The rolling landscape of Dorset, England, conceals an understudied archaeological enigma. Unlike the towering monoliths of Stonehenge or the vast ceremonial landscapes of Avebury, Flagstones is a quiet, hidden site. But new research suggests it may be even older than we thought — and it could reshape our understanding of Britain’s earliest ceremonial circles.
Artistic depiction of what Flagstones would have looked like. Credit: Jennie Anderson
Flagstones was first discovered in 1891 — entirely by accident. Workmen were digging under the lawn of novelist Thomas Hardy when they came across a big rock one meter below ground. It was a sarsen stone, a sandstone boulder commonly used in prehistoric monuments like Stonehenge and found naturally in southern England. Hardy called it “The Druid Stone” and had it erected at the edge of the lawn where it still stands. He even wrote a poem about it.
Nearly a century passed before the site underwent formal archaeological investigation. A large section was set to be removed to make way for a bypass road, triggering mandatory archaeological excavations in 1987. These revealed a circular ring of unevenly spaced pits, constructed during the late 4th millennium BC.
“Flagstones is an unusual monument; a perfectly circular ditched enclosure, with burials and cremations associated with it,” says Dr. Susan Greaney, a specialist in Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments at the University of Exeter.
Sarsen Stone, also known as “The Druid Stone”, discovered by workmen under the lawn of Thomas Hardy’s house in Dorchester in 1891. Image via Wiki Commons.
Archaeologists have long struggled to classify the site. It shares features with causewayed enclosures — early Neolithic earthworks used for gatherings and rituals — as well as henges, later circular enclosures often associated with stone circles. Its association with both inhumations and cremations suggests a transitional period in burial customs, capturing a rare moment when communities were experimenting with new ways of honoring their dead.
“In some respects, it looks like monuments that came earlier, which we call causewayed enclosures, and in others, it looks a bit like things that come later that we call henges. But we didn’t know where it sat between these types of monuments — and the revised chronology places it in an earlier period than we expected.”
But the exact age of Flagstones remained a mystery — until now.
It’s older than Stonehenge
Aerial shot of excavation of Flagstones. Image credits: Dorset Museum
Until recently, Flagstones was believed to have been built in the late 4th or early 3rd millennium BC. However, fresh radiocarbon dating has pushed its construction back to around 3300 BC, potentially making it one of the earliest known large circular enclosures in Britain. There’s even evidence of earlier activity dating back to 3650 BC.
Stonehenge, whose first phase was built around 2900 BC, shares striking similarities with Flagstones. Both feature circular earthworks, with internal and external banks, and evidence of human burials. The idea that Stonehenge’s layout may have originated at Flagstones is speculative, but it’s not baseless.
The chronology of Flagstones is essential for understanding the changing sequence of ceremonial and funeral monuments in Britain,” said Dr. Greaney. “The ‘sister’ monument to Flagstones is Stonehenge, whose first phase is almost identical, but it dates to around 2900 BC. Could Stonehenge have been a copy of Flagstones? Or do these findings suggest our current dating of Stonehenge might need revision?”
Archeologists discovered at least four burials at Flagstones: a cremated adult beneath a large sarsen stone, three young children, one buried beneath a sandstone slab, and three additional cremations placed within a smaller circular ditch inside the enclosure. There could be many more, but it’s hard to tell now. Much of Flagstones itself remains largely hidden beneath modern development.
If Flagstones predates Stonehenge, it suggests that a cultural movement may have originated in Dorset before spreading across the region. The site may have also influenced other significant monuments, including Llandygái Henge A in Gwynedd, Wales, and even locations in Ireland, as evidenced by shared burial practices and artifacts.
Neolithic communities across Britain and beyond were much more interconnected than previously thought.
Journal Reference: Susan Greaney et al, Beginning of the circle? Revised chronologies for Flagstones and Alington Avenue, Dorchester, Dorset, Antiquity (2025). DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2025.28
Dr. Andrei Mihai is a geophysicist and founder of ZME Science. He has a Ph.D. in geophysics and archaeology and has completed courses from prestigious universities (with programs ranging from climate and astronomy to chemistry and geology). He is passionate about making research more accessible to everyone and communicating news and features to a broad audience.
