Stonehenge 'was a cremation cemetry, not healing centre'

The circle of standing stones was originally through to have been erected in 2,600 BC, to replace an earlier wood and earth structure where cremation was carried out.

Recently a BBC documentary suggested that the standing stones were not erected until 2,300BC, when the site became a centre of healing.

Now a team behind the latest dig suggest the standing stones were erected much earlier than previously thought, in 3,000 BC, and used for cremation burial throughout their history and not for healing.

The latest evidence is from a team of archaeologists from a number of British universities who have been carrying out excavations over the past five summers.