LEEDS, England – Sometimes described as ‘the Stonehenge of the North,’ Thornborough Henges near Ripon in North Yorkshire dates from ancient times. The site, which lies above the river Ure, consists of three circular earthworks, constructed of banks and 820ft (250m) in diameter, which archaeologists believe to form part of a ritual landscape running from Ferrybridge to Catterick. There are, for example, similar henges at Nunwick, Hutton Moor, and Cana Barn, and standing stones to the south of the Ure. It has been described as the single most important ancient site between Stonehenge and the complexes of Orkney.
The monument has now been reunited under one owner: some years ago, English Heritage was given ownership of the south and central henge, via Historic England, by construction firm Tarmac, although the northern one remained in private ownership. The latter has now been purchased by English Heritage with support from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Jamie Ritblat and family, and The SCS Trust.
Thornborough Henges . Photo credit: Tony Newbould geograph.org.uk CC A-SA 2.0]
Gerard Lemos CMG CBE, chair of English Heritage, told the BBC in February that:
“The Thornborough Henges are a remarkable survivor from the prehistoric past, from deep, deep history. We are incredibly proud that all three henges are now reunited under one single owner and their future secure. English Heritage will ensure that the entire monument is given the care it deserves… Reuniting the henges like this means that the public is now able to explore all three and re-connect with the people who gathered here 4,500 years ago.”
Thornborough lies in the Parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Mr Sunak told the BBC that:
“Having recently visited the henges site, I know how truly remarkable the totality of the monument is. Bringing all three henges together in the ownership of English Heritage ensures their preservation and enhances the charity’s ability to tell the story of the earthworks.”
Gallery courtesy of Jennifer Susan Uzell
Gallery courtesy of Jennifer Susan Uzell
Gallery courtesy of Jennifer Susan Uzell
It is believed that the monument was constructed between 3500 and 2500 BCE, but there is evidence that burials were taking place at the site between 1,000 and 1,500 years before the henges were built and there was also an earlier cursus. The site remained important during the Bronze Age. There has been speculation that the monument is astronomically aligned and may have been situated in relation to the rising of the star Sirius. It has also been suggested that the henges align with the stars of the “belt” in the constellation of Orion. We know from finds in the district that people would have come from some distance to attend the monument, possibly to participate in ceremonies.
The three earthworks would have been striking when constructed since the earthworks were covered in white gypsum, which would have sparkled in the sunlight. Thornborough lies along the so-called Gypsum Belt, which is prone to sinkholes: some archaeologists have speculated that Thornborough may have had links in the minds of those who built it with the underworld. Joe Savage, deputy head of interpretation at English Heritage, told the press that it would have been
“…awe-inspiring, like a castle or cathedral. There would have been a dramatic sense of being inside and outside of the henge. The massive walls would have made it so that you could only see the sky above you. There was a sense of being enclosed and cut off from the world in a huge arena. The landscape is a natural bowl, then the human-made hills would have centred you within nature. We know they were human-centric and there would have been some spiritual importance. People could have walked through the henges as an act of procession. It was almost certainly a ritual landscape.”
Dr Jennifer Wexler, senior properties historian for English Heritage, says that the site contains
“A pit lined with gypsum … with human remains dating back to the very early Neolithic period. This would have been the first few generations of farmers who travelled to Britain on small boats and brought a farming lifestyle and cattle with them. [It] shows that the people had an ancestral connection with this space and generations kept returning to the site.”
She adds that whoever built Thornborough did not live on the site itself and few archaeological remains have been found within the monument:
“Evidence has been found of possible encampments around the henges, but not inside them. We think gatherings there may have been seasonal and they could have been used as a social place to meet.”
The northern henge, which has been somewhat protected by trees, is not yet open to the public after damage to some of the trees was sustained in recent storms, but English Heritage say that they hope to have the site open for visits by the summer. Dr Wexler told the press that the focus is now on access and on conservation work.
We were at the Beltane celebrations at Thornborough Henge in North Yorkshire. English Heritage now owns all 3 of the earthworks so we are optimistic about its future. They have also been very supportive of the Pagan festival held there at Beltane and the Autumn Equinox. The Beltane celebrations saw their 20th year this time around. A beautiful ceremony in which the whole assembly of around 500 people followed the ‘sun’ between two fires.
Today, the henges are also a ritual landscape – a site for practising Pagans. Annelli Stafford organises the Beltane celebrations here. “It’s a really nice start to the year after a long, cold winter.” Many people come to the site and she told the Guardian newspaper in 2023 that there is “a full range from babies to old people with walkers and electric wheelchairs…We’ve had cats, dogs, a bunny, ferrets … everybody’s welcome, as long as you keep your clothes on!”
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