Friday, June 5, 2026

Avebury, 2026: The Rocks

Our interest in megaliths was already going strong when we first visited Europe in 1979, and Avebury was among the things we most wanted to see. We took our daughters there in 1989 and again in 1998, and have been back several more times. It's the largest of all the stone circles, far less touristed than Stonehenge, and always impressive. Now administered by the National Trust, it also includes the manor house, the church, and any number of other buildings in or near the stone circle. Previous blogposts include:

https://roadeveron.blogspot.com/2009/11/avebury.html
https://roadeveron.blogspot.com/2009/11/lesser-known-sites-of-avebury.html
https://roadeveron.blogspot.com/2013/06/avebury-2013.html
https://roadeveron.blogspot.com/2013/08/avebury-again-2013.html.

1979 megalith hunter; it was a lot more challenging in those days...







1989 view

























With Rebecca and Rachel, 1998
























With Rebecca and Penelope, 2013














Extraterrestrial alien from outer space view, 2013





Note especially the photo view [click to enlarge] with the village 
within the circle

The thing is so huge you can never capture more than a few degrees 
of the arc


The huge barn that now serves as the National Trust's welcome and
reception center

Just a few specimen scenes from the small museum

Helpful map


Unusual dorsal view

The Christian residents spent centuries trying to destroy
or topple the stones--the work of the devil, they apparently
thought (same approach in Brittany, although they merely
defaced the megaliths there, "Christianizing" them)--
uncharacteristically, I left this little Christianzer stand*



"Gimme that old time religion"...more commonly at Stonehenge but also
at Avebury, one finds these New Age-y groups--this one evidently a
tour led by the gent on the right...




































Now he is drumming and chanting and who knows what...
note that the woman in green (previous frame)  has vanished..
perhaps transported to the 30th century BCE
























Seventh try but still not taking her to Jamie and the 18th
century...maybe should be doing this in Scotland?



Note village within

The pyramid marks the spot where a stone once stood...there are too
many of these

Note also the ditch and bank...among the largest you'll see anywhere

One of the circles within the circle



































































































*which reminds me to promote my recent "Life of Jesus H. Christ in LEGO," at https://artificialartifices.blogspot.com/2026/05/new-testament-iconography-in-lego.html


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

These things are so interesting. We have not seen this one, but have been to Stonehenge a few times and the ones in Brittany.

Tawana said...

My new name is Anonymous!