Stanton Drew Circles and Cove is a genuinely major prehistoric site, England's third-largest complex of standing stones, and almost nobody visits it. It's about 13 miles and 25 minutes from Bath by car, entry is a £1 honesty-box fee to the landowner, and you'll likely have the Great Circle to yourself. If Stonehenge and Avebury feel too crowded or too expensive, this is the quiet alternative.
The site is managed by English Heritage but sits on working farmland, which is exactly why it stays so undeveloped: no visitor centre, no gift shop, no timed entry slots, just three stone circles and a three-stone "cove" standing in fields on the edge of a small Somerset village.
What's actually there
The Great Circle is the headline feature, 113 metres across and one of the largest stone circles in the country, with 26 surviving upright stones. Two smaller circles stand to the north-east and south-west of it, and a separate three-stone cove sits by the village pub. Recent surveys have shown the site was once far more elaborate than the surviving stones suggest, part of a larger ceremonial landscape that's still being understood. There are information panels on site to help you locate the different circles, since there's no formal path system guiding you around.
Getting there and what it costs
By car, Stanton Drew is around 13 miles from Bath, about 25 minutes via country roads through the Chew Valley. There's limited free parking at the entrance to the stones field, with further free parking for the cove near the Druids Arms pub in the village. The site is open at any reasonable time during daylight hours, and access is at the landowner's discretion since this is still working farmland rather than a formally managed visitor attraction. A £1 entrance fee is charged for the circles field, paid on an honesty basis; there's no fee for the cove itself.
Public transport is not really practical here. Stanton Drew is a small village without a direct bus service suited to visitors, so this is a car (or bike, for the energetic) trip rather than one to attempt without your own transport.
| Stanton Drew | Avebury | Stonehenge | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance from Bath | ~13 miles | ~25 miles | ~35 miles |
| Entry fee | £1 honesty box | Free | Timed ticket, paid |
| Crowds | Minimal | Moderate | Heavy |
| Visitor facilities | None | Shop, cafe, National Trust car park | Visitor centre |
For the bigger, better-known prehistoric site, our Bath to Stonehenge guide covers getting there, tickets and timing; Stanton Drew makes a good add-on for anyone who wants more standing stones without more crowds.
What to know before you go
There's no dedicated dog access to the stone circles field, since farm livestock is often present, so leave dogs at home or in the car for this one. Smoking, vaping and barbecues aren't permitted on site, and the narrow village roads aren't suited to large coaches, so this stays a small-group destination by design. Wear shoes that can cope with a working field rather than a manicured lawn; conditions underfoot vary with the season and the farming calendar.
If you want to extend the trip, the Neolithic long barrow at Stoney Littleton is a short drive away and makes a natural pairing with Stanton Drew for anyone interested in the wider prehistoric landscape around Bath.
Is it worth the detour?
For most visitors ticking off Stonehenge or Avebury, Stanton Drew is a genuine bonus rather than a replacement, since it lacks the visitor infrastructure and the single dramatic circle that make the bigger sites worth the entry price. But if you want to stand next to a 5,000-year-old stone circle without anyone else around, for the cost of a pound coin, it's hard to beat, and it fits easily into a half day alongside lunch in a Chew Valley pub. For a full day of options in this direction, see our day trips from Bath guide, and if you're keeping costs down generally, our Bath on a budget guide covers plenty of similarly low-cost days out.