◐ History & Archaeology Quiz

Stonehenge Quiz: Can You Raise the Stones?

Twelve fact-checked questions on the sarsens, the bluestones, the Altar Stone and the solstice sun — plus answers, a timeline and the latest science behind Britain’s most famous prehistoric monument.

AJBy Published October 18, 2026 12 questions · about 10 min read

Few places on Earth have been argued over for as long as Stonehenge. For centuries people credited it to Druids, Romans, giants and even Merlin. Today, geology, radiocarbon dating and excavation tell a richer and more surprising story — one involving Neolithic farmers, stones hauled from Wales and Scotland, and an alignment with the sun that still draws crowds every June and December. This Stonehenge quiz walks you through that evidence one question at a time. Every correct answer raises a stone in the circle; every miss topples one. Ready?

Section 01Stonehenge at a Glance

Stonehenge stands on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, in southern England, about 2 miles (3 km) west of the town of Amesbury. It was not built in one go. Work began around 3000 BC with a circular earthwork, the great sarsen stones went up around 2500 BC, and the monument kept being reshaped for well over a thousand years after that.

c. 3000 BCFirst phase: a circular ditch and bank
c. 2500 BCSarsen circle and trilithons raised
25–30 tApproximate weight of the largest sarsens
~240 kmDistance the bluestones travelled from Wales
1986Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with Avebury

Two main kinds of stone make up the monument. The big sarsens are a hard local sandstone, while the smaller bluestones — weighing roughly 2 to 5 tonnes each — are igneous and volcanic rocks brought from west Wales. A third category, the six-tonne Altar Stone, turned out in 2024 to have come from Scotland.

Section 02How the Quiz Works

Step 1

Read each question and pick one of four answers. There’s no timer, so take your time.

Step 2

A correct answer raises a glowing sarsen in the circle. A wrong one topples it.

Step 3

Read the short explanation after every answer — that’s where the real learning happens.

Step 4

Finish all 12 to earn your rank, from Day Tripper to Solstice Keeper.

Section 03Take the Stonehenge Quiz

Your stone circle
Stone 1 of 12

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Section 04Answer Key & Explanations

Finished the quiz, or just want to study? Open the key below. Each answer comes with the reasoning so you can remember it next time.

Reveal all 12 answers
  1. County: Wiltshire. Stonehenge sits on Salisbury Plain, near Amesbury.
  2. The first phase (c. 3000 BC) was a circular ditch and bank, dug with antler picks.
  3. The bluestones came from the Preseli Hills in Pembrokeshire, Wales, roughly 240 km away.
  4. Most sarsens match West Woods, near Marlborough, about 25 km north (2020 geochemical study).
  5. The Altar Stone was traced to the Orcadian Basin in northeast Scotland (2024 study in Nature).
  6. The main axis lines up with midsummer sunrise and midwinter sunset.
  7. Lintels were secured with mortise-and-tenon and tongue-and-groove joints, borrowed from woodworking.
  8. There are 56 Aubrey Holes, named after the 17th-century antiquarian John Aubrey.
  9. Cecil Chubb bought Stonehenge at auction in 1915 and gave it to the nation in 1918.
  10. Stonehenge joined UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1986, together with Avebury.
  11. The Merlin legend comes from Geoffrey of Monmouth, writing in the 12th century.
  12. The nearby builders’ settlement is Durrington Walls, about 3 km northeast.

Section 05A Timeline in Stone

Stonehenge is best understood as a project that lasted many generations. Here are the milestones archaeologists most often point to (dates are approximate).

  1. c. 8000 BC
    Mesolithic hunter-gatherers raise a row of large timber posts near the site — thousands of years before any stone arrives.
  2. c. 3000 BC
    A circular ditch and bank are dug. The 56 Aubrey Holes inside the bank later receive cremation burials, making Stonehenge one of Britain’s largest cremation cemeteries of its time.
  3. c. 2500 BC
    The sarsen circle and the horseshoe of five great trilithons are raised. Bluestones are arranged among them. Durrington Walls, a huge settlement nearby, is busy at about this time.
  4. c. 2300 BC
    The “Amesbury Archer,” a man buried with an unusually rich set of grave goods, is laid to rest a few miles away. Isotope analysis suggests he grew up in continental Europe.
  5. c. 2200–1500 BC
    The bluestones are repeatedly rearranged into the circle and inner horseshoe we see today, and later pits are dug around the monument.
  6. AD 1136
    Geoffrey of Monmouth writes that Merlin moved the stones from Ireland — a legend, not history.
  7. 1915–1918
    Cecil Chubb buys Stonehenge at auction for £6,600 and gives it to the nation three years later.
  8. 1986
    Stonehenge, Avebury and associated sites are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
  9. 2013
    A new visitor centre opens about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the stones, with reconstructed Neolithic houses.
  10. 2020 & 2024
    Scientists pin the sarsens to West Woods in Wiltshire, then trace the Altar Stone to northeast Scotland.

Section 06Where the Stones Came From

One of the most exciting chapters in Stonehenge research is provenance — working out exactly where each kind of stone was quarried. Three very different journeys emerge.

~25 km

Sarsens · Wiltshire

Chemical analysis of a core drilled from Stone 58, returned to English Heritage in 2019, showed most sarsens match West Woods near Marlborough.

~240 km

Bluestones · Wales

Quarry sites at Carn Goedog and Craig Rhos-y-felin in the Preseli Hills show evidence of Neolithic stone extraction.

750+ km

Altar Stone · Scotland

Dating of tiny mineral grains in 2024 linked this six-tonne sandstone slab to the Orcadian Basin in northeast Scotland.

How the stones were moved is still debated. Most archaeologists favour human effort — sledges, timber tracks, ropes and large teams — rather than the older idea that glaciers carried the bluestones most of the way. The Altar Stone’s Scottish origin raises fresh questions about whether part of its journey was by sea or overland, and shows just how far Neolithic communities were connected.

Section 07Myths vs. Evidence

MythThe Druids built Stonehenge.
EvidenceDruids are recorded in the Iron Age, roughly 2,000 years after the sarsens were raised. The builders were Neolithic farming communities.
MythMerlin magically moved the stones from Ireland.
EvidenceThat tale comes from a 12th-century chronicle. Geology points to Wiltshire, Wales and Scotland — not Ireland.
MythStonehenge is a classic henge.
EvidenceIronically, no. A true henge has its ditch inside its bank; at Stonehenge the main bank lies inside the ditch.
MythIt was built all at once.
EvidenceConstruction and remodelling stretched across roughly 1,500 years, from about 3000 BC into the Bronze Age.

Section 08Planning a Visit

Stonehenge is managed by English Heritage on behalf of the nation. If your quiz score has inspired a trip, here are the basics worth knowing.

TopicWhat to know
LocationSalisbury Plain, Wiltshire — near Amesbury and about 10 miles (16 km) north of Salisbury.
TicketsTimed tickets are normally booked in advance through English Heritage; members typically enter free.
Getting to the stonesA shuttle runs between the visitor centre and the monument, or you can walk across the landscape.
At the visitor centreAn exhibition of archaeological finds and reconstructed Neolithic houses.
SolsticeEnglish Heritage usually manages open access around the summer and winter solstices.

Tip: Opening times, prices and solstice arrangements change from year to year. Always check the official English Heritage Stonehenge page before you travel.

Section 09Stonehenge FAQ

How old is Stonehenge?

The first earthwork was built around 3000 BC, about 5,000 years ago. The large sarsen stones were raised around 2500 BC, and the monument was rearranged over many centuries afterward.

Who built Stonehenge?

Neolithic farming communities living in Britain. Evidence from nearby Durrington Walls suggests large groups gathered there, likely including the people who raised the sarsens. It was not built by Druids, Romans or aliens.

What was Stonehenge used for?

No one knows for certain, and it may have had several roles over time. It served as a burial site, its axis frames the solstice sun, and finds at Durrington Walls point to large midwinter feasts. Many researchers see it as a ceremonial place linked to ancestors and the turning of the year.

How were the stones moved?

Most likely by people using sledges, timber tracks, ropes and levers, with large organised teams. The exact routes — especially for the bluestones from Wales and the Altar Stone from Scotland — are still being researched.

Can you touch the stones at Stonehenge?

On a standard visit you view the stones from a path around the circle. English Heritage has offered special early or late access inside the circle on selected dates, and managed solstice access — check current arrangements before planning.

Is this Stonehenge quiz suitable for students?

Yes. The questions suit curious adults, teens and classroom use. The explanations and answer key make it easy to use as a quick revision exercise for prehistory lessons.

Section 10More Quizzes to Play

Enjoyed raising the stones? Keep your streak going with a fresh daily challenge on a new topic.

Section 11Sources & Fact-Checking

This article was researched from primary and authoritative sources and reviewed for accuracy on October 18, 2026. Dates in prehistory are approximate and may be refined as new research appears; if you spot an error, please let us know and we’ll correct it.