Hengeyforms.
How many Known Henges Are there in the UK?

"If they are not henges, what are they?"

Jodie Lewis puts forward the argument that Priddy Circles are an intermediary form between causewayed enclosures and henges, therefore neolithic, first phase of Stonehenge had the similar internal bank and ditch. Tratman excavated the 1st circle and found turve walls and stone walls with the soil from the ditch being piled on top. It was also timber revetted with hurdling, which is another puzzle,
but she cites this as a parallel to Blackshouse Burn in Lanarkshire;-

http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/pls/portal/newcanmore.details_gis?inumlink=47640

Priddy circles had a ritual function, could be that the timbers were similar to timber circles, also they restricted the viewing to the interior, and of course access to the bank, therefore this strict only "most important people in the centre" is underlined by the ditch keeping others out - but that of course is only an interpretation....

After some thought ....

Surely it's just a case of qualification. We all think of a henge as a bank with a ditch inside, regardless of size. So you have small, medium, large and extra-large henges. Some have pallisades around the rim. Some have timber circles. Some have stone circles, some have barrows.

So, you could have a medium pallisaded henge with internal stone circle. What's wrong with that? You don't need another name to describe something everyone* will understand if it's written out in full.

*you know what I mean

Just got a copy of Dyer's "Southern England: An archeological guide" which says that the circles were
"...banks of stone contained between two rings of upright posts that originally projected high into the air. Outside were U shaped ditches. The excavated example at the south was 1.2m deep and 3.7m wide."

1.2m deep is quite a shallow henge ditch...

I happened upon this piece:

http://www.capra.group.shef.ac.uk/2/upwards.html

...interesting reading - might also lend weight to the idea that the banks are to protect against what is inside the circles - perhaps the piles of stones thrown into the holes were to keep whatever was placed below in?