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 thoughtful memoir and vivid account of a national treasure." Kirkus Reviews

"Finding comfort, meaning, and timeless human connection in Britain’s ancient megaliths, Fiona Robertson’s luminous memoir Stone Lands explores the inner reaches of grief and how, even when confronting the inevitability of loss and death, she chose to love … It is a sensitive, probing search for meaning, illuminating the wonder and resilience of the human spirit." Foreword Reviews

"Forget about The Salt Path – this tale of Britain's ancient stone sites is superb. Stay awake all night, and you'll find that euphoria hits you with the dawn. It was with a similar euphoria to the one Fiona Robertson describes at solstice festivals that I finished her poignant, scholarly and poetic book." Telegraph

"I was alternately gripped and moved to tears by this brilliant, exquisite memoir. The combination of fascinating detail and genuine emotion on every page is a privilege to read. I can’t recommend it enough." Sunday Times bestselling author Harriet Evans

"I would happily put Stone Lands on an introductory reading list for any university archaeology course to give students an accessible guide to major sites and finds; vice versa, I suspect this book will also become a staple on nature-writing courses. Few books manage such a cultural crossover […] This book, like the stones it describes, deserves to endure." Current Archaeology

"An informative, fascinating and moving meditation on permanence and change, reality and illusion, secular and sacred, death and rebirth. Despite the sad events she relates, there is much joy here – and a lot of sandwiches eaten on windswept hillsides." Northern Earth

“A very, very good read...this is one to treasure.” Blackwell's 

"Grief – and the management of it – is the thread that binds this story, yet this is not a self-absorbed memoir; it is assiduously researched, full of anecdotes and makes you look anew at these enduring landmarks." Country Life

"An extremely relatable memoir, densely packed with the author's first-hand experiences as a committed "stone hunter". As well as an inspiring tour of the megalithic landscapes of these isles, 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