The Veggie Options at the Stonehenge Feast

The people who constructed Stonehenge around 2500 BC are thought to have lived primarily at Durrington Walls, a large Neolithic settlement roughly three kilometres north-east of the monument. Archaeological evidence from this site paints a picture of a diet heavily centred on animal products, particularly during large seasonal gatherings that may have drawn participants from across Britain.

A new research project, announced in early January 2026, promises to add important detail to this picture by focusing on the plant component of the diet. Led by Dr Catherine Longford with contributions from archaeobotanist Ellen Simmons, the study will reanalyse charred plant remains and wood charcoal from Durrington Walls using high-resolution microscopy and access to specialist reference collections. Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council’s RICHeS Access Fund Catalyst, the work aims to identify wild plant foods more precisely and reconstruct the surrounding woodland environment.

As Ellen Simmons noted: “Support from RICHeS will enable higher-level identification of wild seed remains, with benefits for wider research into the Neolithic.” Further details are available in the RICHeS announcement and the University of Sheffield news release.

A Meat-Heavy Diet and Seasonal Feasting

Excavations at Durrington Walls have recovered tens of thousands of animal bones. Pigs dominate the assemblage, often making up 60–70% of the remains, with cattle a distant second. Many pigs were slaughtered at around nine months old, pointing to large-scale midwinter feasts – piglets born in spring would reach prime size by winter.

Isotope analysis of pig bones has shown that animals were brought from distant regions, including Scotland and north-east England, suggesting that gatherings at Durrington Walls served as occasions for communities from across Britain to converge. English Heritage summarises much of this evidence in its overview of food and feasting at Stonehenge.

Lipid residues in Grooved Ware pottery further illuminate cooking practices. Larger vessels frequently contained pork fats, while smaller ones held dairy residues – evidence of milk, butter, cheese or yoghurt. A detailed study of these residues was published in Antiquity in 2015: Feeding Stonehenge: cuisine and consumption at the Late Neolithic site of Durrington Walls.

Evidence even extends to human waste. Analysis of mineralised coprolites (ancient faeces) from the site revealed parasitic eggs consistent with consumption of raw or undercooked internal organs. One coprolite belonged to a dog fed the same offal as humans, confirming the practice. The findings were reported in Parasitology and widely covered, including by the BBC in 2022. 

The Limited Role of Plant Foods

While Neolithic communities elsewhere in Britain cultivated wheat and barley, evidence for cereal crops at Durrington Walls itself is surprisingly sparse. Most recovered plant remains are from gathered wild resources: hazelnut shells are the most common, alongside occasional sloes, crab apples and other wild fruits.

This pattern has long puzzled researchers. The settlement’s seasonal, feast-oriented character may explain the emphasis on meat, but everyday plant consumption remains poorly understood – hence the importance of the new project.

By examining charred seeds and wood charcoal in greater detail, the current study hopes to identify specific wild plants used in both daily meals and ceremonial feasting, as well as map the ecological zones and resource networks exploited across Neolithic Britain.

The results will not only refine our understanding of diet but also contribute to reconstructing the landscape around Stonehenge at the time – a landscape that has since changed dramatically.