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Wigborough Henge
Date Added: 21st Jun 2023
Site Type: Henge
Country: England (Essex)
Visited: Yes on 21st Jun 2023. My rating: Condition -1 Ambience 3 Access 4
Wigborough Henge submitted by Thorgrim on 11th Jun 2004. Wigborough Henge consists of a levelled henge situated on the flood plain of the Salcott Creek to the north-east of Virley church. Although no longer visible at ground level, it survives as a circular ditch that can be clearly seen as a cropmark and on aerial photographs. The ditch is 46m in diameter with two opposed entrances. Access via a permitted footpath from the Visitors' Centre of Abbot's Hall farm (Essex Wildlife Trust) Could this be the most boring photo I've ever taken?
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Log Text: I accessed via Abbott Hall in Great Wigborough, as you enter the carpark area. On your right hand side take a track and follow until it bears left, keep following then less than half way the fields length, is the location of the Henge on the right side of the track.
If you stand on the track with the field & Henge on your right you should see a large tree in front left of the track, if you look about 2 o'clock you mat see the Church Tower of Salcott-cum-Virley, & if you turn around and approach the bend if the track back towards Abbott Hall in the distance that's the Church of Great Wigborough, which is worth visiting as it has amazing visits of the Henge, Mersea Island & Blackwater Estuary.
I wondered around the field which has a mix of wild flowers many Corn Marigolds, & weeds, the ground was fairly dry and cracked due to the hot weather, I couldn't see any ditches or indentations in the field, guess its been worked over for 5000 years!, but with wishful thinking I thought I could see the outline.
The location is well positioned as from the Henges location you can clearly see three hills, two of which have the Church towers visible of Salcott-cum-Virley & Great Wigborough, (Both 1 Mile distance).
Interestingly the Village of Goldhanger further along the Blackwater Estuary which runs close by, gets its name Gold from the Corn Marigold Flower which grows here, Goldhanger has had 20 odd variations of its name but always starts with Gold. its believed the Neolithic settlers who planted the seeds came from Europe, I think they may have helped build this monument or visited it each year on this day fascinating.
My personal view is that the same people that built the Henge in Wiltshire passed down the knowledge to Great Wigboroughs builders, or could it be the other way round?, could it be that Essex Estuary Henge is Older, either way it's location is ideal & worth a visit