The Wiltshire town of Amesbury has been confired as the UK's oldest settlement.
The town, notable for being the location of Stonehenge, has been continually occupied since around the year 8820BC, experts have found.
The news was confirmed following an archaeological dig which also unearthed evidence of frogs' legs being eaten in Britain 8,000 years before France.
Amesbury's place in history has also now been recognised by the Guinness Book of Records.
As well as Stonehenge, the town is also famous for being where the skeleton of an early Bronze Age man, who lived around 2300BC, was found on the site of a new housing development in May 2002. He was buried around the time that nearby Stonehenge was built - in fact, it is thought he could have been one of the monument's builders - and has been dubbed the Amesbury Archer because of the many arrowheads that were found amongst the other grave goods buried with him. His was the richest burial ever found near Stonehenge. The town's Amesbury Archer Primary School, opened in 2006, is named after him and its motto is "Aim High".
Amesbury in Wiltshire confirmed as oldest UK settlement
BBC News
1 May 2014
Amesbury - including Stonehenge - is the UK's longest continually-occupied settlement
An ivy clad pub/hotel in Amesbury
A Wiltshire town has been confirmed as the longest continuous settlement in the United Kingdom.
Amesbury, including Stonehenge, has been continually occupied since 8820BC, experts have found.
The news was confirmed following an archaeological dig which also unearthed evidence of frogs' legs being eaten in Britain 8,000 years before France.
Amesbury's place in history has also now been recognised by the Guinness Book of Records.
David Jacques, from the University of Buckingham, said: "The site blows the lid off the Neolithic Revolution in a number of ways.
"It provides evidence for people staying put, clearing land, building, and presumably worshipping, monuments.
"The area was clearly a hub point for people to come to from many miles away, and in many ways was a forerunner for what later went on at Stonehenge itself.
"The first monuments at Stonehenge were built by these people. For years people have been asking why is Stonehenge where it is, now at last, we have found the answers."
The dig unearthed the largest haul of worked flints from the Mesolithic period
The town is awash with history
Mr Jacques said the River Avon, which runs through the area, would have been like an A road with people travelling on boats along it.
"They may have had the equivalent of local guides and there would have been feasting," he added.
"We have found remains of big game animals, such as aurochs and red deer, and an enormous amount of burnt flint from their feasting fires."
Andy Rhind-Tutt, the founder of Amesbury Museum and Heritage Trust, said there was "something unique and rather special about the area" to keep people there from the end of the Ice Age, to when Stonehenge was created and until today.
"The fact that the feasting of large animals and the discovery of a relatively constant temperature spring sitting alongside the River Avon, may well be it," he said.
The dig was filmed and made into a documentary by the BBC, Smithsonian, CBC and others to be screened later in the summer.
The project was led by the University of Buckingham.
The Greyhound pub in Amesbury, a perfect stopping off point for a pint of ale after visiting nearby Stonehenge
The Amesbury Archer and his grave goods today lie in the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum. It is thought he could have been one of the builders of the mysterious Stonehenge
BBC News - Amesbury in Wiltshire confirmed as oldest UK settlement
The town, notable for being the location of Stonehenge, has been continually occupied since around the year 8820BC, experts have found.
The news was confirmed following an archaeological dig which also unearthed evidence of frogs' legs being eaten in Britain 8,000 years before France.
Amesbury's place in history has also now been recognised by the Guinness Book of Records.
As well as Stonehenge, the town is also famous for being where the skeleton of an early Bronze Age man, who lived around 2300BC, was found on the site of a new housing development in May 2002. He was buried around the time that nearby Stonehenge was built - in fact, it is thought he could have been one of the monument's builders - and has been dubbed the Amesbury Archer because of the many arrowheads that were found amongst the other grave goods buried with him. His was the richest burial ever found near Stonehenge. The town's Amesbury Archer Primary School, opened in 2006, is named after him and its motto is "Aim High".
Amesbury in Wiltshire confirmed as oldest UK settlement
BBC News
1 May 2014
Amesbury - including Stonehenge - is the UK's longest continually-occupied settlement
An ivy clad pub/hotel in Amesbury
A Wiltshire town has been confirmed as the longest continuous settlement in the United Kingdom.
Amesbury, including Stonehenge, has been continually occupied since 8820BC, experts have found.
The news was confirmed following an archaeological dig which also unearthed evidence of frogs' legs being eaten in Britain 8,000 years before France.
Amesbury's place in history has also now been recognised by the Guinness Book of Records.
David Jacques, from the University of Buckingham, said: "The site blows the lid off the Neolithic Revolution in a number of ways.
"It provides evidence for people staying put, clearing land, building, and presumably worshipping, monuments.
"The area was clearly a hub point for people to come to from many miles away, and in many ways was a forerunner for what later went on at Stonehenge itself.
"The first monuments at Stonehenge were built by these people. For years people have been asking why is Stonehenge where it is, now at last, we have found the answers."
The dig unearthed the largest haul of worked flints from the Mesolithic period
The town is awash with history
Mr Jacques said the River Avon, which runs through the area, would have been like an A road with people travelling on boats along it.
"They may have had the equivalent of local guides and there would have been feasting," he added.
"We have found remains of big game animals, such as aurochs and red deer, and an enormous amount of burnt flint from their feasting fires."
Andy Rhind-Tutt, the founder of Amesbury Museum and Heritage Trust, said there was "something unique and rather special about the area" to keep people there from the end of the Ice Age, to when Stonehenge was created and until today.
"The fact that the feasting of large animals and the discovery of a relatively constant temperature spring sitting alongside the River Avon, may well be it," he said.
The dig was filmed and made into a documentary by the BBC, Smithsonian, CBC and others to be screened later in the summer.
The project was led by the University of Buckingham.
The Greyhound pub in Amesbury, a perfect stopping off point for a pint of ale after visiting nearby Stonehenge
The Amesbury Archer and his grave goods today lie in the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum. It is thought he could have been one of the builders of the mysterious Stonehenge
BBC News - Amesbury in Wiltshire confirmed as oldest UK settlement
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