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Avebury

Avebury near Marlborough in Wiltshire is a spectacular prehistoric stone and ditch circle, built around 5000 years ago. It is the one of the largest of such monuments known, the circle enclosing an area of of over twenty eight acres. Close to Avebury is the huge man made Silbury Hill. Together Avebury and Silbury Hill make up a remarkable ceremonial landscape.

Sites such as Avebury and Stonehenge had a symbolic function, perhaps with some astrological role to play as well. Standing at Avebury I found it fascinating to reflect that these symbolic circular ditches were also used to create hill top castles, such as Maiden Castle in Dorset. In these castle structures the circular earth banks had a physical role to play in making people feel secure. Silbury Hill, in actually being a hill, might also give pause for thought. Once again there is a parallel between structures built for spiritual security and those built to give physical protection. In later history churches continued to use architecture derived from castles. Look at virtually any church and you will see stylised battlements and towers. It might be said that the traditions of Neolithic monument building which seem so distant and mysterious to us, are not actually that distant after all.

Go to the map for this page, switch to the satellite function and zoom in. The image will give you a sense of the size of the circle.

There is a restaurant and site museum telling the story of Avebury through an audio visual display. Within a mile or so of Avebury you will also find the Kennet Long Barrow and Silbury Hill, the largest man-made mound in Europe, constructed with antler picks and shovels made from the shoulder blades of oxen.

 

 

Opening Times: The stone circle is open all year. The museum is open form February 1st to October 31st 10am - 5pm daily and from November 1st to January 31st 2009 10am - 4pm daily. The facilities are closed 24th-26th December.

Please note that due to conservation work some sections of the stone circle will be closed during 2008.

 

 

Directions: Avebury is six miles west of Marlborough off the A4361, and then the B4003. Car parking is difficult during the Summer Solstice 18th - 23rd of June. Click here for an interactive road and satellite map centred on Avebury Stone Circle.

Access: the museum is ramped and two galleries are accessible by wheelchair users. There is an adapted toilet. Only parts of the circle itself are accessible. The shop and restaurant have level entrances. There is a Braille guide, a large print guide and a handling collection. There is an induction loop in the audio guide and in the Barn Gallery.

Contact: 01672 539250