FARLEY WOOD, ENGLAND—According to a statement released by Forestry England, a Bronze Are stone circle has been discovered in the Derbyshire forest near the town of Matlock. An archaeological team sought to investigate a single ancient standing stone known as the Farley Moor stone. It was previously thought that the seven-foot-tall monolith was a solitary marker, but recent excavations revealed that it actually stood upon a ceremonial platform and was part of a larger ritual complex dating to around 1,700 b.c. The researchers identified five other large stones nearby that would have once been arranged to form a circular enclosure measuring approximately 80 feet in diameter. The site appears to have been chosen because of the presence of a natural spring at the location. “This discovery is hugely significant and transforms our understanding of the Farley Moor site,” said Forestry England’s Lawrence Shaw. “What we've uncovered is evidence of a much more complex ceremonial landscape, which the original standing stone is part of. 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.” To read about a Neolithic stone monument in the Lake District, go to "Castlerigg Stone Circle, England, UK."
