Avebury Long Stones 380m east of The Grange Stables, Beckhampton

Reasons for Designation

A small number of areas in southern England appear to have acted as foci for ceremonial and ritual activity during the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age periods. Two of the best known and earliest recognised, with references in the 17th century, are around Avebury and Stonehenge, now jointly designated as a World Heritage Site. In the Avebury area, the henge monument itself, the West Kennet Avenue, the Sanctuary, West Kennet long barrow, Windmill Hill causewayed enclosure and the enigmatic Silbury Hill are well-known. Whilst the other Neolithic long barrows, the many Bronze Age round barrows and other associated sites are less well-known, together they define one of the richest and most varied areas of Neolithic and Bronze Age ceremonial and ritual monuments in the country.

The `Long Stones' are the only evidence surviving above ground of the probable avenue running west from the Avebury henge monument. As such they are important in understanding the nature and extent of the avenue and as a reference point for interpreting the plans produced by Stukeley. The stones are known, from archaeological work early this century, to be associated with more extensive contemporary archaeological remains.

Details

The monument, which is divided into two areas, includes two large sarsen standing stones, aligned north east-south west and situated on level ground 380m east of The Grange Stables. The stones are all that is known to survive of the suspected Beckhampton Avenue. The more northerly of the two stones measures 2m across from north east to south west, 1.5m from north west to south east and stands up to 3m high. The southern stone measures 3.7m from east to west, c.1m from north to south and stands up to 3m high. This stone has been re-erected in its original position after it fell in 1911. During this work, by B H & M E Cunnington, a crouched skeleton with Beaker style pottery was found at its foot; these are now on display at Devizes Museum. The stones were first recorded in the early 1700s by William Stukeley who also recorded the position of the stones in the circles at Avebury and on the West Kennet Avenue. According to Stukeley, these two stones formed part of a cove or circle, similar to the cove in the northern inner circle at Avebury, and located immediately adjacent to an avenue. In Stukeley's time this was represented by only about 30 stones, therefore making the line of the avenue less clear than that of the nearby West Kennet Avenue. Locally the Long Stones are also known variously as `Adam and Eve', `Longstone Cove' and the `Devil's Coits'.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract. It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features, considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

21736

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Stukeley, W, Abury: A Temple of the British Druids, with Some Others, Described, (1743)

Other
Discussion of implications, Smith, I F, Windmill Hill and Avebury: Excavations by A Keiller, Pagination 216-217, (1965)
SU 06 NE 56, RCHM(E), The Beckhampton Long Stones, (1973)
Photos of stone fallen & re-erected, Cunnington, M E, Long Stones, Magazine (Pagination 1-7), (1913)

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