Dartmoor & Exmoor
The Four Stones
309M
1014FT
About The Four Stones
Rising above the Worcestershire countryside near Bromsgrove, this popular Clent Hills summit is crowned by four distinct megaliths. Though they look prehistoric, they were actually an 18th-century folly. It offers a short, rewarding ascent with far-reaching views across the Black Country and the distant profile of the Shropshire Hills.
Key Statistics
Rank
4th Highest in Region
Parent Range
England
Prominence
?
53m
Nearest Town
Bromsgrove
Geology
You are walking on layers of sandstone and mudstone. This foundation includes rugged rocks made from compressed sand, silt, and fragments of broken stone.
Classifications
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SO936805
Latitude
52.4224°N
Longitude
2.0955°W
Did You Know?
- •The name refers to the four blocks of red sandstone at the summit. While they resemble a Neolithic burial site, they are a 'sham' megalithic circle erected in 1763 by Lord Lyttelton of Hagley Hall, reflecting the Georgian era's romantic fascination with Druidic history.
- •Looking west from the stones, the view is dominated by the long, jagged spine of the Malvern Hills and the isolated peak of The Wrekin, while the north-easterly view provides a clear sightline over the Birmingham skyline.
- •The hill is a key landmark on the North Worcestershire Path, a 27-mile long-distance trail that links the Clent Hills to the Lickey Hills and the sandstone ridges of Kinver Edge.
- •The area has been a popular destination for 'fresh air seekers' since the 19th century, when workers from the industrial Black Country would travel by brake or bicycle to escape the smog of the nearby factories.
- •Despite their convincing mossy texture and weathered appearance, the stones are younger than many of the local pubs, proving the Georgians valued a good aesthetic almost as much as a good pint.