Monday 6 April 2009

Avebury

We`ve just come back from visiting my Mother in East Anglia. It`s a long eight hour journey in the car, so we stop on the way, and have a coffee from the flask. Whilst we were resting and taking in the lovely peaceful countryside, Pete noticed a buzzard sitting in a tree being mobbed by a crow. At first we thought the nest belonged to the crow, who was a bit put out with its visitor, but infact it was the buzzards nest, as the female hopped out and started breaking sticks off the trees to `tuck in` to the nest. The male spent the whole time keeping guard in the left hand tree. We were really pleased to have seen it, as we`ve never seen a buzzards nest before.

On the journey back, we made a detour and visited the standing stones of Avebury.

Its the largest known stone ring in the world. The stones are surrounded by a grass covered chalk stone bank, with a deep inner ditch.

The sarsen stones range in height from nine to over twenty feet, and weigh as much as forty tons.

Some are covered in holes, which were found to be those of plant roots.

They are all different shapes, and covered in lichens..

They really are magnificent, and so wonderful to walk around, over the years many of them have been broken up, some used to build the village. Fortunately all these were left for us all to marvel at. On the grassy meadow around the stones, are a flock of sheep, which were delightful with their little black lambs

I noticed there were some lovely Beech hangers around the site
Beech are my favourite trees, and they have such a wonderful shape

These were along a little chalky path we followed along the top of the bank, they had the most amazing roots

Plenty of room there for fairy houses...

We walked down to the village, which is full of lovely old houses and a noisy rookery in the trees

It was like stepping back in time, the round building is a Dove-Cote which used to house five hundred doves

You can see all the little `pigeon holes` where they would nest

Unfortunately, not quite so good is the fact that they would be eaten when times were hard!

I loved this row of lovely old houses beside the church with their faded blue doors
We went into the church which had a lovely painted rood screen, which had been restored

The colours were rich reds, greens and golds

It also has a lovely tub font, with rich carvings all over it..

In the churchyard was a lovely Lychgate, this is where the coffin used to rest, while a piece of the service was read, or a shelter in inclement weather.

Its a wonderful magical place, you can feel the antiquity of it...its lies on ley lines that stretch to other sacred sites like Glastonbury, and it fills you with a wonderful peace..I loved every minute of my visit.

4 comments:

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

OH I have enjoyed this post more than the others - and I've really enjoyed them too. The stones are magnficent - and then the trees and the houses - all delightful. Thank you for the trip.

Ramblings From Spain said...

What a lovely account of your trip, filled with interesting things.. the lovely old stones, the beech tree roots, the wee black lambs and the ancient tub font.. I loved it all. Thank you for sharing and taking so many lovely photos xx

it's me said...

a very special entry--several years ago I was able to visit Avebury---and felt the magic too-it was right at twilight-and everything seemed to have a glow--will never forget it--you pointed out some things that I missed--happy to know more about it

Steveathome said...

In 2007 I visited Avebury. It was the last stop after visiting some chalk horses in th Wiltshire countryside and Woodhenge and Stonehenge. I was satying in Salisbury; recovering actually. I am of Scottish roots ( three generations hence)but reside in Canada.I had broken a leg and ankle literally fallig off of Hadrian's Wall. I colud not roam as I wanted to. Taking shelter from a relentless rain under the Sacred Beech Tree in Avebury I witnessed a group a few metres away meditating in a circle. Their energy touched me. I have been both entranced and addicted to the area since my return home to Saint Bruno De Montarville. Wiltshire has been an extremely Spiritual place forever and it cast its spell on me that day. I shall never forget the moment when I saw Truth for the very first time in my life. I will always be grateful.