Top Ancient Sites in Wiltshire

If you are on the lookout for places to bother stones, Wiltshire is certainly one of the best destinations in Great Britain. Wiltshire is a historic county in England known for the stunning prehistoric landscape and the ancient sites. It's a place to wander around and explore England's past.

STONEHENGE

Stonehenge is an obvious choice for this list. This impressive monument is part of the most dense complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England. Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument consisting of a ring of massive standing stones and horizontal stone lintels capping the outer circle. Two different types of stone (bluestones and sarsens) were used to build it. Archaeologists believe it was constructed from 3000 BC to 2000 BC.


AVEBURY HENGE AND STONE CIRCLES

Avebury is a Neolithic henge monument containing three stone circles. It's believed that the complex was constructed between 2850 BC and 2200 BC. The henge survives as a huge circular bank and ditch. Within the henge is the largest megalithic stone circle in Britain which in turn encloses two small stone circles.


WEST KENNET AVENUE

West Kennet Avenue was an avenue of two parallel lines of stones, which ran between the sites of Avebury and The Sanctuary. Excavations in the 1930's indicated that around 100 pairs of standing stones seem to have function as grave markers. Some time after the avenue was constructed, several burials were placed at the foot of the stones.


WEST KENNET LONG BARROW

West Kennet Long Barrow is a Neolithic chambered long barrow constructed around 3650 BC as a burial chamber. It's one of the largest and most accessible tombs in Britain. The materials used in the construction were earth, local sarsen stones and oolithic limestone stones imported from the Cotswolds. The barrow was excavated twice and remains of at least forty six individuals have been found alongside grave goods including pottery, beads and stone tools.


DEVIL'S DEN

Devil's Den is a dolmen consisting of two standing stones, a capstone and two fallen stones. The stones are the remains of what was the entrance to a long mound. This impressive Neolithic monument was constructed 3,000 years ago and it was partially restored in 1921, after plough damage. Legend has it that if water is poured into hollows on the capstone, a demon will come in the night and drink it.


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