9. There are over 900 stone circles in Britain apart from Stonehenge
Though Stonehenge is by far the most famous stone circle in the world, there are many others like it. In Britain alone, there are more than 900 others of varying sizes dotted across the island. Around 20 miles north of Stonehenge is Avebury Stone Circle, the largest stone-henge in the world. It dates back to 2850 BC, and is made up of three circles of upright stones. Unfortunately, the area has been settled since the early medieval period, and people were so scared of the stone circle that its construction was blamed on Satan and many stones were pulled down.
Another stone circle worth mentioning is Castlerigg Stone Circle in the Lake District. This one doesn’t have an enclosing ditch, and hence is not a henge, but it’s one of the oldest stone circles in the UK and dates from 3000 BC. At its centre lies a mysterious rectangle of stones, and it is surrounded by some of Britain’s highest mountains. We know precious little about the specific function of any stone circle, but their millennia of survival is nothing short of miraculous. Folklore however tells us that these monuments are people turned to stone by the devil or witches.
