Like many other monuments in this area, the Avenue was first recorded by William Stukeley who published his research in 1740. There have been several theories about the date of its construction and also an idea has been put forward that it may have been built in two separate stages - it is now believed to have been built in a single stage sometime late in the Neolithic and to be contemporary with the second phase of Stonehenge.
Starting somewhere beside the banks of the River Avon it consists of a pair of parallel banks about 34 metres apart with outer ditches and runs north-north west for about 1 km where it then swings round to the west and passes through the Old and New King Barrows. Because of the geology of the land it is only at this point that Stonehenge becomes visible. Taking a sharp turn to the south west at the 'Elbow' in Stonehenge Bottom the Avenue now runs to the north east entrance of Stonehenge. By this time it has narrowed to around 21 metres for its final 500 metre approach to the stones.
It is still unknown why it was built but it would seem probable that it formed a processional path and may have been built to commemorate the path the bluestones took from the banks of the Avon on their journey to the fledgeling Stonehenge. Because of farming in the area over the centuries the early parts of the Avenue are almost invisible on the ground and now only the final section is visible. It is best seen from Stonehenge as a faint pair of parallel ditches emerging from either side the Heel Stone and running north east across the grassland.