Possible Neolithic stone circle at Alphamstone churchyard (EHER 9320)

Alleged stone circle, seven sarsen stones in the yard of Alphamstone church.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: There is a considerable collection of sarsens stones in and about the churchyard, which appear to have been brought together by human agency. <1> Many sarsen stones have been found in the area and are distributed in and about the churchyard; one large sarsen projects from under the south-west corner of the nave. <2> Alphamstone church stands on what is almost certainly the site of a stone circle. <3> June 1950. Field visit. There are four sarsens lying on the ground between the west end of the church and the church boundary, and another on the grass verge immediately outside the church wall north of the church. One of these sarsens was found four feet from the surface whilst digging a grave on the west side of the churchyard. These sarsens are not positioned and there is no evidence to suggest that they ever formed part of a stone circle. Mr Stuck and Mr Tyler, both local farmers, informed me that sarsens are a very common feature of the Colne valley. <4> <5> August 1976. Field visit. There are now seven sarsen stones to be seen in the vicinity of the church. One is by the west wall, five lie at the foot of the adjacent hedge and one outside the north gate on the roadside. They are irregular in shape and average 1.5m maximum dimension. See photograph. No evidence of a former stone circle was encountered. <6> See also: <7> <8>