How old?
c. 2300–800 BC
It was already ancient before the Romans arrived in these islands.
What happened here?
Clues, not answers
Twenty stones, none taller than about 0.6 metres, define a circle roughly 18 metres across. Maen Mawr stands immediately beside it. One alignment extends about 42 metres with seventeen small stones; another runs for about 25 metres with twelve stones that can be almost invisible among the grass.
The arrangement may have guided movement or linked ceremonies to the valley and surrounding hills. Modern astronomical and spiritual readings are possibilities rather than demonstrated Bronze Age beliefs. Its name simply means 'black stones', while Maen Mawr means 'great stone'.
The old story says
Folklore
No reliable historic ghost tale is known for the monument. The contrast between the dominant Maen Mawr and near-hidden rows often gives visitors a sense of discovery, but that emotional response should not be turned into invented folklore.
Remember: folklore tells us what later people believed about a place. It is not necessarily what its builders believed.
Try this
Five things to notice
- Which is the tallest stone?
- What can you see on the horizon?
- Do the stones look different from nearby rocks?
- Where does the sun rise and set?
- How does the place sound when everyone is quiet?
Stone detective mission
Evidence or story?
Choose one thing you can see and one idea people tell about the place. Sketch both, then label the first evidence and the second story. Could new evidence ever change the story?
Look closely, draw and ask questions—but never climb on stones, move anything or leave an offering. Stay with your adult and follow every access sign.