Stone Lands

A Journey of Darkness and Light Through Britain's Ancient Places

Fiona Robertson

An enchanting and beautifully illustrated memoir of grief, hope, and love, alongside the joy of exploring ancient landscapes, which uncovers the wonder of Britain's ancient megaliths.

Journeying across Britain, from West Penwith and Avebury to the Lake District and Orkney, Stone Lands uncovers the magic and rich history of Britain's incredible prehistoric standing stones. It conveys the delight that lies in tracking them down, as well as the solace these ancient places offer in times of darkness.

A few months after discovering that her beloved husband, Stephen, had incurable cancer, Fiona Robertson began to write this book. A long-time megalith enthusiast, she found the ancient stones resonated with her more profoundly than ever as she faced the prospect of losing him. Set upright thousands of years ago, the megaliths are symbols of endurance and survival, standing in contrast to our ephemeral human lives. Infused with folklore, legend and mystery, these standing stones enchant the landscape and bring magic to our modern world.

This enthralling memoir is woven delicately around great grief but is ultimately about embracing life, joy and ancient wonder—a luminous reminder of what it means to exist on this earth.

 

Fiona Robertson is a writer, editor and committed megalith enthusiast who drags her family all over the country in search of standing stones. She is passionate about archaeology, history and folklore, and as Publisher of Watkins has enjoyed commissioning books such as The Old Stones (winner of Current Archaeology Book of the Year), Weird Walk and Folklore Rising. Follow her stones adventures on Instagram: @stone_lands

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Endorsements & Reviews

"A wonderful and moving book: part personal memoir and part tribute to the megaliths in our midst which—in strange and subtle ways—still have so much wisdom to impart." Oliver Smith, award-winning travel writer and author of On This Holy Island

"There's a real sense of peace and magic in this beautiful book." Daisy Buchanan, host of the You're Booked podcast and author of Pity Party

"Stone Lands brims with the intrigue and delight of the modern antiquarian who journeys to the sacred spaces of these isles to connect with the ways of our ancestors." Dr James Canton, lecturer at the University of Essex and author of The Oak Papers

"Written with great craft, sensitivity and authority, Fiona Robertson offers a wonderfully evocative, and at times deeply personal and poignant, account of the ancient sites and landscapes of Britain." Josh Pollard, Professor of Archaeology at the University of Southampton

"A wonderful story of grief, self-discovery, hope, and reconnection to our ancient past and landscapes." Ben Edge, visual artist and author of Folklore Rising

"Stone Lands is a human journey into grief, hope and love. It's a fantastic book for weird walkers and megalith-obsessives alike." Weird Walk