Guide to Visiting Tolkien’s Talking Tree at the Avebury Stone Circle

History of the Avebury Stone Circle

Avebury was constructed over several hundred years in the 3rd millennium BC in England (the Neolithic or New Stone Age). It’s a large henge (a bank and a ditch) with a large outer stone circle and two separate smaller stone circles situated inside the center.

The Avebury Stone Circle was initially comprised of 100 stones. Just like Stonehenge, its original purpose is unknown. Archaeologists believe it most likely was used for rituals or ceremonies.

By the time the Iron Age arrived, the site had been mostly abandoned. During the Early Middle Ages, a village first sprung up around the Stones and eventually extended into them. In the Late Medieval and Early Modern periods, local people sadly destroyed many of the standing stones around the henge for religious and practical reasons.

The Haunted Red Lion Pub in Avebury England

After arriving from Stonehenge, we headed to the local Red Lion Avebury Pub for lunch (which you can also see in the photo above)! I enjoyed an excellent Guinness as well as fish and chips! The pub is built around an old well that may or may not have been the final resting place of an unfortunate Avebury villager.

“The Red Lion was first licensed in 1802 and is famous for its 86ft deep well which dates back to the 1600’s.”

• A Phantom Carriage: A phantom carriage, drawn by ghostly horses, has been seen crossing the inn’s courtyard. Locally, this is known as a harbinger of tragedy, meaning a close relative is about to die.
• Florrie: The Red Lion’s female phantom, Florrie, was caught with another man by her husband. He shot her lover and slit her throat. Then he dragged her body to the well, threw her down it, and sealed it with a boulder. Florrie’s ghost has remained at the Red Lion ever since.
• The Avenue Bedroom: The ghosts of two children and a woman haunt the Avenue bedroom.

While I didn’t know about the hauntings at the time, I’m somewhat glad it didn’t since I sat at that well! After lunch, it was off to the Avebury Stone Circle!

Visiting the Avebury Stone Circle

Since we had limited time, I only got to visit some of the Avebury Stone Circle, but what I did see was beautiful. Unlike Stonehenge, Avebury isn’t commercialized. No visitor center, no tram up to the site, no audioguide.

There also weren’t a whole lot of other people there, which was a nice change. It was lovely to enjoy the place without any pressure. It also felt much more natural as you can walk right up to the stones! Though I wouldn’t recommend touching them—be respectful.

Avebury and Stonehenge aren’t the only treasures in this part of the UK, there are many wonderful places to visit in the South of England.

JRR Tolkien’s Talking Tree

Just a little way down the road from the Red Lion Avebury Pub, you’ll happen upon some enormous trees. My friend, who had been before, told me these four massive copper beech trees are rumored to have inspired JRR Tolkien to create the Ents in The Lord of the Rings.

Ents are a race of beings in Middle-earth who closely resemble trees. They are similar to the talking trees in folklore around the world. Their name is derived from the Old English word for giant. If you’ve seen the film or read the books, you’ll recall the trees I’m talking about. Ents are the huge talking trees that help the hobbits.

If you’re a Tolkien fan and plan on visiting the Netherlands soon, I highly recommend checking out the town of Geldrop. It’s been nicknamed the Dutch Tolkien town because its streets are named after people, places, and things from JRR Tolkien’s works.

Of course, you can also visit the filming location of the epic films at Hobbiton, one of New Zealand’s quirky attractions!

The Wishing Tree at Avebury Stone Circle

People have tied ribbons to Tolkien’s talking tree’s branches with wishes written on them. Unfortunately, I didn’t know this was also the Avebury wishing tree, so I didn’t have a ribbon on me. My wish would have been for Nerd Out to be successful. And thus far, it is!

Travel tip: Bring a ribbon and a pen or marker so you can add to the Avebury England, wishing tree while visiting!

Update 2024: When I visited in 2015, I was told it was common practice to tie a ribbon on the tree. A commenter on this post recently informed me that leaving tokens and tying ribbons on the trees is now frowned upon.

Tips on Visiting Avebury Henge

Whether or not these massive, gorgeous trees inspired JRR Tolkien, they are truly amazing. While you’re visiting Avebury, it’s worth the five-minute walk to see the Avebury wishing trees.

As we took a coach bus from the Cotswolds to Stonehenge to Avebury and back, I easily got around. However, I realize that’s not everyone’s situation. The easiest way is by car or public transport.

You can also book a tour through a site such as Get Your Guide, which is what I prefer. Their guides are wonderful, tours often include transport, and their cancellation policy is top-notch! You never know when something will come up during your travels, so it’s nice having that option. Plus, you can likely bundle a trip to Avebury with Stonehenge—two birds, one stone—or two Stonehenge’s in this case!

You can visit the Avebury Stone Circle at any reasonable time during daylight hours. It is also FREE to visit! I enjoyed my time in Avebury England, and I hope you will, too!

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