How old?
c. 2000–1400 BC
It was already ancient before the Romans arrived in these islands.
What happened here?
Clues, not answers
The surviving stones define a circle about 27 metres across. Their varied heights and incomplete survival make the original design difficult to reconstruct in detail.
Its elevated setting and broad horizons suggest a place intended for communal gathering, but no particular ceremony or astronomical scheme can be demonstrated.
The old story says
Folklore
A local story tells of a magic cow whose endless milk saved people during famine. A witch milked her into a sieve and was turned to stone as punishment.
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.