Stonehenge, located on the windy Salisbury Plains, has been crowned the best historical site in the UK.

The popular attraction edged out HMS Victory and Liverpool Cathedral in a national poll.

The poll, which was held over the past six months, attracted more than 600,000 votes via web, red button, post, phone and SMS.

It was conducted as part of UK TV History channel's 'Britain's Best' series hosted by Alan Titchmarsh.

Tamworth Castle, Lincoln Cathedral, Brewery Arts Centre and Hadrian's Wall all made the top 10.

Stonehenge, which received 15 per cent of the overall votes, is one of the most famous prehistoric sites in the world.

The attraction is composed of earthworks surrounding a circular setting of large standing stones.

Archaeologists believe that the standing stones were erected around 2200 BC and the surrounding circular earth bank and ditch, which constitute the earliest phase of the monument, have been dated to about 3100 BC.

The site and its surroundings were added to the UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1986 in a co-listing with Avebury henge monument, and it is also a legally protected Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Stonehenge itself is owned by the Crown and managed by English Heritage, while the surrounding land is owned by the National Trust.