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Viewing swaag.org website implies consent to set cookies on your computer. Full details Swaledale and Arkengarthdale Archaeology Group
Registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation Number 1155775
SWAAG Honorary President:
Tim Laurie FSA

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 *****SWAAG_ID***** 509
 Date Entered 03/05/2012
 Updated on 07/05/2012
 Recorded by Tim Laurie
 Category Standing Stones / Circles
 Record Type Northern Britain
 SWAAG Site Name 
 Site Type 
 Site Name 
 Site Description 
 Site Access Public Access Land
 Record Date 27/04/2012
 Location Little Salkeld, Cumbria
 Civil Parish Not known
 Brit. National Grid NY 571 373
 Altitude 
 Geology Drift over Triassic Sandstone.
 Record Name SWAAG visit to the Vale of Eden, April 2012. Part One: Long Meg and Her Daughters.
 Record Description Great Stone Circle (The Daughters) with cup and ring and spiral decorated Sandstone Outlier (Long Meg). A total of 69 stones were counted by two careful SWAAG Members but one dissenter was convinced that there are 68 stones, consistent with the legend has it that it is not possible to arrive at the same total twice. For a full description and the iconography of this impressive stone circle, see: Aubrey Burl. 1976.'The Stone Circles of the British Isles.' Yale. Aerial photography shows the Long Meg great stone circle to be tangential to and to overlie a large ditched enclosure. The stones which overlie this enclosure are all prostrate. Entrance of double stones to the South-West. Traces of an outer bank attest to its affinities with henges. 'It is surely significant that two vast stones (See photo 9) stand virtually due east and west in the equinoctial positions. They stand at opposite ends of Thom's primary diameter(109.4m). (Thom 1967, fig12.11)It is tempting to believe the circle was planned originally on this axis.'(Burl 1976 p89.) All members were impressed by the fact that the stone circle was located so as to relate to the surrounding hills. (see for example photo 1).
 Dimensions Stone Ring, (Flattened Circle): 109.4m * 93.0m. Heaviest stone weighs around 28 tons.
 Geographical area 
 Species 
 Scientific Name 
 Common / Notable Species 
 Tree and / or Stem Girth 
 Tree: Position / Form / Status 
 Tree Site ID 0
 Associated Site SWAAG ID 0
 Additional Notes The near by double spiral decorated cairn circle known as Little Meg was visited by Justin. (Photos please, Justin?)
 Image 1 ID 2755         Click image to enlarge
 Image 1 Description Blencathra seen from Long Meg Stone Circle.
 Image 2 ID 2756         Click image to enlarge
 Image 2 Description Animated discussion at Long Meg. She was listening!
 Image 3 ID 2757         Click image to enlarge
 Image 3 Description The stones.
 Image 4 ID 2758         Click image to enlarge
 Image 4 Description 
 Image 5 ID 2759         Click image to enlarge
 Image 5 Description 
 Image 6 ID 2760         Click image to enlarge
 Image 6 Description 
 Image 7 ID 2761         Click image to enlarge
 Image 7 Description 
 Image 8 ID 2762         Click image to enlarge
 Image 8 Description Aerial photographs indicate that these prostrate stones overlie an earlier ditched enclosure.
 Image 9 ID 2763         Click image to enlarge
 Image 9 Description This massive stone marks the eatern end of the main (109.4m) axis of the flattened circle)
 Image 10 ID 2765         Click image to enlarge
 Image 10 Description The branches of this ash tree within the stone circle have been decorated with coloured ribbons.
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