OXFORDSHIRE

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Rollwright Stones, Little Rollwright (Neolithic & Bronze Age) ref SP 26308

One of my favourite collection of stones.  They span over the border between Oxfordshire and Warwickshire, where the King Stone lies.  A wonderfully tale is attached to these weathered stones.  The main circle consists of approx 70 stones with a 33m diameter and has remained unexcavated.  The King Stone lies 100m away and is 2.4m high and 1.5m wide.  Surprisingly, this stone is much earlier than the neighbouring circle.  The Whispering Knights lie 400m away and can be reached by a signposted track.  They once formed a burial chamber. The Legend tells how the King was riding across Oxfordshire with his knights & men, when he was challenged by a witch, she cried: Seven long strides thou shalt take, And if Long Compton thou can see, King of England thou shalt be, The knights huddled together and the men stood in a large circle to watch the King take his 7 strides, but instead of seeing Long Compton, his view was obscurred by the rising valley.  With a loud shriek the witch exclaimed:

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 I myself an elder tree.

King Stone

Whispering Knights

Wayland's Smithy, Ashbury, (Neolithic) ref SU 281854

This long barrow can be found just off the Ridgway surrounded by lovely scenery and hidden within a small group of tree's.  It was excavated in 1962-3 by Richard Atkinson and it was discovered to be from two periods. Period I: A wooden mortuary hut with sarsen stone floor.  The bodies of 14 people were found here, because of the lack of some bones it was decided that some of the bodies had lain elsewhere for a period of time before being brought to the chamber.  This all disappeared when the present construction took place. Period II:  This barrow is 54m long with a diameter ranging from 15m - 6m.  At the southern end of the chamber stand 6 slabs, guarding the entrance.  The chamber itself is in the shape of a cross, and is 6.6m long with a chamber on each side.  Excavations found the bodies of at least 8 peopleincluding a child.

Chamber entrance

Hoar Stone, Enstone (Neolithic) ref SP 378236

You could be forgiven for missing these stones.  A ruined chambered long barrow hidden in the undergrowth.  The tallest stone is 2.7m high.