The Bridestones

The Bridestones is a Neolithic chambered cairn near Congleton in Cheshire. It was built between 3500 and 2400 BC and originally measured 110 metres long and 11 metres wide. The site once contained three compartments, though only one remains today. A stone circle with four portal stones surrounded the cairn, two of which still stand. The remaining chamber is 6 metres long and 2.7 metres wide, formed by vertical slabs and a broken cross slab. The cairn was protected as a scheduled ancient monument. The site was recorded in 1766 by Henry Rowlands, based on a report by Rev. Thomas Malbon. In 1764, stones were removed for road-building, exposing the structure for examination. The report described a semicircular stone circle 27 feet in diameter, with a paved artificial cave inside. Fragments of bone were found within the cave, though their origin remains unclear. The entrance was filled with stones and earth, and the whole structure was once covered by large flat stones. Visitors today see the remaining chamber with its vertical slabs and a holed partition stone. Two portal stones mark the site of the original stone circle. A smaller similar structure stands about 55 metres away, though it lacks an inner partition. The surrounding area is open and quiet, with traces of the cairn’s original size still visible. The site offers a glimpse into Neolithic burial practices and the challenges of preserving ancient monuments.