Over a decade ago archaeologists were excavating in Avebury in search of the route of the less well-known Beckhampton Avenue. Today, the only upstanding evidence of this Avenue is the two cove stones known locally as Adam and Eve in Longstones Field. With Stukeley’s eighteenth century sketches of the Avenue as a guide, the Longstones Project sought to identify its route through extensive geophysics and carefully targeted excavation. Although important discoveries of sarsens and stone holes were made in some areas the exact route of the Avenue remains to be discovered.
In July this year the World Heritage Site Coordination Unit put up a panel at the entrance to the Longstones Field with information for visitors on the buried Beckhampton Avenue. It shows the most likely route of the Avenue and how it relates to the other major monuments in the landscape. We’d like to thank the archaeologists and other partner organisations who offered funding and advice on the contents of the panel and the landowner, Robin Butler, who protects the sensitive archaeology in the area by not ploughing the Longstones Field and allowing open access for visitors to visit the monument. Why not come and explore beyond Avebury Henge and discover the hidden monuments within the World Heritage Site landscape.
