<< Our Photo Pages >> Hoarstones - Stone Circle in England in Shropshire

Submitted by Baz on Tuesday, 17 September 2002  Page Views: 24620

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Hoarstones Alternative Name: Black Marsh
Country: England County: Shropshire Type: Stone Circle
 Nearest Village: Shelve
Map Ref: SO32419990  Landranger Map Number: 137
Latitude: 52.592676N  Longitude: 2.999199W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
 3 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
 4 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
 3 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
 4

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I have visited· I would like to visit

w650marion visited on 27th Feb 2025 - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 2 Access: 3 It's a sad unloved stone circle in a very boggy large field marked "private keep out". Not one I visit very often, I do remember it having official access with an info board 30 years ago. It looked better then but I can't find any photos (it was pre digital camera days)

George998 visited on 1st Jan 2024 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 3

BolshieBoris visited on 1st Aug 1998 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 3

Humbucker TheWhiteRider TimPrevett have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 2.67 Ambience: 3.33 Access: 3

Hoarstones
Hoarstones submitted by Postman : The sun came out at last and made the whole scene far too bright, it was almost painful to look. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Access to this stone circle is more difficult than the map suggests. I took a circuitous route and, approaching from the south-west, across the fields I saw a circular patch of hay in a recently mown meadow.

The tallest stone, at one metre, lies near the centre. The image was taken from inside the circle looking south past the central stone. Most of the other stones are hidden in the vegetation.
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Hoarstones
Hoarstones submitted by Postman : The stoniest part of the stone circle (Vote or comment on this photo)

Hoarstones
Hoarstones submitted by baz : The Hoarstones shot holes. Examples of the shot holes mentioned by Burl. Apparently these holes were drilled by miners and filled with gunpowder to provide home-made pyrotechnics during wedding celebrations. (2 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Hoarstones
Hoarstones submitted by Postman : Mostly gone are the Hoarstones, but enough is left to make sure you have to come take a look. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Hoarstones
Hoarstones submitted by Postman : The central stone, and some good golly blue sky. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Hoarstones
Hoarstones submitted by Bladup : The Hoarstones [Black Marsh] Stone Circle. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Hoarstones
Hoarstones submitted by Bladup

Hoarstones
Hoarstones submitted by stevep : hoarstones panorama.

Hoarstones
Hoarstones submitted by TheWhiteRider : Corndon Hill seen from The Hoarstones. Midsummer 2005

Hoarstones
Hoarstones submitted by TimPrevett : On the Shropshire Meet 2005, the Hoarstones in a field full of buttercups. I was here six months ago in the snow on midwinter solstice eve, and it was the opposite of this picture. Leaving here was difficult.

Hoarstones
Hoarstones submitted by TimPrevett : The two cairns just to the west (two grassy rings / clumps left), and the circle of the Hoarstones, on a snowy Midwinter Solstice Eve, 2004. The circle, and cairns, have never been excavated.

Hoarstones
Hoarstones submitted by TheWhiteRider : Midsummer 2004. A stone of the Hoarstones circle near Mitchell's Fold. The blasting holes made by locals in the nineteenth century are clearly visible.

Hoarstones
Hoarstones submitted by TheWhiteRider : The Hoarstones circle, about a mile and a half North of Mitchell's Fold.

Hoarstones
Hoarstones submitted by baz : The Hoarstones Stone Circle,Black Marsh,nr Shelve,Shrops.(SO324999) Access to this stone circle is more difficult than the map suggests.I took a circuitous route and,approaching from the south-west, across the fields I saw a circular patch of hay in a recently mown meadow.The tallest stone,at one metre,lies near the centre.This image was taken from inside the circle looking south past the centr... (4 comments)

Hoarstones
Hoarstones submitted by w650marion : One of the two small round cairns, the westerly one, a dry spot in the boggy field! "Two small round cairns; the more westerly lies approximately 30m from the centre of the circle, the more easterly 32m. Both are visible as low earth and stone mounds 5m in diameter and up to 0.3m high. Although no longer visible as a surface feature each cairn will be surrounded by a ditch 1m wide from which ...

Hoarstones
Hoarstones submitted by w650marion : Best photo I could get today of the central stone (left) and the southern arc. All the ground is difficult to walk over, big lumps and lots of water.

Hoarstones
Hoarstones submitted by w650marion : The unloved Hoarstones circle hiding in grass, bog, brambles, gorse. Don't be fooled by the field surface in the foreground, it's bog and is quite unpleasant walking.

Hoarstones
Hoarstones submitted by w650marion : There must be a stone circle in all this grass and bramble!

Hoarstones
Hoarstones submitted by w650marion : Not a warm welcome! The Hoarstones circle can be spotted as a smudge in the grass one third of the way down the left hand side of the photo. We did climb over the padlocked gate and struggled through the boggy field as this circle was one recommended to visit by Shrewsbury Museum's Sun and Fire exhibition. I don't think the person who made the fancy leaflet has been here!

Hoarstones
Hoarstones submitted by Yunzi : Overgrown in late 2024

Hoarstones
Hoarstones submitted by Stubedo : A closer view of the stone and the surrounding pasture / countryside.

Hoarstones
Hoarstones submitted by Stubedo : Photo of the centre stone, you can just make out the other stones surrounding it in the background. The circle itself is overgrown, yet the surrounding pasture is well grazed, perhaps the cattle know something....

Hoarstones
Hoarstones submitted by Postman : The central stone and the good surviving arc of circle stones.

Hoarstones
Hoarstones submitted by Postman : Drill holes, fireworks? yeah right.

Hoarstones
Hoarstones submitted by Postman : It should be easy to get to, but it's not.

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
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Re: Hoarstones by w650marion on Thursday, 27 February 2025
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Historic England once cared about this sad circle -
historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1011022?section=official-list-entry

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Re: Hoarstones by w650marion on Thursday, 27 February 2025
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The "Sun & Fire - Life and death at the dawn of history" interactive exhibition at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery lists the Hoarstones circle as one to visit (along with Mitchell's Fold). Only the most dedicated Stone enthusiast will struggle enough to get here, and yet the smart brochure provided has suggested a visit as if it was easy!

The Sun and Fire interactive exhibition is on at Shrewsbury museum until WED 30 APR, 2025 and costs £4.50 - it says "Find out how they used fire to make beautiful and useful objects, to cook and to cremate their dead. Explore our interactive exhibition and learn how we once celebrated the sun with huge stone circles and bright gold objects." They could have done better with displaying some of the excellent Mitchell's Fold pictures from Megalithic Portal to create an understanding, a feeling of sun and circles. A few of the objects in the room were interesting, but had little information and normally they are free to see in the museum. We were the only people in there on the Saturday we went.
http://www.shropshiremuseums.org.uk/event/sun-fire-life-and-death-at-the-dawn-of-history/
There is also another event on the "Sun and Fire" theme, costing £15. on the 8th March 2025. A morning of talks on prehistoric Shropshire, followed by a visit to the Sun and Fire exhibition at Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery. I've bought tickets for this too, as I know the archaeologists giving the talks are good.
http://www.shropshiremuseums.org.uk/event/sun-and-fire-celebrating-prehistoric-shropshire/
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Re: Hoarstones by Yunzi on Sunday, 03 November 2024
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Echoing the comment from 2 years ago, visiting in Nov24 was pretty tricky. I got there through the woodland as far as the hand written 'keep out private' sign. Eventually deciding I'd come this far so I'd risk Mr farmer shouting at me. The site is seriously overgrown now to the point it's hard to see the stones even when very close to some of them, especially the central stone. Such a shame as if mowed and accessible this would be a lovely site to visit.
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Re: Hoarstones by Stubedo on Tuesday, 05 April 2022
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I went to Hoarstones on Saturday 2nd April 2022.

It was a nightmare to get to couldn't immediately get to the Hoarstones Circle, forged my own way through the wood to find a path.

The land owner had, in my opinion, made it as difficult as possible to find, no sign posts, pathways blocked by trees etc. The only reason i knew it was there is because it was on my OS Map.

When I eventually found a path to the circle the land owner had put up hand written sign on the stile saying 'Private' and 'Keep Out' reasoning that no one could lay claim to a 3000 year old site of interest, I ignored them and had a look at the circle anyway.

The land was well grazed by the cows in the field except for the stone circle. Most bizarre.

The metal gate at the other end of the field also has Private No Entry signs on it, i am not sure of the legality of that, there is a path marked on OS maps, but i am unsure if it is a public right of way.

A great shame to have a site of such interest, but no one allowed to visit it.
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Re: Hoarstones by rogerkread on Tuesday, 16 October 2018
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Thanks to Darkside for the directions - spot on except that the actual stile at the top of the field by the wood is now missing. However, if you aim for the new metal gate giving access to the footpath through the wood you will see a plank bridge over the ditch on your right. The barbs of the barbed wire fence have been removed at this point, clerly where the stile used to be, and it is easy enough to step over it.
A good site, more atmospheric than Mitchell's Fold and more stones too.
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Re: Hoarstones by coldrum on Wednesday, 07 October 2009
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Pastscape:

http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=107454
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Re: Hoarstones by coldrum on Wednesday, 01 April 2009
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Link:

http://www.shropshiretourism.co.uk/south-shropshire/mitchell_fold/
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Re: Hoarstones by TimPrevett on Friday, 04 February 2005
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Another picture here in the BBC Shropshire Gallery

http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/weather/gallery/winter_gallery_christmas_2004_22.shtml
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Re: Hoarstones by Darkside on Thursday, 26 June 2003
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This is a wonderful Site. There is nothing particularly remarkable about its form, but as you approach it across the fields it seem perfectly placed and wonderfully detached considering its close proximity to a road and houses. The best way of accessing the site if not walking over Black Marsh, is by parking up on the minor road which intersects the A488 in grid 32/99; this is the crossroads to Shelve etc.

Directions: - If heading north on A488 turn left at crossroads and park in the lay-by on the right 10 metres down the hill. From here, walk back up to the main road, turn right, take the track on the near immediate right up to a gate, go over this and then proceed to the style to the top right of the field. From there follow the Right of Way across the top of the field keeping your eyes right. in the summer the grass obscures the circle, but it is possible to make out an outline. The circle lies near the bottom of second (i think!) field along. This is a slightly convoluted way of accessing the site, but it sticks, as much as possible, to Rights of Way.

Rhys Davies.
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