Maumbury Rings

Maumbury Rings
Interior of Maumbury Rings viewed from southern end
Maumbury Rings is located in Dorset
Maumbury Rings
Shown within Dorset
LocationDorchester, Dorset
Coordinates50°42′28″N 2°26′25″W / 50.70790°N 2.44039°W / 50.70790; -2.44039
TypeHenge
History
PeriodsNeolithic, with later Roman and Civil War modifications
Site notes
Public accessYes
Official nameHenge, Romano-British amphitheatre and Civil War fieldworks known collectively as Maumbury Rings
Designated1 October 1962
Reference no.1003204

Maumbury Rings is a Neolithic henge in the south of Dorchester town in Dorset, England (grid reference SY690899). It is a large circular earthwork, 85 metres in diameter, with a single bank and an entrance to the north east. It was modified during the Roman period when it was adapted for use as an amphitheatre, and the site was remodelled again during the English Civil War when it was used as an artillery fort guarding the southern approach to Dorchester. The monument is now a public open space, and used for open-air concerts, festivals and re-enactments.