Visiting Avebury
Often overlooked for nearby Stonehenge, Avebury is England’s greatest stone circle
If you ask almost anyone to name a famous ancient monument in England, they will probably have Stonehenge at the top of their list. But a lot fewer people know of an even great Neolithic site that is a day trip from London — Avebury. Not only can you get closer to the stones, but there is a whole range of history to explore at this National Trust site.
Avebury is best known for the stone circle. A world heritage site, it is part of an enormous Neolithic project including a huge ditch, multiple stone circles. The largest stone circle in the world, you can touch the stones, unlike at Stonehenge. While the area is managed by the National Trust it is free to enter, and the walking tracks are well maintained. Just be prepared to encounter sheep (or various farm animals’ droppings) on your ramble.
If you want to get an idea of what you are looking at with the stone circle, it is worth paying to visit the Alexander Keiller Museum, which is split over two buildings at Avebury. The Barn Gallery is aimed more at children, explaining to them the history of Avebury and the archaeology through interactive displays. The Stable Gallery has displays of archeological finds from the area, showcasing the many centuries of activity at Avebury.
Another part of Avebury well worth visiting is the Manor and its gardens. Renovated in 2011, it was the subject of a television show ‘The Manor Reborn’, which explained how the various rooms were redecorated in various historical styles relevant to the history of the building. Unlike many other historical buildings, you can touch everything — sit on the chairs, lie on the beds, even dress in historical costume if you like. The latest day we were there children were getting super excited that they could grind real coffee in the kitchen, and that there were real herbs to smell. Or if you prefer you can play a game in the billiards room or sit in the drawing room and read books about 1930s cocktails. The gardens are stunning throughout the year, and there is a reasonably priced tea room if you feel the need for a cream tea or a coffee and cake.
Avebury is also a ‘living’ village with residents, and like any British village there is a pub and village store. The pub can be very busy at times (we turned up on a Sunday without a booking and were told it was a 50 minute wait for food) but there are also the National Trust cafes and village shops. The National Trust runs a well-stocked gift shop with the usual National Trust products and a few Avebury specific items. And if you are feeling particularly spiritually inspired by the stones, there is also the (non-National Trust) Avebury Henge Shop with jewelry, clothes, crystals, and pagan and Celtic products.
The Stone Circle is open dawn to dusk. The manor and museum opening times are dependent on time of year, check the website. Entry to the Stone Circle is free, the museum and manor each have different prices, with members of National Trust getting in to the Manor for free, and members of English Heritage getting entry to the Museum for free.
