AttractionEnglish Heritage

The Nine Stones

Dorchester, Dorset

A small Bronze Age circle in a wooded glade beside the A35, with pub parking, and a fast road right there, so leads on from the car with your dog.

Nine stones in a clearing, four thousand years old, and a great deal more affecting than the setting suggests. The circle sits in a small wooded glade at Winterbourne Abbas, and although it is right beside the A35 the trees close it in so that you lose the road surprisingly quickly. Two stones are noticeably larger than the rest, suggesting a deliberate entrance. It is one of the few stone circles in Dorset, a county otherwise rich in barrows.

Whilst you take it in, your dog is on a short, shaded, enclosed stop rather than a walk, and the South Dorset Ridgeway is the place to head for something longer. The Winterbourne Poor Lot Barrows are close by if you want to make a prehistoric afternoon of it.

Free and permanently open. Parking is the important detail: the Coach House Inn kindly allows visitors to use their car park, but English Heritage ask you to avoid busy Sunday lunchtimes. The site has no published dog policy. The A35 is fast and very close, so keep your dog on a lead from the moment you get out of the car.

At a Glance

Site Type: Prehistoric Site
Entry: Free
Members: Free for English Heritage members

English Heritage Membership

Planning Your Visit

Opening times and prices were checked on 26 August 2026 and are subject to change, and some sites close for events or over winter. Confirm on the English Heritage site page before you travel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is The Nine Stones dog friendly?
The Nine Stones has no published dog policy, so there's nothing stopping you bringing your dog along. Bear in mind this is a short, shaded stop rather than a walk — a chance to take in a quietly remarkable Bronze Age circle rather than stretch everyone's legs.
Are dogs allowed at The Nine Stones year round?
The site is free and permanently open, so you can visit at any time of year. The one timing note worth knowing is that parking is courtesy of the Coach House Inn, and English Heritage ask visitors to avoid busy Sunday lunchtimes so as not to put pressure on the pub car park.
What should I know before visiting The Nine Stones with my dog?
The A35 runs right beside the site and is fast, so keep your dog on a lead from the moment you get out of the car — this is the most important thing to get right before you do anything else. Parking is in the Coach House Inn car park rather than at the stones themselves, and the wooded glade does enclose the circle nicely once you're in, but the road is never far away.

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Winterbourne Abbas

Dorchester DT2 9LX

50.7115, -2.5509

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