Special Places

Stone Circles, Cairns & Mounds

These are some magical 'Pagan' places in the UK, all well worth a visit if you ever get the chance. If you have any photos of places you'd like to share email a picture in and we'll include it here, if you have any comments about the place, why it's special to you, how you feel when there etc then feel free to add them for inclusion.

Place	Picture	Location/Comments
Arbor Low Submitted by Moonshadow		Near Bakewell in beautiful Derbyshire.
I love going here, the energy is absolutely electric. This monumental circle at Arbor Low as it exists today consists of a henge measuring 79 x 75 meters. The henge bank is 8-10 meters wide and 2 meters high, surrounding an internal ditch 7-12 meters wide and 2-3 meters deep. The massive bank and ditch have openings (or entrances) facing northwest and southeast, directly across from one another. Best estimates by scholars suggest that the henge was originally built about 5000 years ago, around 3000 BCE. The flat oval surface inside the henge measures 40 x 52 meters and today contains the remnants of an ancient stone circle, though the stones themselves no doubt replaced an earlier circle composed of massive timbers. More than 50 huge stone slabs and slab fragments still remain in place from Arbor Low's stone circle. Though no longer upright, only a few of the circle's stones appear to have been removed. Near the center of the circle are the remnants of what was once a ceremonial "cove," stones that when upright would have provided a screen to prevent sacred rites from being observed by anyone standing outside the henge. An ancient burial in the vicinity of the cove contained a human skeleton.
Nine Ladies Submitted by Moonshadow		On Stanton Moor near Matlock, Derbyshire. Plenty of other stones of interest situated in the surrounding area.
A rather magical place, sadly under threat from a local quarry. It was one of the first stone circles I went to visit when I came to live in Derbyshire. Nine Ladies Stone Circle is one of several prehistoric stone circles and dozens of cairns and mounds that make Stanton Moor in Derbyshire's Peak District an archaeologically important area, recognised as an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest).
Stonehenge Submitted by Moonshadow		Near Salisbury in Wiltshire, it's been a dream of mine to visit this magical place since I watched a childrens programme called Children Of The Stones when I was rather young. Despite the drizzley rain that day it was magical to be there and I can't wait to go back again.
As Whitewitch has written a review of her visit to stonhenge in another section I won't but lots of blurb here. Most people know about Stonehenge, I just wanted to share the photo I took and the Children Of The Stones link.