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Avebury
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Avebury
stone circle, which dates from 2800 BC onwards, is designated
a World Heritage Site and managed by The National
Trust.
The
huge sarsen stones that make up Avebury's circle were
dragged from the surrounding hills and placed around a ditch,
within an external bank. Today, despite many of the stones
having been broken up and used
to build some of the houses in the village,
Avebury's magic is a strong as ever.
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Thoughts
and Theories |
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Avebury
is 25 miles north of Stonehenge and is surrounded by
several other important prehistoric sites. There were once
over 500 stones making up the original stone circle and avenue
of stones and the circle's circumference is almost a mile
in length
The
stones are sarsen stones and most are enclosed by a steep
bank and ditch and considering the weight of each stone, it
is remarkable to think that people who built Avebury dragged
the megaliths from the surrounding hills.
As
with Stonehenge, this massive monument leaves modern man with
more questions than answers. It is thought however, that from
the shape of the stones (the broader ones representing the
female form and the narrower stones the male) to the layout
of the entire henge, the significance of Avebury as a sacred
site cannot be underestimated.
Avebury
was used as a religious site for over a thousand years - almost
the same length of time as our current Norman churches.
In
the 1930's, the archaeologist, Alexander Keiller re-erected
many of the stones and several buildings and trees were cleared
to expose the stone circle.
Nearby,
The Avenue, The Sanctuary, West Kennett Long
Barrow, Windmill Hill and Silbury Hill make
Avebury's landscape some of the most archeologically rich
in Europe.
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Multimedia |
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VIDEO: Click here
to see how one of the stones at Avebury caused much consternation
for modern day archaeologists. (Courtesy of
Â鶹Éç Points West)
VIDEO: Click here
to see how Avebury became an important place to celebrate
the solstice, particularly for those who found access to Stonehenge
restricted. (Courtesy of Â鶹Éç Points West)
VIDEO: Click here
to see a report on the vandalism of stones at Avebury in June
1996. (Courtesy of Â鶹Éç Points West)
VIDEO: Click here
to see why Avebury is considered an important tourist attraction
- particularly for the American market. (Courtesy
of Â鶹Éç Points West)
VIDEO: Click here
to see how an exhibition at Avebury's Great Barn hopes to
explain the story of the henge. (Courtesy of
Â鶹Éç Points West)
VIDEO: Click here
to see how, in 1994, the National Trust took over the management
of Avebury from English Heritage. (Courtesy
of Â鶹Éç Points West)
VIDEO:
Click
here
to
see how two ancient stones at Avebury,
which are perilously close to collapse, were lifted into an
upright position by specialist contractors. (Courtesy
of Â鶹Éç Points West)
AUDIO: Click
here to listen to A SENSE
OF PLACE, a special Â鶹Éç Radio documentary exploring
Wiltshire's obsession with circles - including Stonehenge.
(Courtesy of Â鶹Éç Radio Wiltshire)
AUDIO:
Click here
to
listen to farmer and local historian Malcolm Young talk about
Avebury's other stone circle, close-by at Winterbourne Bassett.
(Courtesy of Â鶹Éç Radio Wiltshire)
Streaming
video/audio requires Real Player. and see
360°
GALLERY:
Click
here
to see a selection of 360° views showing Avebury, the
stones and the stunning scenery nearby.
GALLERY:
Click
here
for The Moonraking Gallery.
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Add Your
View |
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alex kieler
this has helped me in gcse
Cscoppe Coi
thanks this really helped with my homework
Ben Price, Westbury
Cool i didn't know that
mary
these are fabuous!!
Ìý
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How
to find it |
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On
the A4361 west of Marlborough, one mile north of Beckhampton,
on the A4.
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Ordnance
Survey: SU100700
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Click
to see Multimap location
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