Built in the neolithic period, the site has held significance to those in the area for over 10,000 years. Arbor Low is a henge structure, built between 3000-6000 years ago, and is the most important of its kind in the East Midlands.
Though it has never been excavated to its full extent, the site is thought to have been a major ceremonial centre for pagan communities in the area during the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods. The site’s stone circle, substantial earthwork structure and burial mound indicate this, all being features of pagan worship. During excavations in 1901-2, skeletal remains were found at the site as well as arrowheads, flint scrapers and bone and antler tools.
The nearby Gib Hill is a further Neolithic burial mound actually consisting of two different mounds built atop one another. The first is a Long Barrow dating from the earlier part of the neolithic era, and was the first structure built on the entire site. The second mound was built up to 2000 years later during the Bronze Age. Here 19th-century excavations uncovered a cist, a small stone coffin-like box, that contained cremated bones and food vessels, offered by mourners to the dead.
Arbor Low and Gib Hill are two of the best-preserved prehistoric sites in the UK, and provide a pleasant yet interesting walk steeped in history.
The Arbor Low stone circle consists of 50 limestone rocks, quarried from a nearby site, that may once have stood upright but now lie flat. These encircle a collection of 6 smaller rocks, making up what was known as the ‘cove’ of the site.
The stones are themselves encircled by a substantial earthworks, with a 2-meter high bank and accompanying 2-meter low ditch surrounding them. Entrance points are featured at either end, and a Bronze Age burial mound may also be seen built into the earthworks.
Gib Hill barrow sits approximately 350m away, and the ridges of the two different mounds may still be distinguished today.
Arbor Low and Gib Hill are located in Derbyshire, and can be reached via the A515 Buxton to Ashbourne road. There is a small carpark near to the site on the track up to Upper Oldhams Farm, following which a 300m walk takes you to the stone circle. This access takes you through a working farm and the landowner charges a small fee for entry.
]]>Now comprised of a bank and a ditch with a 1.3 kilometre circumference containing 180 stones making up an inner and outer circle, the Avebury Ring is not only 14 times larger than Stonehenge, but was almost certainly completed before its famous counterpart.
It is believed the site was built as some kind of public setting where rites or ceremonies would take place – not religious ones in the sense we’d recognise them, but ones in which they could express proto-religious beliefs about world order and community hierarchy. The site was abandoned around 1,800BC.
Many of the stones which once formed part of the Avebury Ring were destroyed or buried during the Middle Ages, possibly due to an association with paganism or devil worship, but the formation of the site is still visible from the remaining stones. Early records and maps have helped archaeologists understand the site’s probably layout.
Avebury was bought by Alexander Keiller, heir to a marmalade fortune, in the 1930s. Keiller cleared the site and re-erected many of the stones.
Today, Avebury (along with Stonehenge) is designated a World Heritage Site and is jointly operated today by the National Trust and English Heritage.
Visitors to Avebury Ring are free to walk up to the site itself at all times and view the monument’s stones. It’s worth visiting the onsite Alexander Keiller Museum to learn more about the site, and in particular the reconstruction work undertaken in the early 20th century. The site can be relatively bleak, so wrap up warm.
There are plenty of walks nearby, and the landscape is particularly beautiful, so it’s worth factoring in some time to make the most of this!
Avebury is really only accessible by car – it lies 6 miles west of Marlborough on the A4361. Car parking is available on site – it’s run by the National Trust and needs to be paid for. The nearest stations are Pewsey and Swindon, which are 10 and 11 miles away respectively. Some bus routes run vaguely near by but are relatively infrequent.
]]>Likely built between 2900 and 2600 BC, the Callanish Stones are thought to once have been the site of ancient ritual practices, with historians suggesting its potential role as a lunar observatory. With the number of other neolithic sites in the area, Callanish has been placed as a focus for prehistoric religious activity in the area, with a number of folkloric stories since surrounding its use.
In the 17th century, the first written account of the stones claimed them to be men ‘converted into stone’ by an enchanter, and set up in a ring for devotional purposes. In another story from that period, locals reportedly told a visiting writer that the stones were ‘a place appointed for worship in the time of heathenism, and that the chief druid or priest stood near the big stone in the centre, from whence he addressed himself to the people that surrounded him.’
Whatever the true use of the stones, by around 1500-1000 BC they had fallen out of use after around 1,500 year of activity, and between 1000 BC and 500 BC were covered by peat. It was not until the mid-19th century that their true height was revealed.
Located on a low ridge with the waters of Loch Roag and the hills of Great Bernera in the background, the Callanish Stones are a scenic yet imposing place to visit. The circle is comprised of 13 primary stones and measures 13m in diameter, with a solitary monolith standing 5m high at its heart alongside a chambered tomb.
There is an accompanying Visitor Centre, whose Story of the Stones exhibition provides a look into the 5,000-year-old site’s fascinating history. A shop and tearoom are also available on site, providing visitors a welcome refreshment following the brisk walk around the stones.
The Callanish Stones are located in Callanish on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland, 12 miles from Stornoway off the A859. A ferry service operates from Ullapool on the mainland to Stornoway, following which a 20-minute drive will take you to the site, or alternatively bus service W2 runs directly to the Visitor Centre.
]]>It is believed Castlerigg Stone Circle was constructed around 3200 BC, and although its original purpose remains largely unknown, possible uses include a trading post, meeting place, a religious site or an astronomical observatory.
Archaeoastronomers have noted with interest that some of the stones have been aligned with certain lunar positions as well as the midwinter sunrise and is often used to celebrate the solstice.
It’s somewhat surprising that so little scientific research has been carried out at Castlerigg given their significance including almost no excavation although in the 19th century, three Neolithic stone axes were found close by suggesting that axe trading was in operation but it remains speculation.
Today the site is run by English Heritage and is open to visitors, its scenic hilltop setting providing pretty views of the surrounding area including High Seat, Helvellyn and the Thirlmere Valley.
In total Castlerigg contains 38 stones within the outer circle, which has a diameter of approximately 30m; the heaviest stone weighs around 16 tons and the tallest stands at 2.3m. Inside the circle are further stones forming an inner rectangle – an unusual feature found at only one other ancient site, the Cockpit at Askham Fell near Ullswater.
Despite their usage remaining something of a mystery, simply walking this ancient site affords visitors with a peek into some of Britain’s oldest history.
Castlerigg Stone Circle is located just outside of Keswick in Cumbria, just off the A591. The nearest train station is Penrith, 16 miles away, while the Stagecoach ‘Caldbeck Rambler’ service 73A passes the site on Saturdays. Otherwise Stagecoach 555 may be taken to to Castle Lane, from which it is a mile walk to the site.
]]>On the southern side of Elva Hill, a small, distinctive outcrop in the northern Lake District between Bassenthwaite and Cockermouth, lie 15 stones arranged in a circle approximately 40 metres in diameter.
The site is most likely Neolithic in origin and would have had a larger number of stones. It is situated close to the River Derwent, which today winds from Borrowdale in the central Lakes through to the northerly Cumbrian town of Cockermouth, and onward to Workington where it meets the Irish Sea.
From the stone circle are views of Skiddaw to the south east and Grisedale Pike to the south. The stones are located on a level terrace on the hillside. Further up the slope of Elva Hill is an impressive outcrop passed by a public footpath.
The stone circle on Elva Hill is on private land grazed by livestock. The landowner permits pedestrian access to the stone circle along a path.
It is one of the most northerly stone circles in the Lake District. Other stone circles in the Lakes include the more complete circles at Castlerigg, Blakeley Raise, and Swinside.
There is a public footpath from the road south of Elva Hill up to the farm. Follow the track through the farmyard, and the circle is in a field accessed through a gate.
It is possible to park at points on the roadside south of Elva Hill, but not in the vicinity of the farm or on the track leading up to it. Higham Hall and St Barnabus Church are also nearby.
]]>The Fernworthy Forest Stone Circle is one of many prehistoric sites in the Dartmoor National Park area. stands in a clearing on a plateau of land within a Forestry Commission plantation around half a mile west of Fernworthy reservoir. It is made up of a circle of 27 granite slabs.
It was excavated by the Dartmoor Exploration Committee in 1897 who reported a layer of charcoal within the circle. The charcoal remains which indicate the use of fire suggests that the Fernworthy Forest Stone Circle served a ritualistic purpose.
There are three stone rows associated with the circle. One is to the north, and another pair to the south. The southern pair are badly damaged but each consist of a double row of stones: one with a battered ring cairn at the northern end, and the other marked with a cairn to one end and a cist (rectangular stone grave) to the other.
To the southeast of the circle through a clearing in the trees stands a further cairn that has the remains of a bank and around half a dozen kerb stones. In this cairn a bronze knife, flint knife, beaker, and shale button were found.
In 1917, the Prince of Wales purchased the farm of Fernworthy as part of his Duchy Estate. This coincided with a government initiative to increase timber supplies in the face of World War One, meaning that the site is now heavily forested. Today, the circle therefore does not look as it once would have in terms of its landscape context, but is still thoroughly worth a visit for its stunning scenery and ancient history.
There are a number of other sites we’d recommend you visit when in the area. This includes The Grey Wethers Stone Circles and Fernworthy Assycombe Stone Row, and the Fernworthy Cairn Circle and Cist and Hurston Ridge/Chagford Common Stone Row. It’s also worth visiting the Shovel Down Stone Rows, and the Long Stone and Scorhill Stone Circle. Note that there are some superb remains of round houses on Fernworthy Reservoir Potter’s Walk.
To visit, follow the road that skirts Fernworthy Reservoir to its end. There’s a turning area with limited parking available. A forest road runs from the car parking area and splits a couple of hundred yards from the car parking area. Take the left road and very shortly you’ll come to an open area on your right. You’ll see the stone circle in the clearing. Beyond that is a double stone row although it can be difficult to make it out.
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Kilmartin Glen holds a multitude of cairns, standing stones, carved rock, stone circles, forts and castles – spanning approximately 5,000 years.
In the 1980’s, it was believed there were more than 350 ancient monuments within a 6 mile radius of the village of Kilmartin, 150 of which are prehistoric. That number has now grown to around 800 as more have been discovered. Monuments include standing stones (such as those at Ballymeanoch), a stone circle (at Temple Wood), a henge monument, numerous cists, and a ‘Linear Cemetery’ (at Nether Largie South), comprising 5 burial cairns.
Several of these, as well as many natural rocks, are decorated with cup and ring marks. (In 2021, rock art depicting animals was discovered inside Dunchraigaig Cairn, estimated to date to between 4,000-5,000 BC – the earliest found in Scotland).
The remains of an Iron Age fortress of the Scots at Dunadd, a royal centre of Dal Riata, are located to the south of the glen, on the edge of the Moine Mhòr (Great Moss) which covers 1,200 acres. Dunadd was the capital of the Ancient Kingdom of Dalriada, and legend has it that the Stone of Destiny was used here in the crowning of the first Kings of Scotland. At the summit, there is a footprint carved into the stone – according to Irish tradition, the King of Dalriada was crowned by placing his foot into this imprint.
All this certainly shows this part of Scotland had a strong concentration of activity back in prehistoric times. There’s been little evidence in the glen with regard to any domestic use, indicating that Kilmartin Glen was potentially largely a ceremonial and perhaps spiritual place.
The Kilmartin Glen covers a large area. Generally it’s worth starting at the Kilmartin Museum (which has a model of the glen and an atmospheric audio-visual presentation), but this is closed until 2023. However, there is still a handy cafe nearby and volunteer-led guided walks are available every Wednesday.
Almost next to the museum is Kilmartin Parish Church and graveyard – home to over 23 fine sculptured stones, ranging from 900-1600s. The collection is possibly connected to the nearby medieval power centre at Dunadd Fort.
A mile south of Kilmartin village along the A816, there is a car park from where you can visit the group of sites at Nether Largie South. From here it is a short walk to Temple Wood and its stone circle with a cairn at the centre. Nether Largie South cairn is a short walk away, believed to have been built around 3,000-2,500 BC.
Kilmartin Glen is located between Oban and Lochgilphead, surrounding the village of Kilmartin, on the west coast of Scotland. It is part of The Dalriada Heritage Trail walk, which starts at Carnasserie Castle, around 2 miles north of Kilmartin.
It’s easiest to get here by car. Kilmartin is situated close to the A816, about 29 miles south of Oban. Glasgow is 92 miles away – about a 2.5 hour trip.
]]>The construction of Stonehenge took place between 3000 BC and 1600 BC and is considered to be one of the most impressive structures of its time, especially considering each stone weighs around four tonnes and that its founders had little by way of technological advances to assist them in moving the stones over the hundreds of miles that they travelled.
The purpose of Stonehenge has remained a mystery, despite extensive archaeological investigation.
The circle is made up of large sarsens and smaller bluestones – they arranged in careful patterns of horseshoes, arcs and circles. The central bluestones were added several hundred years later. The site is lined up to coincide with solstices and equinoxes, which has led to historians and archaeologists theorizing that Stonehenge was a religious setting.
The surrounding landscape has one of the biggest concentrations of round barrows (graves) in Britain, suggesting the site was viewed as very important in Bronze Age society.
Stonehenge was given to the nation in 1918, following years of private ownership, on the condition that local people would still be able to visit free of charge. The National Trust bought much of the landscape surrounding Stonehenge during the 20th century.
In 2010, archaeologists discovered a second henge next to Stonehenge. Hailed as the most exciting find in half a century, this second henge was made up of a circle of pits – thought to have once contained timber posts – surrounded by a larger circular ditch.
The site is managed by English Heritage, who opened a new visitor centre in 2012, which dramatically improved the visitor experience. There’s plenty of information inside the state of the art museum and it’s worth spending some time in there before visiting the stones themselves to understand the context and why Stonehenge is viewed as both so impressive and so important. The visitor centre is a short walk away from the main site itself, but free shuttles are available should you not want to walk.
Visitors are not permitted to touch, climb on or walk around the stones – there is a set path around the circle, and extremely useful audio guides are provided free of charge. Winter and summer solstices remain the only time there is free access to the stones.
Stonehenge is really only accessible by car, although walking from the nearby towns of Amesbury or Larkhill is possible. Parking is next to the visitors centre, and the monument itself lies just off the busy A303 – you’ll almost certainly hear plenty of road noise on your visit.
]]>The earliest of the monuments is known as the Whispering Knights, a dolmen (a type of megalithic tomb) that dates back to the early Neolithic era.
This was followed by the main stone circle, the King’s Men, thought to have been constructed around 1,000 years later, in the late Neolithic era. Measuring 33 metres in diameter and composed of 77 closely spaced stones, it’s unlikely that the circle we see today is as it would have been when it was originally built.
Over the years extensive reconstruction work has been carried out and analysis indicates that some of the stones were added in the late 19th century, presumably replacing original stones that were lost and damaged. Some historians suggest that the stones would originally have been closer together, perhaps even touching.
The third monument is the King Stone, a single 2.4 metre tall monolith that stands 76 metres north of the King’s Men circle. The monolith’s likely function has been debated over the years, but the most popular theory seems to be that it was a cemetery marker.
All three monuments owe their names to folklore. Legend has it that an ancient king, riding across the county with his men, encountered a local witch, who challenged him, saying:
“Seven long strides shalt thou take, If Long Compton thou canst see, King of England thou shalt be.”
While his men gathered in a circle, the king accepted the challenge, taking seven strides as suggested, only to find that his view of Long Compton was obscured by a mound. The witch cackled:
“As Long Compton thou canst not see, King of England thou shalt not be, Rise up stick and stand still stone, For King of England thou shalt be none. Thou and thy men hoar stones shall be, and myself an eldern tree!”
Whereupon the witch turned the king and his men to stone, including four knights who stood apart from the circle, whispering plots against the king.
The Rollright Stones are arguably less spectacular than the nearby prehistoric sites like Stonehenge or Avebury, but the site has a distinct atmosphere that’s definitely enhanced by a relative lack of crowds.
As you’d expect, the stones have suffered considerable erosion over thousands of years and the King’s Men circle has been altered. But gazing at these ancient, enigmatic monuments and contemplating their meaning, and the lives of the communities that erected them, remains a worthwhile experience.
The stones are located just north of Chipping Norton on the Oxfordshire / Warwickshire border. If you’re driving, take the A44 and look for a minor road, signposted Little Compton.
If you fancy incorporating your visit into a walk through the surrounding countryside, you’ll find a few suggested routes online. We like this 5 mile round walk from Salford, a nearby village. It’s not too demanding and, as all good walks should, it ends at a pub.
There’s a small entrance fee to view the stone circle but the other monuments are free.
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