Avebury — Giants of Silbury

Your quest begins in the heart of the Avebury Stone Circle, Europe's largest megalithic stone circle, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1986. This colossal site, covering 11.1 hectares and dating from 2600-2400 BC, houses about a hundred sarsen stones, some weighing up to 40 tons. You'll explore the outer diameter of 331.6 meters and its inner circle of 325 meters, looking for marks left by Neolithic builders and the 17th-century destruction attempts, documented by William Stukeley in 1724. It is here, in the center of Avebury village, that the enigma of the Silbury giants truly begins.

Leaving the heart of Avebury Stone Circle, your path leads you along West Kennet Avenue. This 2.4 km stone avenue, erected around 2500 BC, once connected Avebury to The Sanctuary. Alexander Keiller, a major 20th-century archaeologist, excavated part of this avenue in 1934-1935, revealing pairs of megaliths in various shapes, such as pig heads or diamonds. Today, approximately 400 meters and 27 stones remain, offering a glimpse into the engineering and beliefs of the Neolithic era in southwest England. Each stone marks a step in your progress towards the more distant mysteries of Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites.

Your exploration continues towards the West Kennet Long Barrow, a Neolithic megalithic tomb dating from 3650 BC. Measuring 100 meters long, this site houses five burial chambers where the remains of 46 individuals were discovered. Excavated by John Aubrey in 1859, then more extensively in 1955-1956, it revealed human bones, pottery, and flint tools. Standing before the 12-meter main chamber, sealed by massive slabs, you will feel the weight of history and the solemnity of our ancestors' funerary rituals, just 1 km west of Avebury.

1.5 km from Avebury, Silbury Hill stands proudly, Europe's largest artificial hill. Built around 2400-2300 BC over about 100 years, it reaches 39.3 meters high with a base diameter of 167 meters. Its volume of approximately 261,500 m³ of chalk and compacted earth is comparable to the Great Pyramid of Giza, yet its function remains a mystery. The first excavation in 1776 by the Duke of Northumberland, who discovered a 10-meter central shaft, did not elucidate its secret. This monument, accessible on foot via National Trust trails, is a highlight of your visit to Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites.

Your journey concludes with the discovery of The Sanctuary, a stone and post circle dating from 3000-2900 BC, marking the eastern end of West Kennet Avenue. This site, excavated in 1930, reveals two concentric circles of wooden posts surrounded by four sarsen stones, along with remnants of fires and human bones. Finally, you will pass The Longstones, a pair of surviving megaliths from West Kennet Avenue, one of which, a 6-meter-high male stone, still stands proudly. This thematic circuit in southwest England will have allowed you to delve into the heart of Neolithic heritage, revealing the history of Stonehenge and its associated sites through a unique interactive visit in Avebury.