Archaeologists have discovered a major new ceremonial monument a stone’s throw away from the iconic Stonehenge in what is the most exciting find there in over half a century.

An international team of scientists led by the University of Birmingham and the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Archaeological Prospection and Virtual Archaeology in Austria has discovered a new wooden henge-like Late Neolithic monument that appears to be aligned with Stonehenge itself.

The find is less than one kilometre away from the iconic site and was discovered using the latest geophysical imaging techniques just weeks into a project to map 14 square kilometres of the local landscape.

Professor Gaffney from the University of Birmingham’s IBM Visual and Spatial Technology Centre, said: “This finding is remarkable. It will completely change the way we think about the landscape around Stonehenge.

“People have tended to think that as Stonehenge reached its peak it was the paramount monument, existing in splendid isolation. This discovery is completely new and extremely important in how we understand Stonehenge and its landscape.”

The project, which is supported by the landowner, the National Trust, and facilitated by English Heritage, has brought together the most sophisticated geophysics team ever to be engaged in a single archaeological project in Britain.

Martin Papworth of the National Trust said: “The Hidden Landscapes project is providing cutting edge archaeological survey work that will greatly enhance understanding and improve conservation management for the National Trust on its Stonehenge Estate.”

The University of Bradford’s Dr Christopher Gaffney added: “The strategy that we are implementing within this project has provided a first glimpse of new and important information regarding the hidden past at Stonehenge. We aim to cover large areas around Stonehenge and we expect this to be the first of many significant discoveries.”

Meanwhile, Dr Amanda Chadburn, Stonehenge archaeologist at English Heritage, said: "This new monument is part of a growing body of evidence which shows how important the summer and winter solstices were to the ancient peoples who built Stonehenge.

“The discovery is all the more remarkable given how much research there has been in the vicinity of Stonehenge, and emphasises the importance of continuing research within and around the World Heritage Site."

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