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4,600-year-old Silbury Hill is part of a rich cluster of Neolithic monuments around Avebury in Wiltshire. With the base covering over 2 hectares (5 acres) and its cone rising 39.6m (130ft), it is the tallest prehistoric man-made mound in Europe and one of the world's largest.
The perfectly round base of the hill has a diameter of 167m (550ft) and the flat summit is 30m (100ft) wide.
The hill was constructed over a natural hill as a series of steps, each being filled in with packed chalk and then smoothed off to the conical shape. There appear to have been two phases to the construction with the mound enlarged shortly after the original work commenced.
The construction of the hill 4,600 years ago displays considerable technical skill and its designers must have had control over the large labour and other resources for a considerable period of time. The construction involved the procurement and placing of 248,000 cubic metres (8.75 million cu ft) of material and archeologists estimate that the mound must have taken about 18 million man-hours to make.
The mound has been the subject of three recorded excavations. The first consisted of a shaft sunk from the top of the hill to the bottom on October 31st, 1776 by a team of Cornish miners led by the Duke of Northumberland.
It is this early excavation which was not properly back-filled which caused the series of collapses in 2000. |
A second excavation in 1849 involved the digging of a tunnel from the perimeter to the mound's centre. The 1968-70 excavation was led by professor Richard Atkinson, and again involved a tunnel cut radially into the mound's base.
Nothing of special significnace has ever been found on the mound and the excavationshave shown thecore to contain clay, flints, gravel, sarsen stones, topsoil, hazel, mistletoe, moss, oak, turf, antler tines, freshwater shells and ox bones.
The purpose the huge structure and the effort expended in its creation has always been an enigma although various suggestions have been mooted from time to time.
At the turn of the 20th century, Moses B.Cotworth suggested that the mound was a giant sundial to determine seasons and the true length of the year.
One of legends claims the hill to be the last resting place of King Sil, buried sitting upon a golden horse. Another claims that the mound holds a life-sized solid gold statue of the king.
As with many sites which appeared mysterious to our ancestors, there is a legend involving the devil; carrying an apron-full of soil to drop on the citizens of nearby Marlborough, he was stopped by the priests of nearby Avebury and dropped it to create the mound instead.
The people of Avebury used to hold a spring feast of cakes on Silbury Hill during which they drank the water from nearby springs.
| The 5,000-year-old hill, built during the Neolithic period, is |
| . . . comparable with the ancient Pyramids of Egypt or the Great Pyramids of Mexico |
| - Lord Avebury, May 12th, 2004, speaking at the public inquiry at Hungerford, Berkshire, into the wording of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act draft legislation |
The prehisdtoric site is owned by Lord Avebury and managed by English Heritage.
The owners of the site have tried since 1974, when the hill was fenced off, to keep visitors from climbing the hill and causing damage to it by closing it to the public. The Countryside Agency has marked the prehistoric Silbury Hill as "unimproved chalk grassland" sparking a row over protection of the ancient structure which would be opened up under the controversial new "right to roam" legislation.
| Heritage Action is a group dedicated to the care of threatened and neglected prehistoric sites and believe urgent action is needed to prevent further damage to the hill. |
On May 29th, 2000, torrential winter rains seeping into into shafts left by the 18th century excavations caused the first of a series of collapses and the appearance of a huge hole on the summit leading to fears that Silbury Hill might be destroyed. English Heritage have carried out repairs by filling the crater formed in the hill with polystyrene, capped off with chalk.
| Avebury World Heritage Site |
Avebury World Heritage Site covers 22 square kilometres of Wiltshire and includes 345 archaeological sites, 68 Scheduled Ancient Monuments and five Guardianship sites and is believed to have had some kind of religious significance to the prehistoric residents of the area.
As well as having been designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by English Heritage, Silbury Hill has also been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
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| | | | OTHER PLACES | | West Kennet Long Barrow
Wiltshire, England
3,500-year-old long barrow - one of the longest in
England & Wales - the burial chambers open to the public | 1.1 km SE | | Windmill Hill
Wiltshire, England
5,500-year-old Neolithic causewayed enclosure - one of the earliest
Neolithic settlements in England | 3.3 km NW | | Tan Hill
Wiltshire, England | 4.4 km SW | | Barbury Castle
Swindon, Wiltshire, England
The Iron Age hill fort on the ridgeway dominates the
downland to the south or Swindon and Wroughton | 9 km NE | | Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum
Downside, Stockley Lane, Calne, Wiltshire SN11
Cars from 1924-83, classic motorbikes and memorabilia. | 10.3 km NW | | Devizes Museum
41 Long St, Devizes, Wiltshire SN10 1NS
World famous Neolithic, Bronze and iron age collections. | 11.7 km SW | | Wiltshire Heritage Museum
41 Long Street, Devizes, Wilts. SN10 1NS
The archaeology collections trace the history of people in Wiltshire from the earliest times - Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman, Saxon, and Medieval. The Recent History gallery describes different aspects of life in Wiltshire in more m | 11.7 km SW | | Liddington Castle
Swindon, Wiltshire, England
The Iron Age hill fort which overlooks the M4 motorway and modern
Swindon is within sight of nearby Barbury Castle | 15.5 km NE | | | | | Camping Sites | | Hill View Park
Oare, Wiltshire SN8 4JE | | 8.3 km SW | | North Leaze Farm Camp Site
North Leaze Farm, Highworth, Wiltshire SN6 7QT | | 8.3 km SW | | Blackland Leisure Ltd
Stockley Lane, Calne, Wiltshire SN11 0NQ | | 9.6 km NE | | Forest Holidays
Postern Hill Campsite, Savernake Forest, Marlborough, Wiltshire SN8 4ND | | 9.6 km SW | | Stonehenge Touring Park
Orcheston, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP3 4SH | | 23.5 km SE | | | | | Guest House | | The Greyhound
177 Faringdon Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 5DL | | 16.4 km NW | | Kingsbridge House
Coate, Wiltshire SN3 6AA | | 16.5 km NW | | Appletree House
29 Kingsdown Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 7PE | | 20.9 km NW | | Hayward House
6 Swindon St, Highworth, Wiltshire SN6 7AH | | 25.8 km NW | | | | | Hotels | | The Sun Inn
90 High Street, Marlborough, Wiltshire SN8 1HF | | 8.5 km NW | | Ivy House Hotel
43 High St, Marlborough, Wiltshire SN8 1HJ | | 8.6 km NW | | The Merlin Hotel
36-39 High St, Marlborough, Wiltshire SN8 1LW | | 8.7 km NW | | Castle & Ball Hotel
High St, Marlborough, Wiltshire SN8 1LZ | | 8.7 km NW | | The Bear
1 High St, Marlborough, Wiltshire SN8 1AA | | 8.8 km NW | | The Crown Hotel
The Parade, Marlborough, Wiltshire SN8 1NE | | 8.9 km NW | | The Lamb Inn
The Parade, Marlborough, Wiltshire SN8 1NE | | 8.9 km NW | | | | | Police Stations | | Marlborough Police Station
George Lane, Marlborough, Wiltshire SN8 4DB | | 9.1 km NW | | Calne Police Station
Silver St, Calne, Wiltshire SN11 0JF | | 10.4 km NE | | Wootton Bassett Police Station
Lime Kiln, Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire SN4 7JJ | | 14.7 km NE | | Swindon Divisional Headquarters
Princes St, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 2HZ | | 17 km NW | | Westbury Police Station
7 Station Rd, Westbury, Wiltshire BA13 3JL | | 28.8 km SE | | Warminster Police Station
Station Rd, Warminster, Wiltshire BA12 9BR | | 32.3 km SE | | | | | Post Offices | | Phelps Parade PO
21 Phelps Parade, Calne, Wiltshire SN11 0HA | | 10.6 km NE | | Chiseldon Sub-PO
2 Turnball, Chiseldon, Wiltshire SN4 0LJ | | 13.9 km NW | | Freshbrook PO
Village Centre, Freshbrook, Wiltshire SN5 8LY | | 15.1 km NW | | West Swindon Centre PO
West Swindon Centre, Swindon, Wiltshire SN5 7DL | | 16 km NW | | Clifton Street PO
158 Clifton St, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3QB | | 16.1 km NW | | Lawn PO
44 Guildford Avenue, Swindon, Wiltshire SN3 1JE | | 16.1 km NW | | Post Office
Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3BL | | 16.2 km NW | | Westcott Place PO
175 Faringdon Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 5DL | | 16.4 km NW | | Park PO
31-33 Cavendish Square, Swindon, Wiltshire SN3 2LP | | 16.9 km NW | | Liden PO
Liden Centre, Liden, Wiltshire SN3 6HP | | 17.1 km NW | | Rodbourne Road PO
169-170 Rodbourne Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 2AY | | 17.1 km NW | | Walcot PO
Sussex Square, Walcot, Wiltshire SN3 3BJ | | 17.3 km NW | | G & L (Queens Drive PO)
2 Queens Drive, Swindon, Wiltshire SN3 1AW | | 17.3 km NW | | Queens Drive PO
G & L, 2 Queens Drive, Wiltshire SN3 1AW | | 17.3 km NW | | Eldene PO
Eldene Shopping Centre, Dorcan, Wiltshire SN3 3RZ | | 17.5 km NW | | Post Office
Wheatstone Rd, Dorcan, Wiltshire SN3 5HG | | 17.7 km NW | | Aldbourne PO & Stores
13 The Square, Aldbourne, Wiltshire SN8 2DU | | 17.8 km NW | | Ferndale Road PO
248 Ferndale Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 1HB | | 17.9 km NW | | Cheney Manor PO
84 Cheney Manor Rd, Cheney Manor, Wiltshire SN2 2NR | | 18 km NW | | Great Bedwyn PO
90 Church St, Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire SN8 3PF | | 18.1 km SW | | Gorse Hill PO
90 Cricklade Rd, Gorse Hill, Wiltshire SN2 8AF | | 18.1 km NW | | Wanborough PO
High St, Wanborough, Wiltshire SN4 0AD | | 18.5 km NW | | Covingham Square PO
2 Covingham Square, Swindon, Wiltshire SN3 5AA | | 18.7 km NW | | Purton PO
5 High St, Purton, Wiltshire SN5 4AA | | 19.1 km NE | | Oxford Road Sub-PO
96 Oxford Rd, Stratton St Margaret, Wiltshire SN3 4HD | | 19.3 km NW | | Clive Parade PO
12 Clive Parade, Cricklade Rd, Pinehurst, Wiltshire SN2 1AJ | | 19.5 km NW | | Stratton St Margaret Post Office
Rainer Close, Stratton St Margaret, Wiltshire SN3 4YA | | 20.1 km NW | | Stratton St Margaret PO
Rainer Close, Stratton St Margaret, Wiltshire SN3 4YA | | 20.1 km NW | | Penhill PO
8 Braydon Court, Penhill Drive, Penhill, Wiltshire SN2 5DZ | | 20.2 km NW | | Semington PO Stores
High St, Semington, Wiltshire BA14 6JR | | 21.6 km SE | | Tilshead Sub-PO
High St, Tilshead, Wiltshire SP3 4RX | | 21.6 km SE | | South Marston PO
Highworth Rd, South Marston, Wiltshire SN3 4SF | | 21.7 km NW | | Holt PO
180 The Common, Holt, Wiltshire BA14 6QL | | 24.3 km SE | | Bratton PO
Melbourne St, Bratton, Wiltshire BA13 4RW | | 24.5 km SE | | Shrivenham PO
32 High St, Shrivenham, Wiltshire SN6 8AA | | 24.6 km NW | | Westbury PO
42 Edward St, Westbury, Wiltshire BA13 3BG | | 28.6 km SE | | Queens Square PO
2 Queens Square, Westbury, Wiltshire BA13 3LR | | 29.2 km SE | | Goodwin Close PO & Community Store
Goodwin Close, Warminster, Wiltshire BA12 0DF | | 31 km SE | | | | | Public Houses | | Waggon & Horses
mpton, Wiltshire SN8 1QJ | | 1.2 km NE | | The Red Lion Inn
High St, Avebury, Wiltshire SN8 1RF | | 1.3 km N | | Bell Inn
Bath Rd, West Overton, Wiltshire SN8 1QD | | 3 km SW | | New Inn
Winterbourne Monkton, Wiltshire SN4 9NW | | 3.5 km N | | Who`D A Thought It Inn
idge, Wiltshire SN8 4EL | | 4.6 km SW | | White Hart Inn
Marlborough, Wiltshire SN8 4JA | | 7.9 km SW | | The Whiteheart Inn
Marlborough, Wiltshire SN8 4JA | | 7.9 km SW | | | | | Restaurants | | Connies
53 Devizes Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 4BG | | 15.9 km NW | | The Running Horse
Wootton Bassett Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 4NQ | | 15.9 km NW | | Lacasita Mexican Resturant & Takeaway
6 Devizes Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 4BJ | | 16.1 km NW | | Fabio
15 Bath Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 4AS | | 16.1 km NW | | Pizza Express plc
5 Bath Rd, Old Town, Wiltshire SN1 4AS | | 16.1 km NW | | Poms Thai Cusine
24 High St, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3EP | | 16.1 km NW | | Il-Capricorno Restorante
Marlborough House, 26 High St, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3EP | | 16.1 km NW | | Jalapenos Tex Mex Restaurant
16 Wood St, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 4AB | | 16.1 km NW | | Mario`s Trattoria
7 Wood St, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 4AN | | 16.1 km NW | | New Biplob
12-14 Wood St, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 4AB | | 16.1 km NW | | Biplob Tandoori Restaurant
12-14 Wood St, Old Town, Wiltshire SN1 4AB | | 16.1 km NW | | Picklejohns
25-27 Wood St, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 4AN | | 16.1 km NW | | Blue Spice
122 Victoria Rd, Old Town, Wiltshire SN1 3BH | | 16.2 km NW | | Eastern Eye
116 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3BH | | 16.2 km NW | | Curry Garden
90 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3BD | | 16.2 km NW | | Haweli Bilti Ghar
89 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3BD | | 16.2 km NW | | Gaetano`s Italian Restaurant
131 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3BU | | 16.4 km NW | | Thai Orchid
133-134 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3BU | | 16.4 km NW | | Swanky`s Restaurant Brasserie
141 Faringdon Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 5DL | | 16.4 km NW | | Shanghai
171-173 Faringdon Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 5DL | | 16.4 km NW | | Shanghai Restaurant
171-173 Faringdon Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 5DL | | 16.4 km NW | | Beefeater Restaurant & Pub
The Grove, Drove Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3AG | | 16.6 km NW | | Parasol
96-97 Commercial Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 5PL | | 16.6 km NW | | Karahi King Restaurant & Takeaway
38 Commercial Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 5NS | | 16.6 km NW | | The Jewel in the Crown
16 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3AL | | 16.6 km NW | | Rafu`s Tandoori
188-189 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3DF | | 16.6 km NW | | Jewel in the Crown
16 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3AL | | 16.6 km NW | | Star Express Restaurant
2 Regent Circus, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1PN | | 16.7 km NW | | Bombay Brassery
1 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3AJ | | 16.7 km NW | | Khyber Restaurant
5-6 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3AJ | | 16.7 km NW | | The Victoria Palace
13 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3AJ | | 16.7 km NW | | New World
8 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3AJ | | 16.7 km NW | | Bombay Brasserie
1 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3AJ | | 16.7 km NW | | Burger King (UK) Ltd
49-51 Regent St, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1JS | | 16.7 km NW | | The Appartment
16-18 Havelock Square, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1LE | | 16.8 km NW | | McDonald`s Restaurants Ltd
23-25 Canal Walk, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1LD | | 16.8 km NW | | Little Chef
Turnpike Roundabout, A419 (Groundwell Corner), Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 2LU | | 16.8 km NW | | Monsoon Contemporary Indian Cuisine
13 Faringdon Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 5AR | | 16.8 km NW | | The Waterfall Chinese Restaurant
61 Fleet St, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1RA | | 16.9 km NW | | Fletchers
62-64 Fleet St, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1RA | | 16.9 km NW | | Gianni Ristorante
16-17 Bridge St, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1BU | | 17 km NW | | The Octagon
4 New Bridge Square, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1EA | | 17.2 km NW | | Canteen
175 Manchester Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1TU | | 17.3 km NW | | Laila Barbecue Restaurant & Take Away
52 Manchester Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 2AG | | 17.5 km NW |  | Sammy`S
17 Clive Parade, Cricklade Rd, Pinehurst, Wiltshire SN2 1AJ
telephone: 01793 721032
| | 19.5 km NW | | | | | Take Away Food | | KFC
13 Clive Parade, Cricklade Rd, Pinehurst, Wiltshire SN2 1AJ | | 19.5 km NW | | | | | Video Sales & Hire | | Showtime
Unit 1 , The High St, Calne, Wiltshire SN11 0BS | | 10.6 km NE | | Blockbuster Entertainment
Unit 13, West Swindon District Centre, Wiltshire SN5 7DL | | 16 km NW | | The Little Film Shop Ltd
116 Eastcott Hill, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3JH | | 16.3 km NW | | Apollo Home Entertainment
133-135 Manchester Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 2AF | | 17.4 km NW | | Video Shack
34 Ipswich St, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 1DB | | 17.9 km NW | | Covingham Video Films Ltd
6 Covingham Square, Swindon, Wiltshire SN3 5AA | | 18.7 km NW | | Videostop
347a Cheney Manor Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 2PE | | 18.9 km NW | | Video Solent Ltd
7 Clive Parade, Cricklade Rd, Pinehurst, Wiltshire SN2 1AJ | | 19.5 km NW | | Blockbuster Entertainment
Unit B5 , North Swindon Retail Park, Swindon, Wiltshire SN25 4BG | | 20.5 km NW | | Top Pix Home Entertainment
11 High St, Highworth, Wiltshire SN6 7AG | | 25.9 km NW | | Blockbuster Entertainment
3 George St, Warminster, Wiltshire BA12 8QA | | 32.6 km SE |
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