How did the Ancient Order of Druids influence modern ideas about druids?

The Ancient Order of Druids (AOD), founded in London in 1781, played a pivotal role in shaping modern perceptions of druids by establishing the idea that living individuals could adopt a "druid" identity.12

Rather than being a direct continuation of ancient Iron Age practices, the AOD was a fraternal society that drew upon the speculative and often inaccurate work of earlier antiquarians. Their influence on modern ideas about druids included:12

• Popularizing Stereotypes: Members of the AOD and similar fraternal groups reinforced popular imagery by dressing in white robes and wearing fake beards, which helped solidify these visual tropes in the public imagination.2
• Association with Stonehenge: By organizing gatherings at Stonehenge—most notably in 1905—the AOD helped cement the erroneous, yet enduring, popular belief that ancient druids built and used such stone circles for their ceremonies.12
• Legitimizing Druid Identity: By creating a formal structure for people to identify as druids, the AOD and subsequent cultural nationalist groups helped pave the way for the emergence of modern Druidry as a new religious movement in the 20th century.12

While these groups were instrumental in creating a modern druid identity, scholars emphasize that these practices are modern inventions rather than an accurate revival of the ancient, historically obscure religious leaders.132