> I think the Alton Priors mystery lies in Who paid for the trap doors.

Ah... an interesting point (is that a rhetorical question Pete or do you know :-)

I can't remember, and will need to go back and check, but are the stones lying on the original church floor? If they're on the original floor it probably means they were in view (and in use) up to when they were covered over (when was that?). The trap doors only seem to make sense in the context of allowing people continued access to the stones to do whatever they may have been doing for centuries.

There must still be a bit of inherited knowledge/wisdom about the stones amongst the locals - has anyone asked them do you know? I wouldn't mind doing it myself but don't want to bother local people by asking questions they may already have been asked.