Stanton Drew

I've not visited Stanton Drew stone circle complex in over 20 years; it was nice to explore them again. I was hoping to see the Mendip Morris performing, although I arrived just as they were leaving; another time maybe. The Stanton Drew complex consists of 3 stone circles and a group of 3 stones known as the Cove; built during Late Neolithic 3000 to 2500BC, or possibly into the early Bronze Age 2500 to 2000BC, the main circle is second in size in the country only to Avebury and recent research suggests that originally it would have been surrounded by a large bank and ditch, with the central area filled with concentric circles of pits which possibly would have contained large timber uprights; such a construction would have required a substantial amount of manpower to complete, these features have subsequently been removed. The best preserved stone circle of the complex is the Northern one, which like the main circle, has the remains of a stone avenue attached, although all the circles are virtually complete.  The Cove bears a striking similarity, although smaller and situated beyond the circle complex, to the stone setting of the same name in Avebury's Northern inner circle; is there a connection? What is known is that the Cove site here predates the circle complex by a 1000 years and was the site of a Neolithic long barrow; the current stone setting being a later addition or possibly a remodeling of the original barrow. Set in the beautiful Chew Valley and flanked by the River Chew, this site is well worth a visit and I was pleased I did.