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All the United Kingdom England Wiltshire Woodhenge

Woodhenge

The first archaeological site discovered by aerial photography.

Wiltshire, England

Added By
Annetta Black
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  adrianfarwell / Atlas Obscura User
  Alyzande/Flickr
  Midnightblueowl/Wikimedia
  Wikimedia
Woodhenge, By Alan Tigwell   Bearded Zombie / Atlas Obscura User
Woodhenge, By Alan Tigwell   Bearded Zombie / Atlas Obscura User
Chart of orginal placement of wooden poles   petrahudson / Atlas Obscura User
The concrete replacement stubs have coloured tops to refer them to the chart nearby.   petrahudson / Atlas Obscura User
Woodhenge   Jaszmina Szendrey / Atlas Obscura User
Woodhenge   Jaszmina Szendrey / Atlas Obscura User
Woodhenge, By Alan Tigwell   Bearded Zombie / Atlas Obscura User
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About

In 1925, archaeologists Alexander Keiller and Osbert Crawford examined some aerial photographs of a wheat field near Amesbury, England, and found something intriguing: dark spots, arranged just so, in concentric circles strikingly similar to the Stonehenge monument, just a couple of miles away. 

Excavations over the next few years by Welsh archaeologist Maud Cunnington revealed the spots to be the long-vacated holes for an arrangement of wooden posts. Six rings of wooden posts once stood on the site, in slightly imperfect circles, surrounded by an earthen bank and ditch. More recent excavations have revealed that it most likely also included at least five standing stones, now lost to time. 

Now filled in with short concrete markers in the places where the wood poles one stood, the Late Neolithic Age monument dates to roughly the same era as the construction of its famous neighbor, possibly built slightly later by the same people between 2470 and 2000 BC. As with Stonehenge, human remains have been found at the site along with pottery and other small objects.

It is a Neolithic Class I henge, protected by Engish Heritage. It is completely open to the public with a small parking area.

Related Tags

Ruins Archaeology Stonehenge

Know Before You Go

Located between Larkhill and Amesbury, about two miles from Stonehenge. Free parking and a good walking track to Stonehenge.

Community Contributors

Added By

Annetta Black

Edited By

Rachel, Martin, adrianfarwell, hrnick...

  • Rachel
  • Martin
  • adrianfarwell
  • hrnick
  • backpaqer
  • Allison
  • Jaszmina Szendrey
  • Bearded Zombie
  • petrahudson

Published

December 1, 2013

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Sources
  • http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/07/100723-stonehenge-woodhenge-twin-timber-circle-gaffney-science/
  • http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sci/tech/434821.stm
  • Evelina, Nichole. “Celtic Burial and Funeral Rites.” Award-Winning Author Nicole Evelina. N.p.,
Woodhenge
Fargo Rd
Wiltshire, England
United Kingdom
51.189369, -1.785773
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