On page 45 of Neil Mortimer's Stukeley Illustrated is part of Stukeley's brilliantly detailed plan of the position of standing, fallen and taken away stones that make up the northern inner circle (4 on the site of the Red Lion). It's actually two perfect concentric circles with the Cove dead centre.

The Cove is said to be the oldest element of the whole complex so (maybe) the concentric circles were of the same date? Either wat, the point being, that seems to be the original Avebury (an ideal place for the megameet to be happening). If so, although it is often spoken of as the oldest part of the complex could it not actually have stood there, happily serving it's purpose, and then been captured and surrounded by the monumental ditch and stones that we think of as Avebury?

Was there a protest group? Was it the equivalent of someone nowadays applying to dig an Avebury-sized "Millenium Henge" round Stonehenge, and not even having the decency to put Stonehenge dead centre?

Sorry if these are old hat thoughts. It just never occurred to me till I saw the map, Avebury maybe isn't a whole complex, it's the remains of lots of "temples" from different times - and the big ditch and ring are just a relatively modern, cheap, nouveau riche and rather vulgar add on that totally destroys the original essence of place....