Thornborough Henges

The huge monument, dubbed "Stonehenge of the North", is situated near Ripon in North Yorkshire and consists of three giant circular earthworks - also known as ...

The central and southernmost henges are open to the public as of today (Friday, February 3), while the northern henge remains in private ownership. Duncan Wilson, Historic England’s chief executive, said: "Thornborough Henges and their surrounding landscape form part of the most important concentration of Neolithic monuments in the North of England. Historic England said the Thornborough Henges sit in an ancient, ritual prehistoric landscape running from Ferrybridge to Catterick and are "unparalleled in their size, alignment and degree of preservation". The public is being encouraged to visit the breath-taking ancient site that is a link to our ancestors from 5000 years ago. It consists of three giant circular earthworks (henges) that are more than 200m in diameter. The huge monument, dubbed "Stonehenge of the North", is situated near Ripon in North Yorkshire and consists of three giant circular earthworks - also known as henges.

As the culmination of several years of sensitive negotiations, the preservation organizations Historic England and English Heritage have finally secured ...

But even locally, awareness of the fabulous and remarkable nature of the Thornborough Henges has been surprisingly limited. The Thornborough Henges should be famous and top the list of northern England’s most visited tourist attractions. [Stonehenge](https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/stonehenge-0014920) of the North,’ in recognition of the geometric similarities between England’s most famous stone monument and this incredible earthwork installation. Yet the geometric commonalities of the two sites link them together and connect them with a single monument-building culture that frequently looked skyward for spiritual and cultural inspiration. From one end to the other the three circles cover an area of approximately one mile (1.6 kilometers). While the henges come close to forming a straight line, there is a slight turn or dogleg in the formation that compromises this straightness. Each henge is between 787 and 900 feet (240 and 275 meters) in diameter, and the three circles are separated from each other by two gaps of 1,800 feet (550 meters). As befits their mission to promote interest in historical preservation, Historic England and [English Heritage ](https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about-us/search-news/thornborough-henges/)will open two of the three earthwork circles or henges that comprise this large, landscape altering and geometrically precise site for public visitation, starting immediately. The impressive installation at Thornborough (a small village near Ripon) is not unique or solitary. The firm at one time was quite active quarrying in the area, and there was much concern that this might end up damaging the Thornborough Henges site. At least for the time being only the center and southernmost circles are open for tourists, since the northernmost henge is covered by forest land and remains in private hands. But Historic England, the UK government’s heritage advisor, began negotiating with Tarmac in 2016, to see if they would be willing to transfer control of the land to the preservation community.

Historic England and English Heritage said they have secured the future of Thornborough Henges following an agreement with the construction firm Tarmac.

With its help, the heritage of the central and southern henges at Thornborough will be protected and preserved for years to come. “Comparatively few people are aware of its significance – both locally and nationally. Historic England said the Thornborough Henges sit in an ancient, ritual prehistoric landscape running from Ferrybridge to Catterick and are “unparalleled in their size, alignment and degree of preservation”.