Chipping Norton
Preserved but no longer current.
A number of large stones in a circle, which tradition says are men turned to stone. The highest of them is called the King, who "would have been king of England if he could have caught sight of Long Compton," which may be seen a few steps farther on; five other large stones are called the knights, and the rest common soldiers.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Chipping Norton” mean?
A number of large stones in a circle, which tradition says are men turned to stone. The highest of them is called the King, who "would have been king of England if he could have caught sight of Long Compton," which may be seen a few steps farther on; five other large stones are called the knights, and the rest common soldiers.
Is “Chipping Norton” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.