Stonehenge could have been first built in what is now Wales where it remained for 500 years until it was “dismantled and dragged off” to Wiltshire, archaeologists have suggested.

The claim followed the “fantastic” discovery of holes cut into rocky outcrops near the Preseli Hills in Pembrokeshire that match the stones of the famous monument but which were cut centuries before it was built, The Guardian reported.

The holes have been dated to between 3,400 and 3,200 BC but Stonehenge was not created in Wiltshire until 2,900 BC.

Professor Mike Parker Pearson, of University College London, said: “It could have taken 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.”

He suggested that the “first Stonehenge” was in Wales and “what we’re seeing at Stonehenge [in Wiltshire] is a second-hand monument”.

“Normally we don’t get to make that many fantastic discoveries. But this is one,” he said.

In pictures: Revellers celebrate summer solstice at Stonehenge Show all 11 1 /11 In pictures: Revellers celebrate summer solstice at Stonehenge In pictures: Revellers celebrate summer solstice at Stonehenge solstice-1.jpg A reveller, with a blanket wrapped around herself, celebrates the summer solstice at the ancient Stonehenge monument on Salisbury Plain in southern England Reuters In pictures: Revellers celebrate summer solstice at Stonehenge solstice-2.jpg Revellers celebrate the summer solstice at the Stonehenge monument on Salisbury Plain in southern England. Stonehenge is a celebrated venue of festivities during the summer solstice - the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere Reuters In pictures: Revellers celebrate summer solstice at Stonehenge solstice-8.jpg People take part in a summer solstice dawn ceremony as druids, pagans and revellers wait for the midsummer sun to rise at the megalithic monument of Stonehenge Getty Images In pictures: Revellers celebrate summer solstice at Stonehenge solstice-5.jpg A druid mask at the celebrations for the summer solstice - the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere Reuters In pictures: Revellers celebrate summer solstice at Stonehenge solstice-7.jpg Crowds gather at dawn amongst the stones at Stonehenge in Wiltshire for the Summer Solstice PA In pictures: Revellers celebrate summer solstice at Stonehenge solstice-9.jpg Solstice reveller Mad Al gestures as he joins druids, pagans and revellers celebrating the summer solstice at the megalithic monument of Stonehenge Getty Images In pictures: Revellers celebrate summer solstice at Stonehenge solstice-4.jpg Revellers hold hands as they listen to incantations on their headphones during the summer solstice at the ancient Stonehenge monument on Salisbury Plain in southern England Reuters In pictures: Revellers celebrate summer solstice at Stonehenge solstice-6.jpg Crowds gather at dawn amongst the stones at Stonehenge in Wiltshire for the Summer Solstice PA In pictures: Revellers celebrate summer solstice at Stonehenge solstice-3.jpg A reveller uses her iPad to take a portrait of her friend as they celebrate the summer solstice at the ancient Stonehenge monument on Salisbury Plain in southern England Reuters In pictures: Revellers celebrate summer solstice at Stonehenge solstice1.jpg Crowds gather at dawn amongst the stones at Stonehenge in Wiltshire for the Summer Solstice Lewis Whyld/PA Wire In pictures: Revellers celebrate summer solstice at Stonehenge solstice-10.jpg Crowds gather at dawn amongst the stones at Stonehenge in Wiltshire for the Summer Solstice PA

The holes were found on Carn Goedog and Craig Rhos-y-felin. Similar stones that were left behind and what appeared to be “a loading bay” area were also found.

Spectacular solstice sunrise

It had been thought that the original builders of Stonehenge had taken giant bluestones from the Preseli Hills to build the inner ring of stones at the monument for reasons that were not fully understood.