up of an impressively large stone circle surrounded by a deep ditch and a bank. Avebury is not as well-known as the iconic Stonehenge and consequently less visited. It is still possible to walk among the stones and sense the unique, enigmatic atmosphere of the prehistoric site. Another unique aspect of the site is that the stone circle contains within it much of the village of Avebury.

The henge is only one of a complex of ancient monuments concentrated in the 25 square kilometres of the Avebury half of the World Heritage Site. It lies at the centre of an outstanding Neolithic ritual landscape dating back over five and a half thousand years. The earliest focus of ritual activity in the area was at nearby Windmill Hill in around 3700BC. The impressive West Kennet Long Barrow was also begun in this period. Another key monument in the landscape is Silbury Hill. Built around the same period at the Henge, it represents another astonishing feat of Neolithic endeavour. At 30m high, it is the largest prehistoric mound in Europe.

West Kennet Long barrow Silbury Hill

As well as these key monuments, the landscape contains a wealth of archaeological remains including well-preserved Bronze Age round barrows which belong to one of the greatest concentrations of round barrows in the country. Over 330 archaeological sites are known within the WHS, 160 of which are Scheduled Monuments. The area is also of national significance for its nature conservation interests and it is wholly situated within the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.