Off Rochester Road, near Aylesford, Kent
Little Kit’s Coty (Countless Stones)
Prehistoric
Source image
6.4
Wildland
Under 1 hour for Little Kit’s Coty alone
Time
Free
Cost
Atmospheric
Feel
Why it's Wildland
6.4A scattered jumble of sarsen stones is all that remains at Little Kit’s Coty, a Neolithic burial monument also known as the Countless Stones.
This is a small, exposed prehistoric site rather than a polished attraction: its appeal lies in confronting the fallen sarsens and imagining the burial monument they once formed. Pair it with the larger Kit’s Coty House nearby for a more rewarding visit.
Atmospheric · Ancient-feeling · Quiet
Find your way
Open mapOff Rochester Road, near Aylesford, Kent
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Know this place a little better?
The experience
Visit in daylight and take time to look closely at the fallen sarsens. For more context and a stronger sense of the landscape, combine the stop with Kit’s Coty House, about 500 metres away.
Things to do
Examine the Countless Stones
Look closely at the jumble of sarsens and imagine how the monument may have been arranged. Its original form is uncertain; do not treat the long-barrow interpretation as confirmed.
Allow time within a short visit
Compare the two Kit’s Coty monuments
Visit nearby Kit’s Coty House as well as Little Kit’s Coty. English Heritage describes the former as the larger monument, with three uprights and a massive capstone, while Little Kit’s Coty is now a jumble of sarsens.
About 30–40 minutes for both sites and the return, according to Britain Express
Take in the open-field landscape
The two monuments stand in open fields with views across the North Downs and Medway Valley.
Make a day of it
Quick escape · Under 1 hour
Read the Countless Stones
- 01
Visit during daylight.
- 02
Follow the signed short footpath from Rochester Road to the stones.
- 03
Take time to examine the fallen sarsens and their arrangement.
- 04
Use care on the approach: some nearby roads have no footpath and are busy.
Half day · Around 30–40 minutes to explore both sites and retrace your steps
Two Neolithic monuments on foot
- 01
Reach Kit’s Coty House using the approach described by English Heritage.
- 02
Return to the North Downs Way and continue downhill towards Pilgrims Way.
- 03
Follow English Heritage’s directions via Rochester Road to Little Kit’s Coty; take particular care on the busy road sections without a footpath.
- 04
Compare Kit’s Coty House’s three uprights and capstone with the fallen sarsens at Little Kit’s Coty.
- 05
Retrace your steps.
Verified history
English Heritage describes Little Kit’s Coty and neighbouring Kit’s Coty House as remains of two megalithic burial chambers. Long barrows of this kind were initially built in the early Neolithic period as communal burial sites. Little Kit’s Coty is now a jumble of sarsens; the exact origins of the monuments’ names are unknown. Britain Express notes that 18th-century antiquarian William Stukeley’s drawings suggest Little Kit’s Coty may have been a long barrow, but says no evidence of a barrow remains at the site.
Hidden details
A possible long barrow, not a settled identification — Stukeley’s 18th-century drawings led to the suggestion that Little Kit’s Coty may have been a long barrow. Britain Express notes that no barrow evidence remains on the site, so this interpretation should be treated as a possibility rather than a confirmed fact.
A monument in a valley-bottom setting — Britain Express highlights that the stones stand on flat land in a valley bottom, unlike many barrows it describes as being built on or near a hill brow.
When to go
· Daylight hours; English Heritage says the site is open any reasonable time during daylight.
The supplied sources do not identify a best season. Daylight is the relevant visit constraint given the field access and the need to negotiate nearby roads carefully.
Check conditions before setting out. The site is in an open field and English Heritage warns of uneven surfaces.
Worth pairing with
Kit’s Coty House
The larger neighbouring megalithic monument, around 500 metres from Little Kit’s Coty according to English Heritage. The two can be visited together on foot, but the described approach includes busy roads and sections without a footpath.
What to look for
Look at how the sarsens lie together and consider the contrast with the upright stones and capstone at nearby Kit’s Coty House. The original form of Little Kit’s Coty is uncertain: English Heritage describes it as a jumble of sarsens, while Britain Express says 18th-century antiquarian William Stukeley’s drawings suggest it may have been a long barrow.
The story
Archaeology
Best time to go
Any season, in daylight; choose a clear day for the open-field setting and views across the North Downs and Medway Valley.
Daylight hours. A clear day makes the open-field setting and the views across the North Downs and Medway Valley easier to appreciate.
How long to spend
Under 1 hour for Little Kit’s Coty alone; around 30–40 minutes to explore both sites and retrace your steps, according to Britain Express.
Perfect for
History lovers · Walkers · Photographers
Before you go
Address
Phone
Website
Listed hours
- Monday: Open 24 hours
- Tuesday: Open 24 hours
- Wednesday: Open 24 hours
- Thursday: Open 24 hours
- Friday: Open 24 hours
- Saturday: Open 24 hours
- Sunday: Open 24 hours
Check before visiting.
Google rating
Practical information
Opening & access
English Heritage says the site is free to visit at reasonable times during daylight. Access is by footpath from Rochester Road; some approach roads have no footpath and are busy, so take great care. The stones are in an open field.
Parking
There is no car park at either site. English Heritage says it may be possible to park on wider stretches of Old Chatham Road near Kit’s Coty House; alternatively, use the Rochester Road layby it describes and follow its directions. Parking availability is not guaranteed.
Toilets
Check before visiting
Check before visiting
Food & drink
Check before visiting
Check before visiting
Dogs
Dogs on leads are welcome, according to English Heritage.
Accessibility
English Heritage identifies uneven surfaces. The approach uses footpaths and busy roads, including stretches without a footpath. Accessibility for wheelchairs or pushchairs is not established by the supplied evidence.
Cost
Free
Gallery
Place photographsKeep exploring
Around Little Kit’s Coty (Countless Stones)
Within 50 km · approximate straight-line distances
