Avebury Stone Circle
Avebury, Wiltshire, United Kingdom
Europe's largest stone circle, a Neolithic henge village-sized in its ditch and bank, with the modern village of Avebury grown inside it.
Where Stonehenge keeps its stones roped, Avebury lets you walk among them: the great outer circle spans the village itself, its banks and ditches running through fields and gardens, two inner circles and a stone avenue leading toward the Sanctuary a mile and a half away. The circle is older than Stonehenge's famous sarsen stage and larger in circumference than any other in Europe, and since the National Trust and English Heritage jointly manage the landscape, the stones stand free, touchable, and grazed around by sheep.
Druid and pagan ceremonies are regular sights at the solstices and through the year, the Red Lion pub stands inside the circle itself, and the village's museum and manor round out a visit that can easily take a day.
Visiting
The circle is open access, managed by the National Trust and English Heritage; the museum and manor carry a joint ticket, and the car park is pay-and-display.
Associated traditions & practices
Visitor stories