We had the pleasure of visiting this often overlooked gem on the same day we visited Stonehenge (approximately 32 kms away). In comparison, we were thrilled that after traveling half way around the world, we'd actually be able to get up close and personal with these ancient stones.

Dating back over 5,000 years (even older than Stonehenge) and is a world heritage site. In comparison to Stonehenge it is nearly four times the size in terms of the total area it covers.

Our tour guide for Avebury (and Stonehenge) was Peter Knight (www.stoneseeker.net) and his fountain of knowledge was overwhelming and incredibly informative.

It was a bit shocking that we'd literally step out of a van and step right into a farmer's field amongst the sheep and see these stones just sitting there as they had for thousands of years.

Sadly of the many stones that once made up the structures, only 27 still stand today. The most noticeable characteristics of the stones are that they are either tall and slender or short and squat which has led to theories that the tall and slender stones are representative of the masculine (phallic in nature) and the shorter and squat are representative of the feminine.

The site is frequented by those who practice Paganism and other earth based religions and is of great importance in rituals that take place in accordance with the summer solstice, much like Stonehenge but to some extent is believed to be even more revered. Avebury is also said to be on the St Michael ley line.

While there we used divining rods to see if we could pick up the energy currents running through the site and we all watched in amazement as we discovered the current ran right through the main opening in the circle.

Being in the center of the stones was an amazing experience and the overwhelming sense of positive energy and well being flowed through all of us present. We all left feeling like we had experienced and had been witness to something very powerful.

Many of the first stones we saw were not, in fact, original stones of the Great Circle. They were only about waist-height at best and clearly hewn into an obelisk shape, whereas all of the original stones were as they were formed in nature and many times larger than me. However, looking ahead, we could see many of the huge stones Avebury is renowned for, stretching off, as their name says, in a circle to our left.

I was probably more struck by this site than I was by Stonehenge. Yes, this probably had to do with the fact that I had no preconceptions of what Avebury would look like, but it was also just the immense span of the place that got me. Far and wide, I could see stones jutting out from the grass, completely incongruous with the rolling fields surrounding them. I could only imagine what it was like when it was first built, with the brilliant white of the Wiltshire chalk churned up by the building of the bank surrounding me. Who worshipped in this place, and what exactly did they use it for? Legend says it was the druids, but archaeology shows that Avebury predates the druids by many, many years. All of the mystery and intrigue, to me, only gave it more of an aura.

I really enjoyed myself weaving around the stones with my Nanna. I ran my fingers along the stones, feeling their weathered faces, and laughed at the antics of the sheep and lambs cavorting throughout the field. One ewe had her face buried underneath the triangular edge of one of the stones, and when we approached, she pulled it up just enough to give us the impression that she was holding the stone up with the power of her little head. I've heard of the weight of the world being on your shoulders...but on your head?

Unfortunately, we couldn't cross over to where the D-shape of the Southern Circle was, because there was construction going on to build a staircase over the bank. We just looked from afar at the second lot of large stones, much closer together, with flocks of white all around them.

Nanna walked back across the field to the entrance, but I took the long way back, dipping down into the ditch before coming up onto the bank. Two lambs and their mother met me there, and one of the lambs had absolutely no fear at all. It nearly walked straight into me trying to sniff my camera!

There was a great view of the whole southern section of the Great Circle and the Southern Circle from the bank, complemented by spectacular scenery to the other side. I would say it is a must to climb the bank to get a feel for the whole site which spreads out before you. It filled me once again with wonder at the people of Avebury long ago. What a stunning, mesmerizing sight.

A Henge is the name given to any prehistoric stone circle. Avebury is the biggest Henge in Europe by way of area. It’s proportions are quite unbelievable; total area is 12 hectares with a 2-kilometer avenue that leads to the Sanctuary, the circumference of the earthworks that surrounds the Henge is almost 1.5 kilometers, and the ditch itself is 9 meters feet deep and 350 meters in diameter.

Originally enclosed within the bank and ditch were 98 stones varying in height from 3m to 6m, with the largest weighing in at 40 tonnes. Within the vast outer circle were two smaller circles that deployed far smaller stones, most of these have however disappeared over the centuries. From the southeast corner ran an avenue that lead to The Sanctuary, known as the West Kennet Avenue that comprised 100 pairs of stones and a smaller avenue that lead to Beckhampton to the southwest, roughly in line with the present day road from the village to Devizes.

The entire monument has been dated to around 2600BC although the huge outer circle may have been added after the inner circles were first built. It has been estimated that up to 2 million man-hours would have been required to construct the bank and ditch and transport the Sarsen stones to the site and erect them using rollers and ancient pulleys. All the stones used at Avebury were quarried locally, making the transportation far easier than would have been with those at Stonehenge, some thirty miles to the south, whose stones are believed to have originated at Preseli in west Wales.

In later times, Roman artefacts found on the site indicate that it may have been visited as a curiosity and during the Saxon period, circa 600AD, a settlement existed both inside and outside of the Henge. A Saxon longhouse was also uncovered which indicates that they may have used the semi-security of the Henge as a fortified settlement. They called it Weala-dic meaning "moat of the British" although the first historical records confirming occupation show up in the Assize Rolls of 1289.

There are many current guesses as to what role or purpose the Henge played. The most likely is that of a religious shrine or temple from where homage could be paid to pagan deities.

Over the years since Keiller’s initial excavations, others have tried to put a meaning to the site and today, it is generally accepted that Avebury Circle is indeed a religious shrine. It stands in the rolling Wiltshire countryside, several miles from the nearest towns of any size. Sheep graze its grass, totally unperturbed by the flocking visitors as the clouds scud across the sky.

No verbal description can really do justice to Avebury for it’s not just the sight of these huge monoliths that stirs the imagination, but also the effort and ingenuity of the ancient builders who constructed it over four and a half thousand years ago using simple stone tools and wooden rollers.