The Avebury Stone Circles are said to be home to quite the amount of paranormal activity, and there is even one case of an unnerving time slip! CHRISTINE MILLER tells us more…
Avebury and its Ancient Stone Circles
The pretty little village of Avebury sits snuggly in the Wiltshire Downs close to Marlborough – the most ancient borough in the whole of England. It is home to a Neolithic stone circle – there are three to be precise, two smaller circles sit inside the Great Circle – the largest in the world.
The circle was erected between 2850 BCE and 2200 BCE according to English Heritage, and while it isn’t fully understood what the purpose of the stone circle was, archaeologists believe it might have been built for the purpose of rituals.
In the 15th century, locals for whatever reason (although possibly on church orders), began to break down the massive megaliths and bury them.
It was said that this deeply angered the ghosts here, and they soon sought about seeking their revenge…
A Grisly Discovery
When the Avebury Stone Circles were rediscovered in the 1930s, a skull was found under one (now known as the Barber Stone) alongside some 14th century coins. It seems the Avebury Stone Circles might have extracted their revenge by toppling on one of the unlucky men who had been attempting to pull them down all those centuries ago. It is believed that due to the sheer size and weight of the stone, the man’s work pals decided to leave him there, rather than attempt to move the stone anymore.
The Devil Comes to Avebury
One particular stone is said to hold unusual powers – given to it by the devil himself. Aptly named the Devil’s Chair, the stone is said to omit a thick plume of black smoke which denotes the devil’s impending presence. However if you run around the stone 100 times anti-clockwise he can be conjured, so legend has it.
Ghost Galore at the Avebury Stones
The stone circle is said to be responsible for much of the paranormal happenings within the village.
Some of the stones from the circles were broken up in the 18th century and used to build some of the nearby properties, many of which are said to suffer poltergeist activity.
Contained actually within the circle is the 17th century hotel, Avebury Red Lion Pub. It is said to be one, if not the most haunted pubs in the entire world.
Phantom singing and chanting has been heard coming from the circle late at night when clearly there is no one (alive, at least) there, as well as human-like figures being witnessed dancing around the stones. Many visitors to the megaliths feel an overwhelming sense of anxiety. Others are struck with a deep sense of awe and wonder. And some feel vibrations when standing inside the circle.
There are even reports of fairy folk who are blamed for the twinkling lights sometimes seen darting around the circle.
As if that was not enough, the area is said to be quite the hotspot for UFO sightings, with numerous reports throughout the years of unusual aircraft hovering over the stones.
Unnerving Time Slip at Avebury Stone Circles
There was even a report of a time slip at the stone circle, as the one-time mayor of Wilton, one Mrs Edith Olivier, who believed herself to be psychic, claimed that one rather dank, dark October evening in 1916 she saw a village fair taking place as she was driving through.
She stopped her vehicle to take a better look at the festivities and noted how the villagers seemed merry; they were laughing and clutching flamed torches while a number of performers appeared to be putting on acts. Olivier found it somewhat odd that the villagers were completely unfazed by awful elements they were celebrating in.
Thinking little of it at the time, she was later surprised to learn that although Avebury did hold annual fairs, the last one to have taken place within the stone circle was in 1850, some 66 years prior to her experience. Even stranger – perhaps – was her discovery that the road she drove on through Avebury had all but disappeared before the 1800s…
Have you been to see the Avebury Stone Circles? Tell us all about it in the comments section below!
