West Kennet Avenue

Leading away from Avebury and the largest Stone Circle in the world (which contains the Cove and Obelisk Circles within it's ditch and bank) is the partially restored West Kennet Avenue. The avenue runs for a mile and a half to the southeast where it finishes at the Sanctuary, another of the sites within this huge complex of megalithica.

A female stone

The megaliths at Avebury are the largest of all the henges. What remains today of the avenue is nearly wholly due to recent work at the site. This renovation was carried out between 1934 and the outbreak of the Second World War by the eccentric marmalade millionaire Alexander Keiller. He bought all the Avebury Stone Circles, much of the surrounding farm land and many properties in Avebury including the manor house.

When he began this project there were only four of the original megaliths standing. When he had completed his work there were 27 standing stones and 37 markers indicating the locations of the missing megaliths. He did this by knocking down many houses and allotments. The locals seemed not to mind too much as all this activity provided badly needed work during a period of high unemployment and Keiller enjoyed a good reputation despite his playboy lifestyle.

Equal wear inside and out side the avenue has led to the idea that the use of the avenue may have been ritualistic. The logic goes that as there are equal amounts of geophysical evidence inside and outside the avenue, people must have walked both inside and outside the avenue on each of their visits. This may mean that they walked into the Avebury main complex on the outside of the avenue (but still within 20 metres or so of it) then after their visit they would exit the complex down the avenue. A possible penetration and re-birth ritual. But having said that, I could just as easily argue that people walked into Avebury via the avenue then exited down the flanks of the stones.

The Beckhampton Avenue which once ran west from the Avebury main site is now missing. It was just as impressive as the West Kennet Avenue by the accounts of Aubrey. This leads in the direction of Windmill Hill. It has yet to be established as to wether this avenue was subject to ritual usage inside and to it's flanks.

Male and female stones

Male and female stones occur in many megalithic sites. Diamond shaped stones are thought to represent the female and the male is represented by phallus shaped stones. The upright shape of the male is agreed by most antiquatians to represent the obvious. Whereas the female stone is said to represent either the moon or a full bellied fertile symbol. The actual meaning of the female stones may always be a mystery to us.

A male stone

As West Kennet Avenue approaches the main Avebury site just before the brow of a small rise there is a concrete marker with a flat top. This indicates where a megalith SHOULD have stood according to Keiller's calculations. What he found instead was a wide arc of neolithic debris including pottery and food waste. It would be an ideal point for large groups to gather before their entry into the main site I think. The missing megalith is at a point just before line of sight with the main complex begins. Was there a shelter here? Was it a shrine? Or was this stone omitted for a ritual purpose? It could be argued that the avenue may represent dieties within a pantheon of gods and a less savoury god has been illustrated by having a 'void' stone.

Burials and evidence of a flint knapping stone are all in the 'walk of stones' that is West Kennet Avenue. The flint knapping stone is particularily rare in mainland Britain, though more popular in the continental sites. Was Avebury of such significance that it attracted stone workers from all over Europe? Did the megalithic Avebury culture employ it's foreign workers by force or favour (if they are in fact foreign at all)?

Above is my lovely partner Bekki who takes most of the original photos on this site. I've not credited Bek before and I'd like to take this opportunity to say ,"I couldn't have done this without her." There you go, top photographer and model. If you'd like to tell her what you think of her work or have a suitable shoot in mind drop her a line HERE.