Prehistoric Wessex

Our day begins at the great henge of Avebury, so huge that part of the modern village still lies within it. From here, we walk to West Kennet long barrow, a Neolithic chambered tomb. We also pass by the still mysterious Silbury Hill, which is known for being the largest man-made mound in all of Europe. Later today, we pay a visit to the Wiltshire Museum, which houses the collection of Bronze Age gold found buried with a chieftan who died c.1950 BCE, at a time when Stonehenge was at the centre of an internationally important ceremonial landscape. The most remarkable discovery was a gold-studded dagger pommel, set with thousands of microscopic gold studs – thinner than a strand of human hair.

This morning we visit the world-famous site of Stonehenge – an extraordinary construction that still causes controversy today. Our understanding of this site is still changing following recent excavations at the quarries in Preselli, from where the bluestones were brought from 180 miles away. We walk through the wider prehistoric landscape – the cursus, King Barrow and the avenue – before lunch. Later on, we visit Salisbury Museum to discover artefacts on display at the excellent Wessex Gallery. After this, our tour comes to an end.