📷 Photo by Rick Crowley · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
This limestone standing stone rises about seven and a half feet from Minchinhampton Common, making it one of the area's most intriguing ancient monuments.
You'll find it in an accessible field just southeast of Minchinhampton village, and it's genuinely striking when you encounter it in person—a substantial block of local stone with natural holes worn through it over centuries.
The stone's origins aren't entirely certain, though its age and positioning suggest it held real significance for people living here in prehistoric times. What's particularly fascinating is the folk tradition attached to it: for generations, parents brought unwell children to pass them through the natural holes, believing this would cure illnesses like measles and whooping cough. Whether you find that charming or slightly unsettling, it speaks to how deeply embedded this stone became in local life and memory.
Minchinhampton itself is a substantial village with decent facilities, sitting on high ground with views across to the Cotswold escarpment. It's well positioned if you're exploring the central Cotswolds—Stroud is nearby with more shops and services, and you're within reasonable driving distance of Cirencester and Gloucester. The walk out to the stone is straightforward and gives you a real sense of the landscape as it's been for thousands of years. It's the kind of place that rewards a quiet visit rather than a rushed stop.
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