Perception of time stretched when out walking among the stones.
When dates being used are all BC, time seems to take on a different meaning. The settlement shown in the museum here mentioned dates around 2,400 BC, which of course means 4,400 years ago.
The beautiful weather meant Catherine and I made the 25 minute journey to
Aveburywith the roof on my car down, driving past bright yellow fields of rape under a dusty blue sky.
Arriving at 9:30 meant we were unhurried and sauntered through fields of these ancient stones and along the tops of the earth-works in the warm breeze.
A visit to the museum makes one realise how little meaning time has when it is cast in stone. All dates are BC and therefore must have our date added on top. The child’s skeleton dated at 2016 BC (I think) means it is actually 4016 years old. The chalk ground is good for preserving bone and it is for this reason there are still remains so long after the event.
Catherine scrutinising a stone
Avebury is along a ley-line from Stonehenge. Henge is iconic but I always think it a let down as over the years it has been fenced off, and then open, but to be honest, even when we are allowed in the stone circle, there is not a great deal there. Give me Avebury any day.
Two of the stones in the second field - the hare-esque one seemed right for Easter
copses of trees with gnarled roots dot the landscape at Avebury
£5 for all day parking was, I think worth it as we spent most of the day there, walking slowly and enjoying the weather. For a bad-weather day, I am not so sure. Most of what there is to do is outside and, call me a wimp, I do like to be comfortable.
Being Good Friday meant the most important date in the Christian calender was being observed and I spotted no more than 4 priests/ vicars walking around the church. When I last visited with the children there was a pagan wedding happening and I was hoping to sit and watch one of those, but no such luck.
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/avebury/
