The Rose of Mercia

Category: History

  • The Stones of Stanton Drew

    The Stones of Stanton Drew

    The village of Stanton Drew lies just over the border of Somerset. The stone circle sits just outside of the village, it is the second largest stone circle in England behind Avebury. The stone circle is estimated to have been built in the late Neolithic period, around 4500 years ago. The Stanton Drew monument is…

  • Avebury Stones

    Avebury Stones

    Avebury Henge lies in Wiltshire; a sacred area that is dotted with many other Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Age monuments and henges. Avebury henge has stood proudly for millennia, with the first part of construction taking place around 3000BC. The henge is encompassed by a large earthwork, which is 420m in diameter. It is made…

  • Aquae Sulis & The Roman Baths

    It is believed that the Celts of the land worshipped this spring, in honour of their god Sulis. Sulis was the goddess of fertility and the sun. She was a goddess local to the Bath area, with the only mention of her outside of England is in small German town. Sulis was also known as…

  • The Rollright Stones

    The Rollright Stones are located on the border of Warwickshire and Oxfordshire, near the village of Little Rollright. They have stood since the Neolithic era and their history spans over 5,500 years. Their story starts with the construction of The Whispering Knights, a Neolithic Dolmen [a single chamber tomb], it is even believed that this…

  • Oh apple tree, we wassail thee

    Wassailing of the apple trees dates back to our forefathers of Anglo-Saxon times. It was originally celebrated on 17th January, although this changed to 5th January with the introduction of the Gregorian calendar. Many people still celebrate Wassail on the Julian date. The word “Wassail” comes from the Old English “wæs (þu) hæl“, roughly translating to “be…

  • As we leave the darkness

    Yule is a sacred time for European peoples. We have lived through the darkness and the sun is reborn once again during the winter solstice. We are connected to nature and in-turn we are renewed in this rebirth. We reflect on many things during Yule; I personally think of the ones who came before me.…