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KINGSTON RUSSELL STONE CIRCLE

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Kingston Russell Stone Circle is a large irregular circle of Late Neolithic or Bronze Age date, consisting of eighteen fallen conglomerate or sarsen stones situated on a chalk ridge 750 metres north east of Gorwell Farm. In 1815 one stone to the south was still standing. The circle appears to retain its full number of stones, although many of them may not be in their original positions. Two stones of a similar kind to those comprising the circle lie by the side of an adjoining fence (see record 450259). The circle has a diameter of 30 metres and has 18 visible stones. The stones vary in size from 2 metres by 0.5 metres to 1 metre by 0.3 metres, although partial burial may mean some of the stones are significantly larger. It is thought possible that the circle may have been graded in height with the tallest stones to the north. The site is in the care of English Heritage.

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(SY 57788782) Stone Circle (NR) (1)

Called Kingston Russell circle. Stones of sarsen with many
flints and water worn pebbles (one at least quartize), a
conglomerate - all are prone. (2)

Kingston Russell Stone Circle consists of eighteen fallen
conglomerate (5) or sarsen (4) stones, the largest of which is about 8 feet long forming an irregular oval 80 feet by 91 feet (5) or 80 feet by 60 feet (4). In 1815 one stone to the south was still standing. The circle appears to retain its full number of
stones although many of them may not be in their true positions. Listed as especially worthy of preservation (5).

Two stones of a similar kind to those comprising the circle lie
by the side of an adjoining fence (see SY 58 NE 7). (3-5)

A newly erected notice at the site consists of a Ministry of
Works plate with the name Kingston Russell Stone Circle. There are eighteen stones, one small one in addition to those on the OS 1:2500 and all are as depicted on Authority 5's plan. All the stones, of conglomerate and sarsen, are prone. The circle is situated upon downland. (6)

At Kingston Russell Circle there were originally between
fourteen and eighteen stones around the circumference of a ring 91 feet in diameter but it is now impossible to decide which of the fragments are bases and which are broken upper parts. Although it cannot be certain it seems that this ring was
graded in height with the tallest stones at the north. A stone
is supposed to have been added to the ring in recent years.
Kingston Russell Stone Circle scheduled and under Guardianship. (7)

An account of the stone circle as it was in 1815, at which time only one stone was standing, the 'rest being thrown down'. (8)

Large irregular stone circle of Late Neolithic or Bronze Age date, consisting of eighteen fallen conglomerate or sarsen stones situated on a chalk ridge 750 metres north east of Gorwell Farm. The circle appears to retain its full number of stones, although many of them may not be in their original positions. Two stones of a similar kind to those comprising the circle lie by the side of an adjoining fence (see SY 58 NE 7). The circle has a diameter of 30 metres and has 18 visible stones. The stones vary in size from 2 metres by 0.5 metres to 1 metre by 0.3 metres, although partial burial may mean some of the stones are significantly larger. Scheduled. (9)

Source 10 includes a brief accessible overview of Kingson Russell Stone Circle for visitors. (10)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 1:2500 1902

( 2) Annotated Record Map

Rec 6" (O G S Crawford) Undtd

( 3) General reference

Ancient Dorset 1872 illust (C Warne) Page(s)116

( 4a) Annotated Record Map

OS Map of Neolithic Wessex 1932 No 141 refs

( 4) Antiquity Publications Limited Antiquity

plan (S & C M Piggott) 13, 1939 Page(s)142-3

( 5) Royal Commission on Historical Monuments, England 1952 An inventory of the historical monuments in Dorset. Vol. I : west

xxvii plan No 4 Page(s)127

( 6) Field Investigators Comments

F1 NVQ 12-APR-55

( 7) by A Thom and A S Thoms; collated, with archaeological notes by A Burl 1980 Megalithic rings : plans and data for 229 monuments in Britain

BAR British series1 (1974) - plan (A & A s Thom & A Burl) 81 Page(s)118-9

( 8) Scheduled Monument Notification

EH Scheduling affirmed, 11-MAY-1995

(9) Scheduled Monument Notification

EH scheduling amendment, 31-OCT-1995

(10) English Heritage: Edited by Katy Carter 2004 Heritage Unlocked: Guide to free sites in Devon, Dorset and Somerset

Page(s)48-49

RELATED MONUMENTS

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Monument Name/No

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Description

MONUMENT NO. 450259
KINGSTON RUSSELL

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Small group of large stones of uncertain archaeological significance, possibly linked to Kingston Russell stone circle (SY 58 NE 6).

MONUMENT NO. 450273
KINGSTON RUSSELL

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A bowl barrow with a mound 15 metres in diameter up to 0.5 metres in height and composed of earth and chalk. Surrounded by a ditch from which material...

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