Stonehenge was originally in Wales, say archaeologists

Some of the stones which comprise Stonehenge were transported from prehistoric quarries Wales - 140 miles away from where they ended up, say new findings.

According to a report published in the journal Antiquity, archaeologists and geologists have concluded that Stonehenge was probably a 'second-hand monument'.

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The earliest of the blue stones would have been quarried around 3400 BC. But they weren't set up at Stonehenge until around 2900 BC.

The director of the project, Professor Mike Parker Pearson, from University College London (UCL) explained: "It could have taken those neolithic stone draggers nearly 500 years to get them to Stonehenge, but that's pretty improbable in my view. It's more likely that the stones were first used in a local monument somewhere near the quarries that was then dismantled and dragged off to Wiltshire."

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He added: "Stonehenge was a Welsh monument from its very beginning. If we can find the original monument in Wales from which it was built, we will finally be able to solve the mystery of why Stonehenge was built and why some of its stones were brought so far."

Professor Kate Welham from Bournemouth University has been conducting geophysical surveys and trial excavations at the site, she says the results have been promising and they hope to find something big in 2016.

Stonehenge was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1986 and it is also protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority's Culture and Heritage Manager, Phil Bennett, said: "This project is making a wonderful contribution to our knowledge of the National Park's importance in prehistory."

UCL notes that further excavations are planned for next year, you can read the full report here.