Avebury and Lacock

Went on another London Walks daytrip, this time with Jan and Rebecca. First stop, Avebury. The site of a large henge and several stone circles dating back to 3400 BC – older, and four times larger, than Stonehenge.

Surrounded by huge circular henge – 21m wide, 11m deep, 1.35 km in circumference – was an Outer Circle of 98 sarsen standing stones, some weighing in excess of 40 tons. Nearer the middle of the monument were two other, separate stone circles. A single large monolith, 5.5m high, stood in the centre along with an alignment of smaller stones.

Although it is one of the finest and largest Neolithic monuments in Europe, it’s ‘wow’ value has been severely diminished by the village and roading built right through the middle during the intervening centuries.

In fact, there was a concerted effort in the 16th century to destroy the site, as it was believed to be evil due to its pagan origin. Many of the original stones were broken up and used for building materials, or toppled and buried at the site. Famously, the henge got its own back when one stone fell on and killed a barber. His body wasn’t exhumed until 1938.

Nowadays, among the sheep-laden pasture only 27 stones of the Outer Circle survive, many of which were dug up and re-erected by an enthusiast, Alexander Keiller, in the 1930s. Concrete pylons mark the former locations of the missing stones and it is likely that more stones are buried on the site.

I should add, however, that visiting during a lightning storm and torrential rain really adds some impact!

After a thorough soaking, we sought shelter and hot victuals at the Red Lion. The only pub in Avebury, it is also a famous haunting ground!

The story goes that during the 17th century, the inn was run by Florrie and her soldier husband. When he was called away to war, Florrie subsequently took a lover. One night her husband returned unexpectedly from battle and discovered his wife's infidelity. In a fit of rage he shot dead his rival and slit his wife's throat. He then threw her body down the inn's well and sealed it with a huge boulder.

We had a look in the well (it has now been converted into just another table – albeit with a glass lid) but didn’t see anything spooky.

However, I did find this photograph on the net. Taken by a local journalist in 2004 (while accompanying a group of “Paranormal Site Investigators”), it apparently depicts a bald man with a bloody face. It looks to me like Maynard Keenan with marker pen scribbles. Was Tool visiting Avebury that weekend?

After an exerting morning, we had better luck with the weather at Lacock village (pronounced Lay-cock). Owned almost in its entirety by the National Trust, its unspoiled appearance has made it a preferred filming location – notably for the excellent 1995 BBC Pride & Prejudice and the Harry Potter films (as Hogsmeade). I bought some terrible fudge from the National Trust shop, and Anna picked up another fridge magnet.

We also visited the Lacock Abbey, where the classroom and cloister scenes of Potter were also filmed. Currently The Other Boleyn Sister is being filmed there. We saw some sets and film equipment, but no sign of Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman or Eric Bana (damn!).

Extra pics: [1] The girls in Lacock Abbey cloister [2] Hogsmeade