Salisbury, Stonehenge & Avebury

---

Reb and I did a day trip around the Wiltshire countryside. We visited:

Old Sarum

Our first stop was Old Sarum Castle (Old Salisbury), one of Britian's earliest settlements. The site contains evidence of human habitation as early as 3000 BC. The ruins of the cathedral and castle (occupied by King Henry I) are still visible today.

Salisbury

The Salisbury Cathedral is another awesome church in the UK. It has Britian's tallest spire, houses Europe's oldest working clock and has the best preserved copy of only four surviving original (1215) Magna Carta's. Seeing the Magna Carta was a highlight.

Stonehenge

Archaeologists believe the standing stones were erected around 2200 BC and the surrounding circular earth bank and ditch, which constitute the earliest phase of the monument, have been dated to about 3100 BC. The site is World Heritage listed. Some of the stones are from the Preseli Mountains in Wales, approximately 240 kms away from the site and even today scientists have not been able to reinact how these stones would have been moved given the distance and there weight. There are a number of theories about Stonehenge; whether it was used for astronomical alignments or as a sacred place of worship is still unknown. Stonehenge really was impressive.

On our way to Avebury we drove past Sting's house (from the Police) and stopped at his local pub in Woodford Valley, we also passed the famous white horses carved in to the chalk hillsides.

Avebury

Avebury has the largest henge and stone circle in Britian. It is one of the largest Neolithic monuments in Europe dating to around 5000 years ago and is older than Stonehenge. Astronomical alignments are a common theory to explain the positioning of the stones at Avebury, although as with Stonehenge; studying and explaining the monument has been difficult.

Avebury is a really charming village with its thatched cottages, village church, and cute pub. It is also at Avebury (a tiny village in the middle of nowhere) that I bumped in to a guy that I used to work with back in Australia - it really is a small world!

---

Photos

Old Sarum
Reb

Salisbury Cathedral
Reb and Nic

Stonehenge
Reb

Stonehenge
Nic and Reb

Avebury
Nic at Stone Circle