Ancient monuments fascinate me, so when we came across the Rollright location on Mr Word Loft and my Cotswolds holiday, I was delighted. It seems fitting to blog about them this week as well, it being Summer Solstice this coming weekend.
It was by chance we happened upon them as we drove along a country road to Bourton-on-the-Water, so made it a must-go destination on the way back to our holiday let later in the day.
A footpath comes off of the road and leads to fields. The King’s Men enticed us around its Neolithic ceremonial circle. Some of the seventy or so individual stones were irresistible to touch, and in entirety, enchanting. A much different mood to the legend behind their name, which tells of a king and his army being changed to stone by a witch’s spell.
A nearby tree, which some call a wishing tree is tied with ribbons and beads. The tokens adorning it, a way of wishing, praying, or denoting a blessing. A colourful and endearing sight.
The King’s Stone is situated across the road on another part of the site and believed to have been erected in the Bronze Age to indicate a cemetery. Its shape has changed over the years – in the 19th century visitors took small pieces as good luck charms, so a railing runs around it to protect it from further damage. However, the stone monarch still creates a dramatic stance on the landscape.
So, where would a king be without his knights? Well, in this case, he would have been better off without the Whispering Knights. Legend reveals they were plotting against him before all being magicked motionless forevermore. They are a striking group of stones though, and the remnants of a Neolithic burial chamber where people deposited human bones right into the Bronze Age.
We found them by coincidence, but for others, that isn’t so, as the Rollright Stones are busy at summer and winter solstice, and in the past have been the setting for art, drama, and TV productions. It’s not surprising the area is appreciated by locals and sightseers alike.
We planned our Cotswold holiday itinerary implicitly, and yet this little unknown (to us) place turned out to be one of the holiday’s highlights.
Until next time,
Sue. X
Hi Sue It is so strange that I do not recall this place from the times spent growing up nearby. Clearly a well-kept secret unlike Stone (& Wood) Henges, Avebury etc. I find the historical value of these sites confusing BUT they are old and they have lasted.
Hi Shirley, It has been the same here in Cornwall, when I’ve discovered fascinating ancient sites that were unknown to me. When a local friend read my recent Rollright Stones Instagram post, she had also visited the place and loved the legends about them – such a small world.
I think it’s often the local sites we don’t notice. When my dad was stationed in Cyprus (I was a teenager) he was repatriated earlier than expected. We had to go on a whistle stop tour of the North Island (through the UN dividing line) to see as much as possible that we’d not got around to. I was left on the island with a fellow RAF man and his family to complete my O’ levels – and that is another story!
What an experience you had living in and exploring Cyprus. I’ve been on holiday there and loved it. Your O’ levels story sounds intriguing, maybe you should think about writing your memoirs covering that time.