Newgrange Great Circle Standing Stones

The Great Circle is the outer ring of standing stones around the Newgrange mound. It is the first feature many visitors notice when approaching the monument. Only twelve stones survive today from a possible original of about thirty-five.

Great Circle standing stones before the white quartz wall at Newgrange in light snow, visitors on wooden stairs.

Standing stones of the Great Circle before the Newgrange facade.

The circle stands from 7 to 17 metres (23 to 56 feet) outside the kerb. Its average diameter is 103.6 metres (340 feet), enclosing roughly two acres. Unlike the decorated kerbstones, none of the Great Circle stones have megalithic art.

The four tallest stones opposite the entrance, GC3, GC1, GC-1 and GC-2, rise between 2 and 2.5 metres (6½ to 8 feet) above the original ground surface. Many of the other survivors were broken in antiquity and now stand only a short distance above ground level. Select a thumbnail below for a larger photograph.