The Megalithic Portal - A Guide for New Visitors

Your gateway to ancient sites across Britain, Ireland, and beyond

What is the Megalithic Portal?

The Megalithic Portal is a comprehensive database of ancient and prehistoric sites. We catalogue standing stones, stone circles, burial chambers, holy wells, hill forts, rock art, and many other types of ancient monument.

The site has been running since 2001 and contains over 46,000 sites with more than 250,000 photographs, contributed by a community of researchers, photographers, and enthusiasts.

Everything on the portal is free to access. We encourage you to explore, use the information for your visits, and perhaps contribute your own photographs.

Quick Links

Finding Ancient Sites

Using the Search

The search is the quickest way to find specific sites:

1. Go to the search page
2. Type a site name, place name, or grid reference
3. Use the filters (country, county, site type) to narrow results
4. Click on any result to see the full site page

Tips for better searches:
For sites in England, Scotland, and Wales, you can search by OS Grid Reference (e.g., "SU123456").
Partial names work well - searching "Avebury" finds Avebury Stone Circle, West Kennet Long Barrow, and other nearby sites.
The postcode search finds sites near any UK postcode.

Using the Interactive Map

The map shows all sites with location data:

1. Zoom in to any area to see site markers
2. Click a marker to see the site name and a link to its page
3. Use the search box to jump to a location
4. Different coloured markers indicate different site types

Browsing by Location

You can browse sites by:
Country - All countries with ancient sites are listed
County/Region - Within each country, browse by local area
Site Type - Stone circles, standing stones, burial chambers, etc.

Understanding Site Pages

Each site in the database has its own page containing:

Basic Information

Site name and alternative names
Location - Country, county, nearest town
Grid reference/coordinates - For navigation
Site type - Stone circle, standing stone, burial chamber, etc.

Ratings and Scores

Sites have numeric ratings from 1-5 in several categories:

A score of 5 is excellent, 1 is poor. The ratings are guides only and represent the opinion of contributors.

Description

Most sites have descriptions covering:
What you'll see when you visit
Historical background
Archaeological details
Access information and directions

Photographs

Sites often have multiple photographs showing:
The monument itself
Detailed features
Views from different angles
Historical images where available

Location Map

An interactive map shows the site's exact position. You can zoom out to see nearby sites.

Comments and Discussion

Registered users can leave comments with additional information, visit reports, or questions about the site.

The Photo Gallery

The gallery contains over 250,000 photographs of ancient sites. You can browse by:

Recent uploads - See what's been added lately
Region - Photos organised by country and county
Most viewed - Popular images
Contributor - Browse a specific photographer's work

Photo Information

Each photo shows:
The site it was taken at
Who took it and when it was uploaded
Description and any additional notes
Link to the full site page

The Site Visit Log

If you create a free account, you can track which sites you've visited.

How It Works

On each site page, you'll see buttons to mark the site as:

Using Your Visit Log

Your visit history is saved to your profile. This is useful for:
Planning future trips (see what's nearby that you haven't visited)
Keeping a record of your exploration
Remembering sites you'd like to return to

The Forum

The forum is a friendly community for discussing ancient sites.

Main Discussion Areas

Site Discussions - Questions and information about specific sites
Archaeology News - Current events and discoveries
Planning Visits - Trip advice and recommendations
Photography - Tips for photographing monuments
Portal Talking Shop - Feedback about the website itself

Joining In

You can read the forum without an account, but you'll need to register to post messages or reply to discussions.

Creating an Account (It's Free)

Registering gives you access to features that aren't available to anonymous visitors.

What You Get

Visit Log - Track which sites you've visited
Post Comments - Share information on site pages
Forum Posting - Join discussions
Newsletter - Optional monthly email with latest news

How to Register

1. Go to the registration page
2. Choose a username and enter your email
3. Confirm your email address
4. You're ready to use all member features

Registration takes about two minutes. We don't share your information with third parties.

Contributing Photos and Information

We welcome contributions from anyone who visits ancient sites.

Uploading Photos

Once you've created an account, you can upload photographs:

1. Log in to your account
2. Go to the site page for the monument you photographed
3. Click "Add photo" and follow the instructions
4. Add a description if you wish
5. Submit for review

Photos are checked by our team before appearing on the site. This usually takes a day or two.

Submitting New Sites

Know of a site that isn't in our database?

1. Check first that it isn't already listed (search by location)
2. Use the "Submit new site" option
3. Provide as much information as you can - location, description, photos
4. We'll review and add it to the database

Photo Guidelines

Photos should be your own work
Focus on the ancient monument rather than people
Include context - show the setting where appropriate
Historical photos from family archives are welcome

Using Coordinates and Maps

Grid References (UK)

Sites in Great Britain use Ordnance Survey Grid References (e.g., SU 123 456). These pinpoint locations to within 100 metres.

You can:
Search by grid reference
Click grid references to see them on external maps
Download coordinates for GPS devices

Latitude and Longitude

All sites also have lat/long coordinates, useful for:
GPS devices and apps
Navigation systems
Overseas sites where grid references don't apply

Downloading GPS Data

The portal offers GPS waypoint downloads:
Single sites - click the GPS link on any site page
Bulk downloads - available for regions (check the FAQ for details)

Staying Updated

Newsletter

The monthly newsletter includes:
New sites added to the database
Interesting photos uploaded
Forum highlights
News about ancient sites

Sign up when you create your account, or update your preferences in your profile.

News Section

The front page features news articles about:
Newly added sites
Archaeological discoveries
Site conservation
Events and lectures
Book reviews

RSS Feeds

If you use an RSS reader, you can subscribe to our feeds for automatic updates.

Practical Tips for Using the Portal

Planning a Visit

1. Search for sites in your destination area
2. Check the access rating - some sites are on private land or only accessible outside growing seasons
3. Read recent comments for current conditions
4. Note the grid reference or coordinates for navigation
5. Check opening hours if the site is managed (English Heritage, Cadw, etc.)

Finding Sites Near You

1. Enter your postcode in the search
2. Set a radius (5km, 10km, etc.)
3. Browse nearby sites by type or rating
4. Use the map to see everything in one view

Contributing After a Visit

After visiting a site:
1. Upload any good photos you took
2. Add a comment if you have useful information (access changes, new features spotted)
3. Update your visit log

Using the Portal on Mobile

The site works on phones and tablets. When you're in the field:
Look up site locations
Check coordinates
Read access information
Add sites to your "want to visit" list

Getting Help

If you can't find what you need:

1. Check the FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about searching, contributing, and using the site

2. Search the Forum - Someone may have asked the same question

3. Ask in the Forum - The community is helpful with queries about sites or using the portal

4. Contact Us - Details in the Credits section of the FAQ

Types of Sites We Cover

The portal includes many types of ancient monument:

Prehistoric Sites

Stone circles and stone rows
Standing stones (menhirs)
Burial chambers, dolmens, and portal tombs
Long barrows and round barrows
Henges and cursus monuments
Rock art (cup and ring marks, petroglyphs)
Hill forts and promontory forts
Brochs and duns

Later Historic Sites

Holy wells and sacred springs
Roman sites
Medieval crosses
Early Christian sites
Historic churches with ancient features

Related Monuments

Fogous and souterrains
Cairns and clearance cairns
Field systems
Trackways

Coverage

Britain

The strongest coverage is in England, Scotland, and Wales, with over 30,000 sites documented.

Ireland

Both the Republic and Northern Ireland, with sites from Newgrange to small standing stones.

Continental Europe

Significant coverage of:
France (especially Brittany, 7,000+ photos)
Denmark (all megalithic tombs recorded, 21,000+ photos)
Sweden and Norway
Germany (23,000+ photos across all 16 federal states)
Iberian Peninsula (Spain, Portugal)
Netherlands (all megalithic tombs recorded) and Belgium
Austria and Switzerland

Further Afield

Sites in Turkey, North Africa, India, Korea, and beyond - anywhere with megalithic monuments.

Acknowledgements

The Megalithic Portal is a community project. The database has been built up over 25+ years by:

Site administrators and editors
Hundreds of contributing photographers
Researchers sharing their knowledge
Visitors reporting new discoveries
Everyone who helps keep the information accurate

If you'd like to support the portal, consider:
Contributing photos from your visits
Sharing information about sites you know
Helping to improve descriptions
Joining the Megalithic Society

Last updated: January 2026