Arthur’s Stone at Dorstone in Herefordshire is said to be the site where the legendary king slew a giant, with the creature falling upon this stone, cracking it down the middle. It has inspired many a work of fiction, including the Stone Table in ‘The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe’ on which Aslan is slain. Despite all this, very little is known about the stones themselves. It is thought they were built around the same time as Stonehenge, but English Heritage have been very protective of the stones themselves, not allowing any excavation of them.
Until this month.
A new chapter in Arthur’s Stone history
English Heritage started working with the University of Manchester and a dig at the site is now in progress.
Julian Thomas, head of this project, said
“There has never been a modern excavation of the protected part of the site (the actual stones) and its relationship of the other monuments of the Neolithic period. Our work seeks to restore it to its rightful place in the story of Neolithic Britain”
The dig lasts until the end of July, in which time, visitors can actually see the excavation happen, so be sure to check it out.
View our latest Bitesize News video to find out more details.
Ed: West England Bylines is committed to preserving and understanding our heritage in our region as evidenced by our reporting of the campaign to stop the A303 development at Stonehenge.
