The Sanctuary by JRL
The Sanctuary
In 1930, the location was re-discovered from Stukeley’s illustrations and the site was excavated. Further excavation, carried out in 1999, revealed a more complex sequence of construction and use than previously thought.
Five thousand years ago a timber shrine was built on this hill. Rebuilt and enlarged several times during the following thousand years, the old shrine was finally replaced by a double stone circle and linked by an avenue of stones to a new temple at Avebury.
The Sanctuary was probably built 4,500 years ago as a ceremonial site. The concrete marker posts show the position of the original stone and wooden posts. It is thought that the wooden posts formed the original monument, but were later replaced by the stones.
The Sanctuary is thought to have been used as a ceremonial site It was connected to the Aveburv stone circle by the West Kennet Avenue, a processional way. The monument was probably in use for about 500 years.
The Sanctuary is in North Wessex Downs AONB, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Created: 27 November 2016 Edited: 29 November 2023
The Sanctuary
The Sanctuary LiDAR Map
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0
Local History around The Sanctuary
There are some historic monuments around including:
Avebury Long Stones 380m east of The Grange Stables, BeckhamptonShrunken medieval village site E of Avebury TrusloeBowl barrow 1km west of Tan HillSix bowl barrows 560m north of New Barn: part of a barrow cemetery on Monkton DownGroup of small enclosures on Horton Down, 910m north east of Easton Down long barrowBowl barrow 800m south-east of Tanhill PenningBowl barrow 50m north east of East Kennett long barrow forming part of a cemeteryPair of round barrows 400m west of the Ridgeway, forming part of a round barrow cemetery situated on Avebury DownBowl barrow 1km north-east of Avebury and 70m north of Green StreetPair of bowl barrows forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Allington DownPreshute Down field systemPair of Bronze Age bowl barrows 200m WSW of Beckhampton Buildings forming part of a barrow cemetery situated on North DownBowl barrow 880m north of Rockley Manor: part of the Rockley Plantation barrow cemeteryBarrow on Smeathe's RidgeLong barrow in Barrow CopseBowl barrow and a saucer barrow 200m north of Rockley PlantationBowl barrow situated 60m west of Beckhampton Buildings forming part of a round barrow cemetery on North DownWest Kennet Avenue and an earthwork bank east of West Kennett FarmBowl barrow 300m east of Ivy House FarmGrange bowl barrow 130m north west of The Grange Stables bell barrow, BeckhamptonPair of round barrows forming part of the Bronze Age round barrow cemetery 400m north-east of West Kennett FarmSection of Roman Road 560m north east of Beckhampton BuildingsDitch W of Tanhill FairEnclosure on Horton DownBowl barrow 200m east of East Kennett long barrow forming part of a barrow cemeteryWinterbourne Bassett moundRybury campEarthwork NW of New Town FarmSaucer barrow 620m north of New Barn: Part of a barrow cemetery on Monkton DownThree sections of a linear earthwork south west of New BarnRound barrow cemetery 400m south of Avebury henge monument on Waden HillTwo bowl barrows 320m south-east of Little LondonOgbourne Maizey Down round barrowEarthwork W of New Town FarmLong barrow on Horton DownThree Roman burial mounds, a Bronze Age bowl barrow, a pagan Saxon inhumation cemetery and a short length of Roman road on Overton Hill.Bowl barrow 130m SSW of Beckhampton Buildings forming part of a barrow cemetery situated on North DownGroup of round barrows on Rough HillBowl barrow 120m west of East Kennett long barrow forming part of a cemeteryEarthwork enclosure on Milk HillBowl barrow 300m south-east of Walker's PlantationThree confluent round barrows 580m west of the Ridgeway, forming part of a Bronze Age round barrow cemetery on Avebury DownBowl barrow 1450m south of Barbury Castle FarmSharpridge field systemSaucer barrow 250m east of Windmill Hill: part of the Windmill Hill round barrow cemeteryDevil's Den long barrow, 600m east of White AcreBowl barrow 200m south of Windmill Hill: part of the Windmill Hill round barrow cemeteryBowl barrow forming part of a cemetery 800m east of Kitchen BarrowBowl barrow 50m south-east of the `Sanctuary' forming part of the Overton Hill round barrow cemetery.Earthwork enclosure 950m SSE of Manor FarmLong Stones long barrow 150m north of Beckhampton HouseTen barrows forming part of Fox Covert round barrow cemetery, West Down.Knap Hill camp near Alton PriorsBarrow S of WansdykeBowl barrow 800m north-east of Hackpen BarnPenning bell barrow 600m east of Avebury Down BarnBowl barrow immediately west of the Ridgeway, 400m north east of its junction with Green StreetLinear round barrow cemetery 200m ENE of West Kennett long barrowBowl barrow forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Allington DownGreen Bank bowl barrow, 230m east of the Avebury henge monumentWest Kennet bell barrow, 160m north-west of West Kennet long barrowRound barrow forming part of the Fox Covert round barrow cemetery on West DownTwo bowl barrows 820m north of Rockley Manor: part of the Rockley Plantation barrow cemeteryBell barrow 660m south east of Beckhampton Buildings, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Horton DownBowl barrow 750m south-east of Barbury Castle FarmBowl barrow 40m north west of East Kennett long barrow forming part of a cemeterySite of an oval stone circle and part of an adjacent field system 700m SW of West Kennet long barrow.Group of six round barrows forming part of a Bronze Age cemetery 400m north-east of West Kennett FarmWick Down Farm earthworkAvebury henge and stone circlesBowl barrow 900m south west of the junction of the Ridgeway and Green Street, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Avebury DownBowl barrow 200m north of East Kennett long barrow forming part of a cemeteryBowl barrow 800m south of Hemp KnollBowl barrow 870m ESE of New Barn on Monkton DownMedieval settlement remains immediately west of The VicarageTwo round barrows W of New Town FarmBowl barrow 500m north-west of Berwick Bassett ClumpBowl barrow 70m north of Green Street and east of the Avebury henge monumentPrehistoric to post-medieval settlement, cultivation, industrial and funerary remains on Fyfield, Overton and Manton DownsA henge, four Bronze Age barrows and part of a Roman road 500m south west of Fox CovertBowl barrow 770m south west of the junction of the Ridgeway and Green Street, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Avebury DownBowl barrow 620m north of Rockley Manor: part of the Rockley Plantation barrow cemeteryTwo enclosures on Winterbourne DownBowl barrow 50m north of Barrow FarmThe Sanctuary, Overton HillGroup of barrows on Draycott HillWansdyke: section from S of Furze Hill to Marlborough-Pewsey roadGroup of four round barrows 500m south-east of Avebury Down Barn, forming part of a Bronze Age round barrow cemetery on Avebury DownTwo bowl barrows 400m south of Tanhill PenningBowl barrow 375m east of Wick Bottom BarnBowl barrow 690m north of Rockley Manor: part of the Rockley Plantation barrow cemeterySouth Street long barrow, 70m south east of the Long StonesBowl barrow 50m south of The Sanctuary on Overton Hill, forming part of the Seven Barrow Hill round barrow cemeteryA causewayed enclosure, the core of a round barrow cemetery, part of a prehistoric field system and an associated mortuary enclosure on Windmill HillHorslip long barrow, 450m north-west of Horslip Bridge.Bell barrow 200m north of Rockley PlantationBowl barrow 750m north of Rockley Manor: part of the Rockley Plantation barrow cemeteryField system E of Kitchen Barrow HillPair of round barrows and section of linear earthwork NE of the gallops on West DownBowl barrow forming part of a Bronze Age cemetery 400m north-east of West Kennett Farm on Overton HillBowl barrow 750m east of New BarnBowl barrow 700m south-east of Windmill HillRemains of `Falkner's Circle', a Neolithic stone circle 180m east of the West Kennet AvenueGrange Stables bell barrowGroup of four round barrows 300m north west of the junction between the Ridgeway and Green Street on Avebury DownGiant's Grave (Martinsell Hill)Four round barrows 740m east of Kitchen Barrow, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on All Cannings DownEast Kennett long barrow, 600m south of East Kennett churchBowl barrow 650m ESE of New Barn, between Avebury Down and Monkton DownFour earthwork enclosures on All Cannings DownIron Age enclosure on Overton Hill, 600m north west of North FarmGroup of five round barrows north-east of the Sanctuary: part of the Overton Hill round barrow cemetery.Harepit Way linear boundaryBowl barrow 750m south-west of Manor Farm: part of the Windmill Hill round barrow cemeteryBowl barrow 300m south of Fox Covert forming part of the Fox Covert round barrow cemetery on West DownBowl barrow in The Belt, 350m north east of Hill BarnEarth Burgh (or Eorth Burh) NW of New Town FarmBowl barrow forming part of a linear round barrow cemetery on Allington DownStone circleSection of the WansdykeBell barrow 350m south-west of Barbury BarnBowl barrow 150m north of the Alton White HorseLangdean stone circleBowl barrow 200m south of Green Street and 1100m east of the Avebury henge monument, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Avebury DownBell barrow 75m west of Red ShoreThree bowl barrows 600m south-west of Knap CottageWest Kennett Farm palisaded enclosuresBowl barrow 750m south-east of Windmill HillBowl barrow 630m north east of Wick Bottom BarnEarthwork enclosure N of WansdykeBowl barrow 610m south east of Beckhampton Buildings, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Horton DownBell barrow 300m south-east of Avebury Down Barn forming part of a Bronze Age round barrow cemetery on Avebury DownBowl barrow forming part of a linear round barrow cemetery on Allington DownSharpridge earthworksBowl barrow 500m west of The RowBowl barrow 800m south-east of Barbury BarnAdam's Grave: a long barrow on Walker's HillBarrow on Avebury Down, S of track from AveburyPair of bowl barrows 150m north of the Wansdyke on All Cannings DownTwo bowl barrows 670m south east of Beckhampton Buildings, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Horton DownBowl barrow 950m SSW of Beckhampton Plantation, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Horton DownBowl barrow 200m east of Windmill Hill: part of the Windmill Hill round barrow cemetery.Bowl barrow east of the Ridgeway forming part of the Overton Hill Bronze Age round barrow cemetery.Section of Wansdyke and associated monuments from east of The Firs to the eastern side of Tan HillPair of round barrows 200m SSE of Windmill Hill: part of the Windmill Hill round barrow cemetery.Beckhampton round barrow cemetery 150m north east of the `Waggon and Horses'Linear barrow cemetery on Hackpen HillRound barrow cemetery and part of a field system 200m south of Beckhampton PenningTwo saucer barrows and a pair of bowl barrows 750m SSW of Beckhampton Plantation, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Horton DownRichardson medieval settlementThree bell barrows and a pillow mound 400m south-west of Knap CottageEarthwork enclosure on Allington DownBowl barrow 70m north of Rockley PlantationWest Kennet long barrow, 800m south-east of Silbury HillSilbury Hill: a monumental Neolithic mound west of the River Kennet and south of Avebury villageBowl barrow 900m SSE of Green BankAll Cannings Cross, an Early Iron Age settlement siteBowl barrow 230m west of The Grange, BeckhamptonBell barrow forming part of a round barrow cemetery 400m north-east of West Kennett Farm on Overton Hill.
