9 ancient stone circles in Devon and Cornwall
Stone circles across Devon and Cornwall are in prehistorically significant spaces.
Most date from the late Neolithic to early Bronze Age and were built at a time when life revolved around farming societies.
Many align with solar or lunar events and others sit close to natural routeways that would have been used for moving livestock and people.
Over time, they could have been ceremonial or social.
Their survival today is partly down to their remote locations, where later agriculture and development never fully erased them.
Cornwall stone circles
In Cornwall, stone circles are concentrated on Bodmin Moor and parts of West Penwith. They often sit close to ancient routeways or other stone circles.
📍 Merry Maidens (near St Buryan)
This is a compact ring of twelve stones set in open farmland, 1.5 miles from the village of Lamorna in West Penwith.
They are late Neolithic/early Bronze Age, roughly 4,000 to 3,500 years ago (around 2500-1500 BC).
You can find the Google Maps location here.
📍 Boscawen-Un
Also in West Penwith, Boscawen-Un is around halfway between Penzance and Sennen Cove.
Nineteen stones form a broad outer circle, with a tall leaning stone near the centre.
There are several other standing stones nearby too!
Find the Boscawen-Un Google Maps location here.
📍 The Hurlers (Minions, Bodmin Moor)
These are three separate stone circles arranged roughly north to south across open moorland.
Minions village is close by and has parking and facilities.
They’re called “The Hurlers” due to a local legend where men were Celtic hurling during the Sabbath, and were then turned to stone as punishment (as games were not permitted on the Sabbath!).
They are approximately 3,500 to 4,000 years old.
Find The Hurlers Google Maps location here.
📍 Nine Maidens (Boskednan
Also known as Boskednan Stone Circle, THIS Nine Maidens (there are a few with the same name in different parts of Devon and Cornwall) is inland from Treen, not too far from St Ives.
Find the Google Maps location here.
📍 Tregeseal stone circle (near St Just)
Also known as “The Dancing Stones”, this stone circle is north of the road from Penzance to St Just. It’s an exposed and often windy site!
See Google Maps location here.
Devon stone circles
In Devon, stone circles are most commonly found on high, open ground; most commonly on Dartmoor. Across Dartmoor, thin soils and exposed granite limited later farming. You tend to find Dartmoor’s stone circles near tors.
📍 Grey Wethers
This Dartmoor stone circle sits on the slopes of Sittaford Tor. It consists of two stone circles, of a similar size, that are broken.
It’s said that from a distance they look like a flock of grazing sheep!
Here’s the Google Maps location.
📍 Scorhill stone circle
Also known as Gidleigh Stone Circle, Scorhill is Dartmoor’s largest and most well-preserved.
It’s situated on Gidleigh Common, near Chagford.
It dates back to the Bronze Age, and, from the centre of the circle the sun sets over the largest stone directly on Midsummer’s Eve – so it’s thought that it was perhaps constructed as an ancient calander.
Legends abound here too – there have been many reports that horses refuse to walk through the circle!
See Google Maps location here.
📍 Fernworthy stone circle
This is a small stone circle located within woodland near Fernworthy Reservoir.
See Google Maps location here.
📍 Spinster’s Rock (near Drewsteignton)
This isn’t a stone circle (it’s actually called a “Neolithic Dolmen”), but it’s worth adding to a Neolithic tour of Dartmoor!
It’s named after a local legend a Neolithic burial chamber was once there, but fell down – and three spinsters decided to re-erect it.
