D11. Long double rows composed of 10 or more large sized stones

West Kennet Avenue

Distribution of long double rows composed of 10 or more large sized stones

Despite the small number of stone rows of this type they are dispersed over a large area. The only clustering is at Avebury where the Beckhampton and West Kennet avenues lead away from the same impressive henge. They are all found within significant ritual landscapes and are likely to have been particularly special to the people of Britain. The simplest analogy would be to the medieval cathedrals which were also widely scattered to serve more substantial hinterlands than those of the parish church.

Simplified plans of long double rows composed of 10 or more large sized stones

All of these rows are avenues with a substantial gap between the two roughly parallel lines of stones. All would have been visually impressive and are likely to have served as the focus for a substantial hinterland perhaps forming the central place for a single tribal group. Clearly the situation would have been more complicated than this but we can be fairly confident that these rows were particularly special.