“Seven long strides shalt thou take and if Long Compton thou canst see, King of England thou shalt be.” So said an unidentified witch to an unnamed king in the mostly unknown folk story behind the Rollright Stones. It’s no wonder, then, that this site in Oxfordshire has gone undisturbed for almost 5,000 years.
Today, three sites along the country road to the village of Long Compton make up the Rollright Stones. Each was once a member of the king’s party, turned to stone when the witch raised the earth into a hill, blocking the view before they could take a seventh stride. To watch over them, she turned herself into an old tree. The only way to break the spell, they say, is to cut it (or her) down.
Others say that the site is nothing more than a pagan burial cairn. Of course, both can’t be right.
Oldest among the three sites, dated to around 3500 BC, are the Whispering Knights. Huddled together as though plotting against their king, this arrangement was more likely meant as the portal to an ancient burial chamber – possibly even the oldest in Britain. Over the centuries, it found regular use, with excavations finding human remains from as “recently” as 1700 BC.
Nearby, the King’s Men – a stone circle dating from around 2500 BC – stand frozen in time. But don’t try to count them. Another folk story claims that nobody will ever correctly count the Rollright Stones and live. This might be something to do with the locals’ historical habit of stealing the stones for their bridges and buildings. Or it could be the work of fairies. Other stories surrounding the King’s Men say that they come to life after midnight and head down to Long Compton for a drink. Whatever they’ve been up to since their installation, they were meant for only one purpose – ceremonial gatherings.
Youngest of the Rollright Stones, dated to 1500 BC, is the King Stone itself. You’ll find it (or him) on the other side of the road, at the top the very hill the witch raised to block the king’s view in the story. And it’s here where there has historically been the most funerary activity. Evidence of ancient burials, pagan cremations and Saxon graves spans thousands of years. The Rollright Stones stand not only at the boundaries of three Oxfordshire parishes, but at the intersection of numerous periods of history.
Today, the site still holds significance to visitors, who leave messages of hope on a tree that overlooks the King’s Men stone circle. Perhaps this is the witch or perhaps the knights read the wishes on their way to the pub. Perhaps both.
If you’re in the area, the city of Oxford offers countless Gothic sites among its dreaming spires. And if you’re in the mood, you’ll find Stonehenge to the south, Long Meg and her Daughters to the north – and more ancient stone circles in just about any direction you care to travel.