Suddenly, I want to go to Portugal.

I had not really looked at the area before but stumbling across Cromeleque dos Almendres, I am really taken by these. Here are some photos and the entry from WIKIPEDIA.

The Almendres Cromlech megalithic complex, located 38°33?28?N 08°3?41?WCoordinates: 38°33?28?N 08°3?41?W near Guadalupe, Évora, Portugal, is one of the earliest public monuments. It is the largest existing group of structured menhirs in the Iberian Peninsula, and one of the largest in Europe.

This megalithic monument originally consisted of more than one hundred monoliths, some of which have been taken away for other uses. A recent dig showed that the complex had undergone several building phases during the neolithic period (5000 – 4000 BC).

It was found rather late, in 1964.

92 menhirs of different sizes currently form two grounds that were built oriented to different equinox directions. Several of them were put back in place.

The axis of the ovals is oriented along an east-west direction. The complex’s position latitude is about the same as the maximum moon elongation (38.55 degrees for 1500 BC); the other latitude at which that happens is that of Stonehenge, 51.18 degrees for 2000 BC..

About a dozen monoliths present some form of carved drawings, four of which exhibit only small circular holes. Monolith number 8, with a cut flat top at about breast level and showing several dimples, might have served for finer astronomical observation, specially spring equinox observation, by putting small stones on them. These observations might be made from stone 39, on the eastern focal point of the elliptic layout.

It is believed that the monument had religious purposes and functioned as a primitive astronomical observatory.

See the Modern Antiquarian entry for the London Stone here and the Wikipedia entry here.

By the way, as far as I know, despite reports in 2006 that the stone was due to be removed to the Museum of London, it is still in Cannon Street.

As a little addendum, this clip from the cutting room floor might amuse you …

Thankfully, I did have all the permission to film red tape sorted, so after a few calls to the City authorities, all was fine. Kudos to the police for being on the case.

Entry is one thing, acceptance is another, but Rupert and I do think we have created an exceptional film by any standards and one that deserves to be judged alongside the best that the world has to offer right now. We’re under no illusion that Standing with Stones will save the world, but watched in it’s entirety, it seems to have a profound and moving effect on many people.

If I may be pretentious for a moment and rob from Shakespeare, it seems that standing stones have the power to “… hold as ’twere the mirror up to nature: to show virtue her feature, scorn image, and the very age and body of the time his form and pressure“. Who was it said that each generation gets the Stonehenge it deserves? There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio … blah, blah, blah …

I think I was about 10 years old when I first visited the Rollright Stones. I remember it was part of a day in which my parents were showing visiting relatives the countryside around where we lived. Why I should remember that visit and why it should have had such an impact on me, I don’t know. After all, what are the chances of a small clearing with a collection of grey and battered looking stones arranged in a circle registering on the consciousness of a boy of 10? I liked cars, planes, guns, Action Man. Perhaps it was the way it was presented to me, perhaps the tales of witchcraft brought it alive or maybe it was just my own imagination confronted with a real life enigma for the first time, but for some reason, the image held and 40 odd years later I found myself returned to those stones, in the privileged role of film maker, for the making of Standing with Stones.

At that stage, in October 2006, Rupert and I were beginning the third major stage of filming for the programme and before us lay a three week hard working journey through Wales and Ireland. The filming for the South of England was complete and now we were just beginning to hit our stride – the workflow of research, scriptwriting, planning, travel and shooting gradually evolving to account for weather, breakdowns, memory loss and the unexpected. Surprisingly, the unexpected is mostly accounted for by the Stones themselves.

By now we have learned that however much research we do and no matter how sure we are what Rupert is going to say to camera about the sites we visit, that being there – standing with the stones – is so often going to turn our preconceptions and our plans on their head. This has been a joy and a wonder. Even with our enthusiasm and the knowledge that it is shared with many others, we were conscious of the fact that making a film about stones presents challenges. Stones don’t move. They’re not that exciting to look at. They don’t talk. They’re not sexy. But we needn’t have worried. What has astounded us and what we hope will astound the viewers of Standing with Stones is the sheer variety and richness of landscape and story that they present to us.

This film has been more than two years in the making. Our little convoy of camper van and Land-Rover has zig-zagged its way up through England, Wales, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Scotland, the Western Isles and eventually to Orkney. We have visited well over 100 sites and between us travelled at least 12,000 miles and we have laughed an awful lot. At last, after 8 months in the cutting room, we are finally able to share with you the fruits of our adventure and some of our thoughts and experiences from along the way.

For more about the DVD and to buy, please go to www.standingwithstones.com