About
West Kennet Avenue once ran for about one and a half miles as a corridor of roughly 100 pairs of sarsen stones, linking the great henge at Avebury with the Sanctuary on Overton Hill. The stones, averaging about 10 feet high, seem to have been chosen in two shapes, tall pillars and broad triangular slabs set opposite each other, and some later marked Beaker-period graves. Many had been toppled or buried since the Middle Ages until Alexander Keiller found and re-raised them in the 1930s; today 27 stand upright, with concrete markers showing the sites of 37 more. Part of the Avebury World Heritage Site, the avenue is managed by the National Trust for English Heritage. Reviewers find walking between the stones an evocative way to approach Avebury, and many combine it with Silbury Hill and West Kennet Long Barrow. Sheep may be grazing, so keep dogs on leads. Park free in the lay-by at the southern end on the B4003.
Open in daylightFrom English Heritage's calendar
- Open any reasonable time in daylight
From English Heritage's published calendar, updated 1 October 2026, with dates up to 16 March 2027.
Opening times may change at short notice.
Open any reasonable time during daylight hours; free entry for everyone.
Owned by the National Trust, in English Heritage guardianship and managed by the National Trust on behalf of English Heritage. Toilets and a cafe are near the Alexander Keiller Museum in Avebury.
Accessibility: wheelchair access is through a kissing gate; the site is grassed and uneven throughout, with no seating. The road runs past the entrance, so take care.
Parking: free lay-by at the southern end on the B4003.
Hero photograph: Diliff. CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized and converted to WebP. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Avebury,_West_Kennet_Avenue,_Wiltshire,_UK_-_Diliff.jpg
Dogs at the location: Allowed with restrictions. Pet dogs are welcome on leads at this open-access site.
Dog walks in the grounds: Allowed with restrictions. Dogs may be walked on leads around the monument; no admission or membership is needed.
Leads: On leads; sheep may be grazing.
PricingFreeFree for all visitors
Free entry for everyone
Entry
Free for everyone
Pricing details
Free to everyone; open access site in daylight.
ParkingFree parkingFree for all visitors
No charge for anyone.
Parking details
Free parking in the lay-by at the southern end of the avenue on the B4003. Alternatively use the National Trust car park in Avebury village, free for English Heritage members displaying a car sticker; minibuses and coaches must use the Avebury car park.
Driving arrival: the avenue beside the B4003 between Avebury and West Kennett.
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