The Earthwork
Visitors entering Stonehenge are apt in their eagerness to reach the
stones to overlook a definite banked Avenue leading from the
north-east towards the Hele Stone, and entering the circular earthwork
enclosure. This earthwork is not very considerable to-day, but in the
Stonehenge of yesterday it was probably far more marked and imposing.
This Avenue extends from Stonehenge in a straight line northwards for
about five
undred yards, where it divides into two branches, one
going eastward towards the Avon, where there is an ancient ford, the
other continuing northward until it joins yet another earthwork,
generally known as the Cursus, about half a mile distant. The whole
Avenue has suffered greatly in recent years and is fast disappearing
entirely. Both the circular form of the earthwork enclosing
Stonehenge, as well as the straight and parallel banks of the Avenue,
are specially worthy of notice. They belong to a class of earthwork
quite unlike the usual planning of cattle enclosures, and defensive
works, and exhibit a precision in setting out which is only associated
with the sepulchral and religious earthworks of prehistoric times in
this country.