New research uncovers secrets of Stonehenge’s vast Neolithic pits
New research led by archaeologists from the University of Bradford is transforming our understanding of one of Britain’s most extraordinary prehistoric discoveries – the vast ring of Neolithic pits near Durrington Walls, close to Stonehenge.
First identified in 2020, the pits form a circle over two kilometres wide, enclosing an area greater than three square kilometres around Durrington Walls and Woodhenge. Each pit measures up to 10 metres across and five metres deep, making this the largest known prehistoric structure in Britain.
Now, researchers have gone beyond mapping the pits to explore their origins and environmental context. Using borehole coring, sediment analysis, geochemistry, and cutting-edge techniques such as Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating and environmental DNA (sedaDNA), the team is reconstructing the story of these colossal features.
Early findings confirm the pits are human-made and date to the Late Neolithic, around the time Durrington Walls was constructed. Most reach depths of 4.5–6.9 metres, with fine clay-silt layers suggesting gradual infilling over time. SedaDNA and soil chemistry analysis has revealed what plants grew nearby, offering clues to how the pits interacted with their surroundings.
Mysterious holes
Professor Vince Gaffney, lead archaeologist from the University of Bradford, said: “The recent work confirms that the circle of shafts surrounding Durrington Walls is without precedent within the UK. These features were not simply dug and abandoned – they were part of a structured, monumental landscape that speaks to the complexity and sophistication of Neolithic society.”
The research moves the debate from “big mysterious holes” to understanding their purpose, chronology, and environmental setting. Archaeologists believe the pits may have marked a sacred boundary linked to ceremonial activity at Durrington Walls, echoing cosmological ideas that shaped the Stonehenge landscape.
This work forms part of the Stonehenge Hidden Landscapes Project, an international collaboration led by the University of Birmingham and the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Archaeological Prospection and Virtual Archaeology, with partners including the University of Bradford, University of St Andrews, University of Warwick, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, and Ghent University. The project operates under the auspices of the National Trust and English Heritage.
For more on the project, visit: Stonehenge Hidden Landscapes Project.