Britain’s landscape contains many stone circles, yet their original purpose remains mysterious despite extensive archaeological investigation, and perhaps it is their obscurity which makes them so fascinating. Over the centuries they have inspired many legends, most famously of girls turned to stone for dancing on a holy day, or stones which walk to a river and drink. The stories told of the stones reflect the changing interests and concerns of society, and tell us more about our culture than they do about the sites themselves. This talk will explore a few of these stories of the stones, and consider the significance of myth-making and story-telling.

Dr Serena Trowbridge is Reader in Victorian Literature at Birmingham City University. She specialises in Pre-Raphaelite women; her last book was My Ladys Soul: The Poetry of Elizabeth Siddall, and she is currently working on an anthology of writing by Pre-Raphaelite women. She is Chair of the Pre-Raphaelite Society and Senior Vice-President of the Birmingham & Midland Institute.

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