Page 105 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - England's South Coast

HA MPSHIRE AND SALISBUR Y PLAIN  103

The Sarsen Circle was The Bluestone Circle VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
erected around 2500 BC was built around 2500 BC
and is capped by lintel out of some 80 slabs Practical Information
stones held in place by quarried in the Preseli Off A303, Wiltshire. Map A2.
mortise and tenon joints. Hills in south Wales. Tel 0870 333 1181. Open Apr–May:
9:30am–7pm; Jun–Aug: 9am–8pm;
Sep–mid-Oct: 9:30am–7pm; mid-
Oct–mid-Mar: 9:30am–5pm (last
adm: 2 hrs before closing; book in
advance). NB: access restricted to
the perimeter only. Closed 20–22
Jun, 24 & 25 Dec. & 8 7 - =
œ ∑ english-heritage.org.uk
Transport
3 Salisbury, then Stonehenge
tour bus.

Horseshoe of
Sarsen Trilothons
Horseshoe of Bluestones
Reconstruction of
Stonehenge
This illustration shows what
Stonehenge probably looked
like about 4,000 years ago,
when the last phase of
construction was completed.

The pit around the base Alternate ends The weight of The lintel was then
was packed tightly with of the lintel were the lintel was suppor ted levered sideways on
stones and chalk. levered up. by a timber platform. to the upright stones.

r Avebury named after the archaeologist
who excavated Avebury.
Wiltshire. Map A1. * 500. 3 Swindon,
then bus. n Green St; 01672 539250. Situated to the west of the site,
Open dawn–dusk daily. 7 - = the museum illustrates the
œ ø ∑ english-heritage.org.uk construction of the circles. There
∑ nationaltrust.org.uk is also an exhibition explaining
Avebury’s changing landscape
Built in 2800–2200 BC, the and a special children’s area.
Avebury Stone Circles surround Just off Avebury High Street is
the village of Avebury and were St James’s Church. Dating from
probably once some form of around 1000, the building still
religious monument. Although has its tall, narrow Saxon nave.
the stones used are smaller than It also contains a Norman font
those at Stonehenge, the circles carved with sea monsters, and a
are larger. Villagers smashed rare 15th-century choir screen.
many of the stones in the 18th
century, believing the site to E Alexander Keiller Museum
be a place for pagan sacrifice. Off High St. Tel 01672 538016.
The original form of the circles Open Apr–Oct: 10am–6pm daily; Oct–
is best appreciated by a visit to Mar: 10am–4pm daily. Closed 1 Jan, Neolithic stones forming part of the
the Alexander Keiller Museum, 24 & 25 Dec. & 7 0 - = œ ø Avebury Stone Circles

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