Avebury
Location
About
The largest prehistoric stone circle in the world, Avebury in Wiltshire contains the village of Avebury within its circumference — the modern settlement literally grew inside the ancient monument. The outer circle (331m diameter) is accompanied by two inner circles and two avenues of stones extending beyond the henge. Built around 2850-2200 BCE, Avebury is part of the same Neolithic sacred landscape as Stonehenge and Silbury Hill.
Significance
Avebury is larger than Stonehenge by every measure — larger diameter, more stones, greater area enclosed — yet remains far less known. The village within the monument, the pub in the ancient sacred space, and the stones that the medieval villagers pushed over and buried (to suppress paganism) give Avebury an uncanny atmosphere of the sacred and the mundane intertwined. Alexander Keiller's restoration in the 1930s re-erected many buried stones.
History & Historical Arc
Avebury was built in multiple phases from approximately 2850 BCE to 2200 BCE. The henge bank (originally 9m high) and di…
Archaeological Notes
Alexander Keiller's excavations and restorations (1934-1939) re-erected many buried stones and established the monument'…
Key Features & Structures
- Great outer henge and ditch
- Outer stone circle (restored)
Visitor Information
UNESCO World Heritage Site (with Stonehenge and Avebury). Open year-round; free access to stone circles. Village pub and…
Related Figures
Source References
- Stukeley, Abury: A Temple of the British Druids (1743)
- Ucko et al., Avebury Reconsidered (1991)