2 Best Sights in The West Country, England

The ruins of this great abbey, in the center of town, are on the site where, according to legend, Joseph of Arimathea built a church in the 1st century. A monastery had certainly been erected here by the 9th century, and the site drew many pilgrims. The ruins are those of the abbey completed in 1524 and destroyed in 1539, during Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries. A sign south of the Lady Chapel marks the sites where Arthur and Guinevere were supposedly buried. Between April and October, guides in period costumes are on hand to point out some of the abbey's most interesting features. The visitor center has a scale model of the abbey as well as carvings and decorations salvaged from the ruins.

Three rings, two avenues of standing stones, and a burial chamber make up the Stanton Drew Circles, one of the largest and most mysterious monuments in Britain, dating from 3000 to 2000 BC. The size of the circles suggests that the site was once as important as Stonehenge for its ceremonial functions, although little of great visual impact remains, and Stanton Drew is far less well known than Stonehenge and other circles. English Heritage supervises the stones, which stand on private farmland. Access is permitted at any reasonable time, and a donation of £1 is requested. The site lies in a field often used by cows, so wear sturdy shoes.

To get here from Bristol, head south on the A37 and turn right after about 5 miles onto the B3130, marked Stanton Drew. The circles are just east of the village, where more of the stones may be seen in the garden of the Druid's Arms pub.