Little Meg Stone Circle
Cumbria
Click on
Images to see a larger version
Little Meg is a small circle of large
kerb stones which probably surrounded a Bronze Age kerb cairn. It is close to
the village of Langwathby to the north-east of Penrith in Cumbria.
It consists of 11 stones in a ring surrounding
a cairn which once covered a cist containing a cremation with an urn. Two of the
stones on the site are decorated with spirals and cup and ring marks. A further
stone is now in the Tullie Museum in Carlisle for safe keeping. I cannot find
any sizes but from some photos I have seen, it would appear the largest stones is
about 3 to 4ft high.
One of the stones was decorated in antiquity with a series of concentric
circles and has good carved spirals.
Located 640 metres north-east of the
other larger stone circle Long Meg and
Her Daughters.
 
more
The taller stone on right of picture is known as
Little Meg.
Sir J.Y. Simpson wrote
about Little Meg in the 19th century
| 'Two or three cairns or tumuli existed locally …. One of them, of large size,
stood on land belonging to the free school of the township of Maughanby. After
removing from its central mound or barrow a quantity of cobble stones mixed with
earth, several large stones, one of them only erect, were found arranged in a
circle about eighteen feet in diameter. Several of them were buried beneath the
projecting edges of the barrow. In the centre of the circle was placed a
semi-ovoid cist formed of rough stones, and measuring only three feet nine
inches in length, two feet four inches in breadth and ten inches in depth. The
cist contained an urn, burnt bones and charcoal. The only ornament upon the rude
urn was a raised line near the top.' |
Click on
Images to see a larger version
See also
Our
section on stone circles
The discussion on the purpose of stone circles
Planning Grid
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Location: |
Little Meg Stone Circle, Nr Lanwathby, NE of
Penrith, Cumbria |
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Grid Reference |
NY576374 Landranger Map Number: 91 |
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Map Link: |
Multimap
Google Maps aerial photograph |
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Getting there: |
From Little Salkeld take the road to Gamblesby.
Continue past the turning for Long Meg on your left, pass Tarn Farm and a
strip of woodland on the left side of the road. There is a gap in the
woodland, where there are 2 field gates and a wide grass verge. Little Meg
is approached through the first field gate. |
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Access: |
Little Meg is 175 yards down a wide, grassy
field headland – keep the edge of the wood directly on your left. You should
see Little Meg, a small low circle, from the gate. |
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Parking: |
On the wide grass verge near the gate
entrance, quite level, short grass. |
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Facilities: |
None |
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Things To Do,
See and Photograph: |
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What to take: |
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Nature highlights: |
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Best Times to
Visit: |
Perhaps not mid summer when it may be
overgrown |
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Address: |
Nr Lanwathby
Penrith
Cumbria |
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Postcode: |
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Telephone: |
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E-mail: |
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Website: |
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/76/little_meg.html |
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Opening times: |
Open at all times |
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Charges: |
none |
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Photo Restrictions: |
none |
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Other Restrictions: |
none |
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Special Needs Access: |
wheelchair users may need assistance. The land
immediately surrounding the circle is bumpy. |
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Special Needs Facilities: |
none |
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Children Facilities: |
none |
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Dogs Allowed: |
no known restrictions |
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Other useful
websites: |
http://www.ancient-scotland.co.uk/site.php?a=102
http://www.visitcumbria.com/pen/litlmeg.htm |
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CIN Page Ref: |
little_meg_stone_circle |
Date Updated: 02/08 |
Please let us know any other information that we
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