Sharon and I were back in England for a three plus week trip to include Ireland and Scotland. We began by hooking up with Michael Bott of Standing With Stones fame. Michael was kind enough to pick us up at our hotel in Oxford and drive us out to visit the Devil’s Quoits Stone Circle/Henge. It was a most wonderful afternoon.
This circle/henge had pretty much disappeared over time and it was only recently that efforts were made to save it. The henge has been re-dug (though not to it’s original depth and height) and the stones are back in position. Only eight or nine of the original stones are in place but the ones chosen to fill out the circle are great choices.
The circle/henge is really quite large. The henge is 130 yards across and the stone circle is 86 yards. I think there were 28 or 29 stones varying in height from three to seven feet.
At one point Michael got his Standing With Stones partner, Rupert Soskin, on the phone for a three-way conference call which was a real joy. This was my first time to meet Michael or Rupert which was great as I am a big fan of their efforts to improve awareness of megalithic sites and of the high quality of their work.
While getting ready to leave, a beautiful large hawk flew into the circle and landed on a stone across the circle from us. As we watched, it flew back into the air and returned to the stone. Then after a short time it took off into the air and disappeared over the trees. Small blessings make for a full life, and we had been blessed.
