New Books in Popular Culture Paul Robichaud, "Stories of the Stones: Imagining Prehistory in Britain, Ireland and Brittany" (Reaktion, 2026)
Apr 13, 2026
Dr. Paul Robichaud, Professor of English and author of Stories of the Stones, studies folklore and cultural tales about megalithic monuments. He discusses medieval and Renaissance myths, Romantic-era fascination with the sublime, recurring folk motifs like petrified dancers and giants, and how modern imagination keeps these ancient sites alive.
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Childhood Encounters Sparked Lifelong Megalith Interest
- Paul Robichaud's childhood fascination with megaliths began with TV shows like Doctor Who and family trips that brought him a Stonehenge book.
- He visited Calanish in the 1990s and that early encounter informed his later scholarship and the book Stories of the Stones.
Classical Account May Point To Calanish
- The earliest surviving classical account might describe Calanish not Stonehenge via a 6th century BC traveler reported by Diodorus Siculus.
- Aubrey Burl and others argue the moon's horizon effect near Calanish fits the 18-year lunar visit detail better than Stonehenge.
Medieval Accounts Cemented Stonehenge's Mythic Status
- Stonehenge appears in written records from the 12th century onward, including a manuscript drawing showing mortise-and-tenon carpentry details.
- Geoffrey of Monmouth's tale of Merlin moving stones from Ireland made Stonehenge a persistent storytelling prototype.
