Archeology breakthrough as stunning 3,700 year old stone circle discovered
Archaeologists have discovered a standing stone in Farley Wood, Derbyshire is actually part of a larger Bronze Age ceremonial site dating back 3,700 years.
The 2m tall Farley Moor standing stone, near Matlock, was previously thought to be an isolated monument.
Recent excavations have revealed it forms part of a stone circle with five additional stones and a ceremonial platform.
The discovery was made by Forestry England in partnership with archaeology series Time Team.
The findings will feature in an episode aired on Time Team’s YouTube channel on Saturday.
Forestry England said the excavations uncovered evidence of a ceremonial platform beside the main stone.
The team also identified that five other nearby stones would once have been standing, creating a circle. According to experts, the main stone was intentionally placed above a natural spring.
Dr Lawrence Shaw, Forestry England’s lead historic environment adviser, called the discovery “hugely significant and transforms our understanding” of the site.
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“What we’ve uncovered is evidence of a much more complex ceremonial landscape, which the original standing stone is part of,” Dr Shaw explained.
“The stone platform predates the standing stone itself, suggesting continuous ritual use of this site over hundreds of years, strongly linked to the water and the importance it held for Bronze Age communities.”
Local archaeology enthusiast George Bird, whose interest prompted the investigation, had suggested “for some time” the stone might be part of a larger monument.
Forestry England said it would continue to protect the area going forward, managing the entire site of the circle as though it were a scheduled monument.
This approach will ensure the Bronze Age site is properly preserved for future generations.
The archaeology team hopes to return next summer to conduct a longer investigation.
They plan to examine the newly identified stones in more detail. Their aim is to uncover when the site was first created and establish the size of the larger ritual complex.
Dr Derek Pitman, associate professor at Bournemouth University, said: “It’s a dream come true to get to work on such a significant prehistoric monument.”
“The scale of activity that likely existed in that landscape highlights the impact of Bronze Age ritual life far beyond headline sites like Stonehenge.”