Neolithic henge complex in North Yorkshire, England
The three henges of the Thornborough Henges complex, looking south
The Thornborough Henges are an ancient monument complex that includes the three aligned henges that give the site its name. They are located on a raised plateau above the River Ure near the village of Thornborough in North Yorkshire, England. The site includes many large ancient structures including a cursus, henges, burial grounds and settlements.
They are thought to have been part of a Neolithic and Bronze Age 'ritual landscape' comparable to Salisbury Plain and date from between 3500 and 2500 BC. The monument complex has been called 'The Stonehenge of the North'. Historic England considers its landscape comparable in ceremonial importance to better known sites such as Stonehenge, Avebury, and Orkney.
Concern over the impact on the ritual landscape of quarrying by Tarmac in the 21st century, led to negotiations between Tarmac and Historic England. Following an agreement originally reached in 2016, the two henges owned by Tarmac, as well as surrounding land owned by local company Lightwater Holdings, passed into the control of Historic England in 2023. The site is now managed by English Heritage and is publicly accessible. The third henge remained in private ownership at the time of the original agreement but in February 2024 English Heritage announced that it had acquired it.
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The ThornboroughHenges are an ancient monument complex that includes the three aligned henges that give the site its name. They are located on a raised...
Brodgar) are each within a henge. Examples of henges without significant internal monuments are the three henges of ThornboroughHenges. Although having given...
occurs at Long Meg and Oddendale, as well as at other henges such as those at the ThornboroughHenges in North Yorkshire which were covered in gypsum). Mayburgh's...
the Late Neolithic Period. The ThornboroughHenges is an ancient monument complex that includes three aligned henges that give the site its name. The...
Brodgar, Neolithic henge and stone circle. ThornboroughHenges, three aligned Neolithic henges. Waulud's Bank, a possible Neolithic henge. Woodhenge, Neolithic...
was closed in 1963. Not far from the village are the ThornboroughHenges, known as the 'Stone Henge of the North'. West Tanfield was historically a parish...
deposits of gypsum are found. It is possible, therefore, like the henges at Thornborough in North Yorkshire, that the banks of the ditched enclosure and...
gatehouse. ThornboroughHengesHenge Neolithic Remains Three aligned henges often described as "Stonehenge of the North". Two of the henges are in guardianship...
and henges. At ThornboroughHenge a double alignment of pits, possibly evidence of a timber processional avenue, extends from the southern henge. However...
sand and gravel quarry north east of West Tanfield and just west of ThornboroughHenges. It was declared in June 2006 and is run by the Lower Ure Conservation...
were linked to a number of earthen henges erected in Dorset around the same period. On average Dorset's earthen henges are four times larger than the stone...
analogous to later Neolithic and Bronze Age stone and timber circles and henges which also demonstrate an attempt to demarcate a distinct, round area for...
power. Many had closely set stones, perhaps similar to the earth banks of henges. Others were constructed from boulders placed stably on the ground rather...
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