For our latest Curiosity of the Week, we bring you an oldie, but a goodie. As it’s the summer solstice, people are once again gathering at the world-famous Stonehenge. But have you heard of its lesser-known neighbour, Woodhenge?
Yes, that’s right. There’s another sacred circle in Wiltshire. And as you might have guessed from the name, this particular historical structure was made from wood. And, like the other more famous ‘henge’, is a circular Neolithic site. Hence its name.
The site was discovered when aerial photographs detected dark rings in a crop of wheat (no, not the alien variety). Similarly to Stonehenge, it is unknown exactly what the rings of timber were originally for.
What we do know is that the site was probably built around 2300 BC, and that there are six concentric rings of post holes which would have contained wooden posts — today these are marked by concrete blocks. The rings are oval-shaped, with the longer axis pointing towards the winter and summer solstice.
The mysterious Woodhenge is located just off Countess Road in Amesbury, near to Stonehenge. And it’s free to visit. You can go at any time during daylight hours. There’s parking opposite the site, so pick a quiet time and take a look for yourself.
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We are always on the lookout for interesting customs, hidden places, and unique buildings and landmarks, to share with our readers. To discover more quirky places, head to our Curiosity of the Week page!