On the way home from Whichford Pottery, we stopped in a lay by beside The Rollright Stones, this is what their website says about them:
'This complex of megalithic monuments lies on the boundary between Oxfordshire and Warwickshire, on the edge of the Cotswold hills. They span nearly 2000 years of Neolithic and Bronze age development and each site dates from a different period.
The oldest, the Whispering Knights dolmen, is early Neolithic, circa
3,800-3,500 BC, the King's Men stone circle is late Neolithic, circa
2,500 BC; and the King Stone is early to middle Bronze Age, circa 1,500
BC.
The Stones are made of natural boulders of Jurassic oolitic limestone which forms the bulk of the Cotswold hills. This stone has been used extensively in the region for building everything from churches and houses to stone walls. The boulders used to construct the Rollright Stones were probably collected from within 500m of the site.
The origins of the name
The origin of the name ‘Rollright’ is somewhat uncertain. One interpretation is that it is derived from the Old English ‘Hrolla’+ ‘landriht’, the land-right or property of Hrolla. Old English is the earliest historical form of the English language brought to England by Anglo-Saxon settlers probably in the mid 5th century.
Another theory is that it is derived from an even older Celtic language ‘rod’ + ‘land’ + ‘ricc’ meaning the ‘ricc’ (groove, gorge or steep valley) by the ‘rodland’ (wheel arena) – i.e. the stone circle.'
The King's Men is an impressive stone circle
The objects between the stones are children's responses to the stone circle, the photo below was taken standing in the circle
These were willow structures which fitted in well with the circle, and in the distance is a great view of rolling hills
I didn't take photos of the King Stone, or the Whispering Knights, they can be seen if you click on the Rollright Stones link. I was surprised by how much rubbish has been dumped near the lay by, and how much rubbish was in black plastic bags. From the lovely stones, we visited Stow-on-the-Wold and saw the fabulous yew trees flanking the north entrance of St.Edward's church
They're also worth finding.
'This complex of megalithic monuments lies on the boundary between Oxfordshire and Warwickshire, on the edge of the Cotswold hills. They span nearly 2000 years of Neolithic and Bronze age development and each site dates from a different period.
The Stones are made of natural boulders of Jurassic oolitic limestone which forms the bulk of the Cotswold hills. This stone has been used extensively in the region for building everything from churches and houses to stone walls. The boulders used to construct the Rollright Stones were probably collected from within 500m of the site.
The origins of the name
The origin of the name ‘Rollright’ is somewhat uncertain. One interpretation is that it is derived from the Old English ‘Hrolla’+ ‘landriht’, the land-right or property of Hrolla. Old English is the earliest historical form of the English language brought to England by Anglo-Saxon settlers probably in the mid 5th century.
Another theory is that it is derived from an even older Celtic language ‘rod’ + ‘land’ + ‘ricc’ meaning the ‘ricc’ (groove, gorge or steep valley) by the ‘rodland’ (wheel arena) – i.e. the stone circle.'
The King's Men is an impressive stone circle
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