Between the North York Moors and Yorkshire’s Pennine Hills lies the greatest concentration of prehistoric henge monuments in Britain. Thornborough Henges is at the centre of this vast ritual landscape – for size, appearance and significance, it more than rivals its world-famous counterpart to the south
Sometimes billed as ‘the Stonehenge of the North’, Thornborough consists of three identical, large circular earthwork enclosures.
It’s incredible to think that 4,500 years ago, Neolithic farmers organised themselves to build this unique monument.
Read on to learn all about this complex of henges.
Looking for more ancients sites to visit in the UK? Read our guides to Castlerigg Stone Circle in the Lake District, Rollright Stones in Oxfordshire and Avebury in Wiltshire.
Thornborough Henges
Where is Thornborough Henges?
Thornborough Henges sits on a plateau above the River Ure and is one of a number of monuments in the area.
It’s incredible when you consider that these henges are aligned with a similar henge at nearby Nunwick and with the Devil’s Arrows at Boroughbridge, which are more than 10 miles away.
Why was Thronborough Henges built?
It’s thought that Thornborough was used for ceremonies and funerals and that the henges were in use for over 2,000 years.
The location has long held significance for early human history as the henges were built over an earlier cursus monument.
Just under a mile in length, the three henges are aligned on a broadly north-west–south-east axis.
Each henge is 250m in diameter and they once stood 4m high. It is considered that this was to ensure attention was focused on the sky and the stars above. Excavations on site suggest the earth banks were also lined with brilliant white gypsum, which was quarried locally.
It’s almost certainly by design that each of the three southern entrances line up with where the brightest star Sirius rises in the night sky. The southern entrances of the northern and central henge are also aligned with the midwinter sunset and midsummer sunrise and it’s interesting to speculate as to whether this was for spiritual reasons or for a more pragmatic understanding of the turning of the year.
It’s possible that this was a place of pilgrimage as archaeological finds scattered around the area suggest temporary settlements and include discarded flint from the Yorkshire Coast and Wolds and chert from the Pennines. By the Bronze Age, the area was also used for human burials and there are several examples of round barrows nearby.
- Summer solstice: when is the longest day of the year?
- Winter solstice: when it is the shortest day of the year?
Visiting Thornborough Henges today
Sadly, across modern human history, the henges have been damaged by quarrying and ploughing, but in more recent years two of the henges have passed into the care of English Heritage.
A small amount of free layby parking is available at the entrance gates to the central and southern henges, near West Tanfield.
You explore Thornborough Henges on a 4.7-mile circular walk that loops around two of the henges and diverts off to the third. The terrain is mainly tracks, some quiet country lanes and field paths – which can be muddy after rain. The route is mostly level, but not recommended for pushchairs.
Eating and accommodation near Thornborough Henges
Try the Freemasons Arms in nearby Nosterfield for food and drink or The Bull Inn at West Tanfield, which also offers accommodation. Nearby Masham offers a wealth of eating, drinking and accommodation options.
