Archaeology

This trip organised by Ann Boutell was accompanied by Nick Griffiths who acted as our archaeological guide and coffe server. There were 12 other U3A members on this cool windy and partly sunny day.

Firstly we stopped at Woodhenge. From this position we could survey most of Durrington Walls and marvel at the size of it. We could see where Time Team made their recent dig.

We moved on via country roads to the village of Alton Barnes. Here Nick showed us a saxon church. What was particularly fascinating was the construction methods used. Because the building was made to replace an earlier wooden church the saxons used woodworking ideas. The corners of the church consisted of long vertical sarsens and interspersed are long horizontal sarsen stones alternatively at right angles. Clearly a strong method since the church is still standing.

On to AVEBURY itself via Wansdyke and the Sanctuary. Here we each explored for ourselves. I went to the west of the village and was rewarded with a wonderful view of Silbury Hill across the fields. Later Nick told us that recent findings indicated that the Hill was built using a nine sided spiral ramp. The facets can still be faintly seen. He also explained that the hill would have been kept white rather than the present green colour.

Nick also tried to show how deep the ditches and how high the banks of Avebury henge were by showing us a picture of the 1922 excavations at the point that they were dug.

Later we went through Devizes. The name derives from two words de meaning of the and Vizes meaning the junction of three parishes. The town is based around the castle (now a 19th Century castle) and its bailey. The bailey is dee shaped and this is reflected in the market place shape and further out to the streets surrounding the market place.

Our group at Woodhenge

Woodhenge general view

MAP

MORE INFO

Alton Barnes church plaque

Silbury Hill as it is now

Try looking at this aerial view HERE