The King's Men Stone Circle and King Stone

The Whispering Knights dolmen was built in the early Neolithic period around 3,800BC, which predates the Stone Circle with over a thousand years and makes it one the earliest funerary monuments in Britain. It is a 'portal dolmen' burial chamber that consists of four upright stones and a large fallen capstone.

Archeologists have found early Neolithic, Beaker and early Bronze Age pottery in the immediate vicinity of the site, which suggests that the dolmen was venerated over many centuries.

The King Stone was erected in early to middle Bronze Age, probably around 1,500 BC. Rather than relating directly to the much older Neolithic Stone Circle, the King Stone was likely erected as a permanent memorial to the Bronze Age round cairn 17m across with a central chamber, which lies immediately to the north-east set exactly on the top the ridge.

The King's men ceremonial stone circle is from the late Neolithic period, most likely around 2,500BC. The Stones are made of natural boulders of the Jurassic oolitic limestone forming the bulk of the Cotswold hills and likely collected from within 500m of the site.

The archeological evidence suggests that that stones originally formed an accurate circle but have grown less so with restorations over time. The stone circle closely resembles some found in the Lake District, especially the Castlerigg near Keswick, and Swinside north of Ulverston. They consist of close-set stones, a portalled entrance and levelled interior. Originally the stones may have numbered 105 standing shoulder to shoulder - but do try counting the stones - they are said to be uncountable.