PastParticipate

The Hell Stone that one had a ‘make-over’ in the mid C19th. It would have originally looked similar to the Grey Mare and Her Colts. For more on Dorset long barrows visit pastparticipate.co.uk/post/long-barr… #25sarsensofchristmas #dailysarsen #Neolithic #southdorsetridgeway #TombTuesday

This stone appears isolated and is standing on its head. Look at the orientation of the banding. What happened to the other stones from this field? #25sarsensofchristmas #dailysarsen #sarsen #valleyofstones #southdorsetridgeway #FarminginProtectedLandscapes @naturalengland

The Nine Stones is a small stone circle made with sarsens, probably from the #valleyofstones. #25sarsensofchristmas #dailysarsen @englishheritage #stonecircle #solstice

One of our volunteers surveyed this stone in the summer. It looks as though it might have been used for grinding something, at some point! #dailysarsen #25sarsensofchristmas #valleyofstones #grindingstone #fundinginprotectedlandscapes #heritagefunduk

This stone has been split into pieces. You can just about make out a gully running around it. This was dug to ‘free’ the stone from the ground. Then a hole was drilled, a charge inserted and detonated, splitting the stone. #25sarsensofchristmas #dailysarsen #valleyofstones

Our colleagues @HistoricEngland have been busy recording in detail all the earthworks visible from the air, and we hope that they will be able to produce a phased sequence of activity which might shed more light. @HeritageFundUK #valleyofstones

These sarsens appear to be underneath a field lynchet. There has long been speculation over the date of the field systems in the Valley of Stones? #25sarsensofchristmas #dailysarsen #valleyofstones @NaturalEngland @HeritageFundUK

Some of the features are huge, and we have a working theory that they were first formed when sarsens were moved as part of prehistoric field clearances. Over time the soil has built up over the stones, which has led to such large banks.

A rather large sarsen was used for the grave stone of John Galpin, a vicar in Portesham who died in 1681. I think it's this one currently covered in ivy. Does anyone have photos before the ivy grew? #25sarsensofchristmas #dailysarsen #tombtuesday #portesham #dorset

16 stones were recorded by Piggott at the Hampton Stone circle in 1939. In 1965 Wainwright were recorded 28 during excavation, none in their original settings! #25sarsensofchristmas #dailysarsen #prehistory #megalithicmonday @Dorset_NL

These stones are on the top of the ridge. They must have been brought up here by people but we don't know when. They have been left in this arrangement by a modern farmer! #25sarsensofchristmas #dailysarsen #FarminginProtectedLandscapes @openairdairy #StandingStoneSunday

This is a map showing the extent of the natural sarsen field on Tenants Hill. People may have moved large stones across significant distances for specific purposes but they were unlikely to have carried the smaller ones far #25sarsensofchristmas #dailysarsen

What should you expect to find when digging around sarsens? More sarsens! We excavated a small area near the polissoir, and found many, many, small sarsens underneath the topsoil. #25sarsensofchristmas #dailysarsen #sarsen #Neolithic #valleyofstones #FarminginProtectedLandscapes

Sarsen Street Furniture? We think these kerb stones in Abbotsbury are made out of sarsen stone. If anyone is walking past, give them a poke and let us know. #25sarsensofchristmas #dailysarsen #sarsen #FarminginProtectedLandscapes #Abbotsbury #HeritageFundUK

We’ve focused our research so far on the Valley of Stones, but there is also a natural deposit of sarsen stones in Portesham, just down the way. These have been built into the local infrastructure #25sarsensofchristmas #dailysarsen #FarminginProtectedLandscapes #HeritageFundUK

In 1908 these stones were described as ‘a collapsed dolmen’ by the Dorset Field Club. We hope to investigate further-it is an unusual location for this type of monument. #sarsen #Neolithic @naturalengland #valleyofstones #FarminginProtectedLandscapes #TombTuesday @HeritageFundUK

This is one of the stones that kicked off Jim’s thinking about sarsens on Tenants Hill. It is buried at the bottom of a hedge bank. #25sarsensofchristmas #dailysarsen #FarminginProtectedLandscapes @heritagefunduk

This small circle of stones in the Valley of Stones is the remnants of a bronze or iron age house. The house would have been built out of wood, just using the stones for additional external support. #25sarsensofchristmas #dailysarsen #valleyofstones #FarminginProtectedLandscapes

This is a typical sarsen stone in the Valley of Stones. You can clearly see the different layers of geological deposits. #25sarsensofchristmas #dailysarsen #sarsen #Livingamongstthesarsens #valleyofstones #FarminginProtectedLandscapes @heritagefunduk

When is a circle of stones not a stone circle? When it forms a D shape and has house platforms nearby. This is probably a medieval sheep enclosure. #25sarsensofchristmas #dailysarsen #sarsen #valleyofstones #FarminginProtectedLandscapes