More Photos From The Source Of The Stonehenge Sarsens

Grey Wethers and Sheep... imagine how many stones were here before they were harvested.

A split sarsen, the pock marks where the wedges went in are visible. One corner of the stone has been removed.

The Devil's Den - see http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=1497 for more info.

Overton Down Experimental Earthwork

I visited the Experimental Earthwork on Overton Down, one of the youngest archaeological sites in the county.

The ditch section of the Overton Down Experimental Earthwork provides a dated record of the degradation of two free faces with opposing aspects of a ditch dug into the chalk in Wiltshire. The earthwork was constructed in 1960.

Its gradual decay has been closely observed since - tests and excavations have shown that it decayed quickly over a number of years but then stabilised, suggesting that many prehistoric earthworks may have reached something not unlike their present state quite soon after they were abandoned.

A full report is available at http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/cba_rr/rr100.cfm

Stone 16 Spiral and Other Carvings

An extra picture to add to a previous blog post

Graffitied Stone at Stonehenge

It is "only" the famous milestone opposite the Heel Stone, but a lovely old object has been defaced and after cleaning it won't be the same. I suppose it shows why 24/7 security is needed at the monument.

The history of the milestone is on Mike Pitt's site here.


UPDATE 9th March 2012

The face of the stone has been cleaned.... but not the side!

The Sarsen Bridge by the Bluestonehenge in West Amesbury

The Sarsen Bridge by *tewkes-ape on deviantART: "
The Sarsen Bridge by *tewkes-ape on deviantART"


Location: Amesbury, Wiltshire
This bridge is next to the site of Bluestonehenge which was a henge that stood at the terminus of the famous Stonehenge Avenue. Due to the amount of bluestone found at this site, particularly in the locations of standing stones that once stood at this site it is thought that some (but not all!) of the bluestone pillars (the smaller inner circle) at stonehenge once stood at this site.

In the first year of excavation of this site archaeologists originally thought that there might have been sarsen here (the material used for the large trilathons at stonehenge.) It wasn't for three weeks that they realised a massive lump of it was helping to support this bridge.

The Bluestonehenge archaeological team take up positions in the stoneholes, with the partially excavated henge curve in front of them. The small wooden overbridge and trackway to the Avon River is seen to the top left of the picture (Photo by Adam Stanford).

Post Holes

I came across this plan of post holes connected up into yards. (Click it to expand it)

You could, I suppose, join the holes up into different formations and created a roofed central building suitable for rituals.

It reminded me of the mass of holes we find at Durrington where we know a lot of feasting, and hence a lot of slaughtering of livestock, occurred.

Maybe some of those holes are purely utilitarian as these holes are modern plans for Australian cattle handling pens.

Desperately Seeking Sarsens

I spent some time exploring Amesbury, the nearest town to Stonehenge, searching for Sarsen stones used in old buildings. We are always told that the missing Sarsens of Stonehenge were broken up for building or hardcore. I have not found any Sarsens used on the farms around Stonehenge as they are in the Pewsey Vale and on the Marlborough Downs.

This Google Street-view map allows you to "walk" the streets of Amesbury from the comfort of your chair!


View Larger Map


Hair By Joanna is in The Old Post Office which is reputed to have a Bluestone slab. I presume it is the large stone threshold which is blueish. It isn't a "Bluestone" though, just a type of slate I think.

The Antrobus Arms is said to have four Sarsen steps. (Click any photo to expand it)

No, not Sarsen.

There are many walls in Amesbury made of odd stones and flints. Much of the Church is as well.

I've looked all round the Church's sure foundations, I have scoured the walls on roads and carparks, I can't spot any Sarsen.

If the Sarsens of Stonehenge were broken up for building stone then the stones are well hidden. If you know for any please tell me. And if the broken stones are not to be found it supports the idea that maybe the missing stones never were there and the circle was never completed.