View source for Grey Wethers

{{Short description|Prehistoric stone circles in Devon, England}}
{{For|the scattered sarsen boulders northwest of Marlborough in Wiltshire|Fyfield Down}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{no footnotes|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox ancient site
 | name           = Grey Wethers
 | native_name    = 
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 | image          = Grey Wethers 5(1).JPG
 | alt   = 
 | caption        = View of the two circles from the south
 | map_type       = Devon
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 | location       = [[Devon]]<br />{{gbmapping|SX639831}}
 | region =
 | coordinates    = {{coord|50.63166|N|3.92577|W|region:GB_source:enwiki-osgb36(SX639831)|display=inline,title}}
 | type           = [[Stone circle]]s
 | part_of        =
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 | material       =
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 | abandoned      = 
 | epochs         = [[Bronze Age]]
 | cultures       = 
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}}

'''Grey Wethers''' consists of a pair of [[prehistoric]] [[stone circle]]s, situated on grassy [[plateau]] to the north of [[Postbridge, Devon|Postbridge]], [[Dartmoor]], in the United Kingdom.

== Description ==
[[File:Grey Wethers stone circle in the snow on Dartmoor.jpg|thumb|The stone circle in the snow, showing a closer view of individual stones|left]]
The circles are each approximately {{convert|33|m|ft|abbr=on}} in diameter, and less than five metres apart. Their centre points are aligned almost exactly north to south. The northern circle has 20 stones remaining, while the southern has 29 – all of a relatively consistent size, mostly between {{convert|1.2|and|1.4|m|ft|abbr=on}} in height.

An excavation was carried out in 1898 and a number of [[charcoal]] fragments were discovered within the circles. The circles were restored and many fallen stones re-erected in 1909.

== Folklore ==
As with many ancient Dartmoor landmarks, Grey Wethers is the subject of local [[folklore]], explaining the origin of the name ('wether' is an [[Old English language|Old English]] word meaning [[sheep]]).

One story tells of a farmer who had recently moved to Dartmoor and was foolish enough to criticise the sheep on sale at [[Tavistock, Devon|Tavistock]] Market. He stopped for a drink at the [[Warren House Inn]], and helped by several pints of [[cider]], the locals persuaded him that there was an excellent flock of high quality sheep nearby which he would be welcome to buy. They walked off in search of them, and through the mist the farmer saw what he took to be a fine flock. He agreed to the sale, and returned to the site the following morning to find that what he had taken to be sheep were actually the stones of Grey Wethers.

== External links ==
{{Commons category inline|Grey Wethers}}
*[http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?x=263950&y=83150 Illustrated entry in the Megalithic Portal]
*{{oscoor gbx|SX639831}}

{{European Standing Stones}}

[[Category:Archaeological sites on Dartmoor]]
[[Category:Stone circles in Devon]]