Abstract

In the light of the contemporary resurgence of Druidism, this article explores the heyday of the invention of Druidism in the West during the Romantic period. It demonstrates the way in which the construction of Druidism, as the heir of the Patriarchal tradition of the Old Testament and of Primordial religion, played a significant role in the construction of British self-identity from 1750-1850, in contrast to the marginal role which neo-Druidism plays in contemporary British self-understanding. The article explores the perceived connection between Druidism and the great stone circles of Stonehenge and Avebury.