Silbury Hill

Every time I drive along the A4 road I still feel a sense of wonder as I pass Silbury Hill. This beautiful mound is about 1.5km south of Avebury village and very near West Kennett Long Barrow. It is the largest artificial mound in Europe. Its base is 1640 feet in circumference and its height is 130 feet.

Beneath the grassy exterior lies a stepped pyramid built of seven concentric drums. There are many layers of chalk inside and it is probable that it used to be a shining beacon. Archaeological investigation has found it to be around 5,000 years old. What the investigation has failed to do is to reveal why the Hill was built. It really is a mystery! Legend has it that it was the burial mound of King Zel who could be seen galloping over the downs at night. Some say the Devil was heading towards Marlborough with a sack of earth and chalk and he intended to bury folk who had angered him. However, the Avebury Priests saw him coming and dealt with him at the very spot where the Hill stands.

Personally, I prefer the reasoning suggested in ‘The Silbury Treasure’ (1976) by Michael Dames which offers the explanation that it represents the womb of the Great Mother which presided over the various fertility rituals which marked the first fruits of harvest. Again, I believe we must view Silbury as an integral part of the great Avebury complex.

These days it is not safe to climb up the Hill and it is fenced off. However, we can stop next to it and walk around and look in wonder at the mound and imagine how many man hours it must have taken to build such an impressive feature. There are many other sacred sites nearby such as Devil’s Dolmen and Swallowhead Spring, which is the source of the River Kennet. This was formerly called the Cunnit, relating to the goddess mound but has been politely renamed. We can incorporate these sites  within your tour and of course take care of your photography.