STONE BOTHERING

Standing proud on the windswept moors of Cornwall, England, the St Breock Downs Monolith is a stark and imposing figure. This prehistoric standing stone, known locally as Men Gurta or the "Man of Cornwall," is the largest and heaviest in Cornwall, weighing an estimated 16.75 tons and towering over 5 meters tall. The monolith's origins remain shrouded in mystery, but it is believed to date back to the late Neolithic or early Bronze Age, around 2500-1500 BC. Its purpose is unclear, though archaeologists speculate it could have served as a territorial marker, a ritual site, or even a burial monument. The monolith stands on a low stone mound or cairn, adding to its enigmatic presence. The surrounding landscape, with its rolling hills and dramatic coastline, further enhances the sense of awe and wonder that this ancient monument evokes. Visiting the St Breock Downs Monolith is a truly unique experience. The journey to the site itself is an adventure, with winding lanes l

Chun Castle and Chun Quoit are two of the most impressive ancient landmarks in Cornwall, England. Located near the village of Pendeen, they offer visitors a glimpse into the rich history and culture of the region. Chun Castle is a large Iron Age hillfort, built around 2,500 years ago. It is situated on a prominent hilltop, affording stunning views of the surrounding countryside and coastline. The fort is surrounded by two massive stone walls, with the inner wall enclosing an area of around 10 acres. The interior of the fort contains the remains of several roundhouses, which would have been the homes of the people who lived and worked there. Chun Castle is thought to have had a defensive purpose, given its strategic location and the presence of the two stone walls. However, it is also likely that the fort was a center for trade and social activity. The proximity of the fort to the much older Chun Quoit suggests that the two sites may have been connected in some way. Chun Quoit is a Neol

Maen Llia is a standing stone in the heart of the Brecon Beacons National Park, a few miles north of Ystradfellte. It is a striking sight, standing 12 feet tall and 9 feet wide, and is one of the largest standing stones in Wales. The stone is thought to date back to the Bronze Age, around 3000 BC. Its original purpose is unknown, but it may have been a boundary marker, a religious site, or even a way to tell the time. Maen Llia is surrounded by many other ancient monuments, including a cairn, an embankment, and a platform. This suggests that the stone was part of an important ceremonial or religious complex. The stone is also associated with a number of legends. One legend says that the stone moves down to the river at night to drink. Another legend says that the stone is the home of a fairy queen. Whatever its original purpose, Maen Llia is a powerful and evocative monument. It is a reminder of the people who lived in the Brecon Beacons thousands of years ago, and it continues to attr

England is home to some fascinating ancient sites, including stone circles and dolmens (cromlechs). A dolmen is a type of single-chamber tomb, usually consisting of two or more vertical stones supporting a large horizontal capstone. Here we list five dolmens that are worth a visit when travelling in England. TRETHEVY QUOIT Trethevy Quoit is an impressive portal dolmen (cromlech) consisting of five standing stones capped by a large stone. There is also a rear stone which once collapsed and now lies inside the chamber. It's believed that the whole structure was originally covered by a mound. The monument is almost 2.7 meters high and dates to the early Neolithic period, around 3500-2500 BC. At the upper end of the capstone is a porthole which may have been used for astronomical observation. However, some people suggest that the hole was drilled there for decoration purposes. SPINSTER'S ROCK Spinster's Rock is a Neolithic dolmen situated in a farm field near Drewsteignton in D

Spinster's Rock is a Neolithic dolmen situated in a farm field near Drewsteignton in Devon, England. The dolmen consist of three granite stones supporting a capstone. The monument was erected around 3500 - 2500 BC, but fell down in 1862. It was re-erected in the same year. It's believed that Spinster's Rock was once part of a ceremonial site including stone circles and stone rows. Unfortunately, Spinster's Rock is the only remaining feature of this ceremonial site. © All rights reserved

Winterbourne Monkton is a small village in Wiltshire, located about 1 mile north of Avebury Stone Circle in England. Windmill Hill, which is a Neolithic causewayed enclosure from around 3800 BC is also located nearby. During strengthening work to the bridge near the village church, workmen came across some huge sarsen stones. They had once been put in the ground as part of the bridge foundation. A local historian was able to establish that sarsen stones from an ancient burial mound known as the Mill Barrow were used when the bridge was built. These sarsen stones were removed during the bridge repairs and later placed on a green strip at the side of the main road to form a small henge as a memorial to the Mill Barrow. There is a large recumbent sarsen stone in the ground of the village church, which is also believed to have been removed from the Mill Barrow. Walking around the village can reveal more ancient stones scattered in the area. Are these stones also linked to the Mill Barrow?

Avebury is a village in the county of Wiltshire in England known for containing a significant number of ancient monuments. The most famous monument is the Avebury Stone Circle. Avebury Stone Circle is the world's largest stone circle, comprising of other monuments within it, including a cove and two stone circles. The stone circle is located inside the henge that encircles part of Avebury village. Some stones at Avebury have names and these names are based on the stories that are related to the stones. Most of the stones are part of the stone circles. But two of them form a stone setting that is believed to be older than the stone circles. DEVIL'S CHAIR This stone got its name from a naturally formed seat on one side of the stone. Directly above the seat is a hole known as "chimney". Legend has it that if you run around the stone anti-clockwise, you will summon the Devil. RING STONE The Ring Stone is a broken piece of stone once smashed by an enraged church minister.

Mitchell's Fold Stone Circle is a Bronze Age monument constructed over 3,000 years ago, using dolerite stones. The stone circle is comprised of 15 stones arranged in a rough circle. However, some people believe that there may once have been as many as 30 stones. The tallest stone was once one of a pair and these would have formed the entrance into the circle. The remaining stone stands close to the line of the Southern moonrise. Mitchell's Fold Stone Circle is located near the village of White Grit in the county of Shropshire in England. © All rights reserved

The Cerrig Duon Complex consists of a stone circle, stone rows, a standing stone and an arrangement of stones. These monuments date back to the Bronze Age period (between 2500 - 800 BC) and probably were part of a ceremonial site. The stone circle comprises 20 stones that rise to no more than 0.6m in height. There are two stone rows nearby the stone circle but it can be very difficult to see them because of their size. The Maen Mawr Standing Stone is the largest stone of the complex. This stone aligns with other two small stones. Some people suggest that Maen Mawr acts like the gnomon of a sundial, projecting a shadow that aligns with the small stones on midsummer day. The Compass Stones are an arrangement of stones not very far from the stone circle. The high points of the stones are aligned to the cardinal points. Some people believe that this could have been a cairn. The Cerrig Duon Complex is located in the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales. © All rights reserved

Gloucestershire is a historic county in England, that comprises part of the Cotswolds Hills, part of the valley of the River Severn and the Forest of Dean. The county contains many ancient sites and here we list 5 places that are worth a visit. BELLAS KNAP LONG BARROW Belas Knap Long Barrow is a Neolithic chambered tomb, trapezoidal in plan and it consists of a false entrance and four burial chambers. It's believed that it was constructed around 3000 BC by the Neolithic people as a place to bury their dead. The barrow was excavated twice revealing the remains of human skeletons together with animal bones and fragments of pottery. The excavators also reported finding a circle of flat stones beneath the centre of the mound. Unfortunately, these stones were later removed. MINCHINHAMPTON LONGSTONE The Longstone of Minchinhampton also known as the Holey Stone is a single standing stone with natural holes in it. It's believed that the monolith is about 4,000 years old. Local legend s

Wiltshire is home to some of the most impressive ancient sites in England. Some of them are well known and attract thousands of visitors every year. But there are also some lesser known sites that are worth a closer look. LANHILL LONG BARROW Lanhill Long Barrow also known as Hubba's Low, is a Neolithic chambered long barrow constructed about 5,000 years ago. Evidence suggests that the barrow had three burial chambers, but only one survives. Unfortunately much of the barrow was destroyed by farmers over the last centuries. It was once included among the most important antiquities in Wiltshire. The barrow was partially excavated in 1909. Several human skeletons were found in the chambers. COATE STONE CIRCLE Coate Stone Circle is a partly visible stone circle containing five recumbent sarsen stones. Based on his observations in the 1890s, the antiquarian A. D. Passmore suggested that the circle would have once contained over thirty stones. He recorded nine stones surviving as part of

Sarsen stones are sedimentary rocks mostly made up of quartz sand cemented by silica. The stones are found mostly across England, being Wiltshire the county with the largest amount of these stones. It's believed that they were moved to the area through glacial action during the ice age, around 5 to 10 million years ago. Sarsen stones were used in the construction of ancient monument such as Stonehenge and Avebury Stone Circles. But they can also be found scattered naturally across fields. In this post we list 5 places with large amounts of sarsen stones that can be visited in the county of Wiltshire. PIGGLEDENE Piggledene is probably the most famous site of its kind, containing a large amount of sarsen stones scattered across a field. This site is a remnant of a much larger landscape of sandstone periglacial deposits. Many of the stones have been removed in the past to provide building materials in the area. It's possible to see where the stones were worked, split and cut. It&#

Cornwall is a county in Southwest England and it's known for its beautiful landscape and also for the huge amount of ancient sites. Cornwall is a delight for explorers and people interested in learning more about life in ancient times. Here we list 9 ancient sites that are totally worth a visit. MEN-AN-TOL Men-an-Tol consists of four granite stones: a holed stone with two upright stones to each side arranged in a line and a fallen stone at the foot of one of the upright stones. It's believed that this monument dates to either the late Neolithic or the early Bronze Age period. The real purpose of this arrangement is unknown. It's believed that this site was used for ritual and ceremonial purposes. Legend has it that the holed stone can cure children suffering from rickets if they are passed through the hole nine times. The stone was also believed to increase women's fertility. TRETHEVY QUOIT Trethevy Quoit is an impressive portal dolmen (cromlech) consisting of five stan