Sights in Avebury
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Avebury Stone Circle
With a diameter of about 348m, Avebury is the largest stone circle in the world. It's also one of the oldest, dating from around 2500 to 2200 BC, between the first and second phase of construction at Stonehenge. The site originally consisted of an outer circle of 98 standing stones of up to 6m in length, many weighing 20 tons, which had been carefully selected for their shape and size. The stones were surrounded by another circle delineated by a 5m-high earth bank and ditch up to 9m deep. Inside were smaller stone circles to the north (27 stones) and south (29 stones).
In the Middle Ages, when Britain's pagan past was an embarrassment to the church, many of the stones were…
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B
Silbury Hill
This huge mound rises abruptly from the surrounding fields just west of Avebury. At more than 40m high, it's the largest artificial earthwork in Europe, and was built in stages from around 2500 BC. No significant artefacts have been found at the site, and the reason for its construction remains unclear. A massive project to stabilise the hill took place in 2008 after a combination of erosion and damage caused by earlier excavations caused part of the top to collapse. Direct access to the hill isn't allowed, but you can view it from a lay-by on the A4. For more atmospheric views though, take the footpath across the fields from Avebury (1½ miles each way) to the hill's…
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West Kennet Long Barrow
Set in the fields south of Silbury Hill, this is England's finest burial mound and dates from around 3500 BC. Its entrance is guarded by huge sarsens and its roof is made out of gigantic overlapping capstones. About 50 skeletons were found when it was excavated; finds are on display at the Wiltshire Heritage Museum in Devizes. A footpath just to the east of Silbury Hill leads to West Kennet (500m).
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West Kennet Ave
Avebury is surrounded by a network of ancient monuments. Lined by 100 pairs of stones, the 1½-mile West Kennet Ave links the Avebury circle with the Sanctuary. Post holes indicate that a wooden building surrounded by a stone circle once stood at the Sanctuary, although no-one knows quite what the site was for.
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E
Avebury Manor
This 16th-century manor house had the mother of all heritage make-overs as part of the BBC TV series The Manor Reborn. It used original techniques and materials to recreate interiors spanning five eras, so now you can sit on beds, play billiards and listen to the gramophone in rooms that range from Tudor, through Georgian to the 1930s. In the garden, the topiary and box hedges create a series of rooms that inspired Vita Sackville-West, creator of Sissinghurst gardens in Kent. Visits are by timed tickets only; arrive early to bag a slot.
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Alexander Keiller Museum
Explores the archaeological history of Avebury Stone Circle and traces the story of the archaeologist who dedicated his life to unlocking the secret of the stones.
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Ridgeway national trail
The Ridgeway national trail starts near Avebury and runs westwards across Fyfield Down, where many of the sarsen stones at Avebury (and Stonehenge) were collected.
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Windmill Hill
Northwest of the Avebury circle you'll find Windmill Hill, a Neolithic enclosure or 'camp' dating from about 3700 BC, the earliest site in the area.
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