As you meander across Southwest England’s Salisbury Plain through rolling green hills and thatched villages, an ancient circle of stones appears through the mist. No, this is not Stonehenge. This is Avebury, a land steeped in myth and legend. Believed to date from 2,800 BCE, Avebury is actually older and larger than Stonehenge that lies about 20 miles to the south. The village, which bears the same name and has grown up around the stones, is an ancient Saxon hamlet.

Unlike Stonehenge, at Avebury you are free to stroll amongst the stones rising up from the meadow inside the 1,000-foot diameter henge. (A henge is a large circle of land inside the perimeter of a deep ditch with earthen banks thought to be for defensive purposes). Flocks of sheep graze nearby, cropping the rich green grass around the monoliths.

Originally, there were over 150 of these sarsens, making up the largest circle of megaliths in the world. Today, only about 35 stones remain, many of which were re-erected in the 1930s by the archeologist Alexander Keiller, whose passion for the site can be seen in the nearby Archaeological Museum that bears his name.

Villagers, who either wanted to use the remains for construction or wished to erase a pagan past represented by the menhirs, destroyed the missing stones. In any case, the circle of stones has been a site of as yet undiscovered astronomical significance for thousands of years. Even today it serves as a spiritual center for the druids, especially at the summer solstice.

Touch the silent 5,000-year-old giants, some of which are over 12 feet high. Observe their shapes — some are tall and graceful, others are squat. In addition to the main circle, there are two smaller circles nearby, their significance and meaning, as well as their connection to the larger circle, lost in the mists of time.

There are other prehistoric landmarks in the area. Gaze across the fields at the mysterious 130-foot high Silbury Hill. This is the tallest prehistoric mound in Europe where, according to legend, a long-forgotten king is said to be buried on a golden charger. Nearby, the West Kennet Long Barrows is an impressive Neolithic burial mound, which has yet to be properly excavated.

As is typical of ancient English villages, the Church and the pub/inn are in close proximity, just across the road from the circle of stones. The Red Lion Inn, which is supposed to be one of the most haunted pubs in England, has a nice terrace for a drink after your wander. Try the Circle Restaurant in Avebury for a hearty English meal or a cream tea at the  Waggon and Horses, a 16th-century inn, which Charles Dickens is said to have used for inspiration in part of his “The Pickwick Papers.”

Of course, for a truly unique experience, pack yourself a picnic, spread your blanket in the shadow of a menhir and sit, as people have done for hundreds of years, contemplating the silent stones that have yet to speak.

IF YOU GO
Avebury can be visited as part of a quick trip from London (90 miles away) or as part of a more extensive tour of western England. If you are driving, Avebury is just off the main A4 road between Marlborough and Calne — exit at Avebury. The site is free; there is a nominal charge for parking for which you will need coins.

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