This huge megalithic complex consists of three stone circles, two stone
avenues, a cove of stones and an outlier. The Great Circle, the second largest
English stone ring after the outer circle at Avebury, is 112m (368ft) in
diameter and is composed of 27 stones. Beside it lies the North-East Ring. It is
29.6m (97ft) across and its eight massive boulders, four of which still
standing, are the biggest of the entire complex. The South-West Ring badly
ruined and on private land, is not open to the public.
From the two visible circles there are two avenues running eastward towards the
river Chew. The avenue starting from the North-East Ring, composed of seven
surviving stones, and the wrecked one extending from the Great Circle, if
continued, would have merged into one. The Cove, in a straight line with the centres
of the two accessible stone circles, consists of two huge upright stones with a
recumbent slab lying between them. They are blocks of dolomitic breccia, while
the circles’ stones are of pustular breccia and oolitic limestone. The Outlier,
also known as Hautville’s Quoit, lies half a kilometer (1850ft) north-east of
the circles, on a high ridge. It is a sandstone boulder, now recumbent, and it
is in a straight line with the centres of the Great Circle and the South-West
Ring.
Stanton Drew stands on the River Chew in Somerset- the sites of these stone
circles, although in the care of English Heritage, lie on private land. You are
welcome to visit them during daylight hours on payment of an entrance fee of
£1.00 (please leave the money in the honesty box at gate from the car park).
However, please do not take dogs with you, do not leave litter, and respect the
country code.