There are hundreds of similar sites throughout the British Isles and those listed here are just a small selection:

1. Long Meg and Her Daughters

This standing stone and stone circle is near the town of Penrith, Cumbria. There were originally 70 stones on this site which is an oval shape of about 100 by 93 meters. Today there are 59 stones and 27 of them are still upright. Legend has it that Long Meg and her daughters were a coven of witches who were turned to stone by a spell cast by a wizard. It is said that the stones cannot be counted and that if anyone counts them twice and gets the same number, the spell will be broken.

2. Wet Withins

Wet Withins stone circle is situated in Derbyshire. The name comes from Old English and means "land where willows grow". There are 11 stones in this circle and 7 of them are still standing. There are a number of burial cairns and a long burial barrow (hill) on the site. The tallest stone in the circle is just 70cms tall and shaped like a chair.

3. Nine Stones, Winterbourne Abbas

There are nine stones in this small circle which is almost totally protected by the branches of a huge beech tree at one end. The smallest stone is just 40cms high. One local legend says that the stones were the devil, his wife and their children and another claims that these stones are children caught playing games on the sabbath and turned to stone.

4. Goatstones Circle, Hethpool

This circle is situated close to Wooler in Northumbria. It is thought that there were originally two stone circles here and that this was once the largest stone circle in Northern England. Today only one stone remains upright. The name Goatstones comes from the Old English "Gyet Stones" which means wayside stones. They were erected along the side of the old drovers route.

5. Stanton Drew. Chew Magna

This group of stone circles is close to Bristol in the south of England. The Great Circle is 113m across and the North East Circle is 30m in width. There is another circle of 11 stones close by. It is thought that this circle is the same age as Stonehenge. There are many legends surrounding this site including the impossibility of counting the stones.

6. Drizzlecombe, Dartmoor

Dartmoors highest standing stone stands at Drizzlecombe (4.5 meters) This area has a group of small stone circles around cairns (ancient burial sites) and single standing stones.

The purpose of these megalithic circles is still a mystery. Archaeologists have come up with many different theories ranging from druid temples to giant observatories, and sacrificial sites to local meeting places. Whatever their original purpose, these structures are amazing sites given that their builders had no modern tools, machinery or transport. The huge stones were often transported great distances.