Overton Hill
Encyclopedia
Overton Hill is a 571 ft (174 m) hill at the southern edge of the Marlborough Downs in Wiltshire
, England
. It is situated just west of the village of West Overton
and 4.5 miles (7 km) from the town of Marlborough, on the A4 Road.
It is notable for being the start point of the Ridgeway National Trail. There are several round barrows
(burial mounds) on it and it is the site of a wooden circle known as The Sanctuary
indicating human activity for thousands of years. There is a parking area on the hill which is also near to ancient sites at Silbury Hill
and Avebury
.
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is situated just west of the village of West Overton
West Overton
-Local government:West Overton forms part of the civil parish of Fyfield and West Overton, which has an elected parish council. It also falls within the area of Wiltshire Council. Both councils are responsible for different aspects of local government....
and 4.5 miles (7 km) from the town of Marlborough, on the A4 Road.
It is notable for being the start point of the Ridgeway National Trail. There are several round barrows
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
(burial mounds) on it and it is the site of a wooden circle known as The Sanctuary
The Sanctuary
The Sanctuary is a prehistoric site on Overton Hill located around 5 miles west of Marlborough in the English county of Wiltshire.It is part of a wider Neolithic landscape which includes the nearby sites of Silbury Hill, West Kennet Long Barrow and Avebury, to which The Sanctuary was linked by the...
indicating human activity for thousands of years. There is a parking area on the hill which is also near to ancient sites at Silbury Hill
Silbury Hill
Silbury Hill is a prehistoric artificial chalk mound near Avebury in the English county of Wiltshire. It is part of the Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites UNESCO World Heritage Site, and lies at ....
and Avebury
Avebury
Avebury is a Neolithic henge monument containing three stone circles which is located around the village of Avebury in Wiltshire, south west England. Unique amongst megalithic monuments, Avebury contains the largest stone circle in Europe, and is one of the best known prehistoric sites in Britain...
.