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Prehistoric Cumbria
Long Meg and her Daughters.
Welcome to the EDGE Guide to the prehistory of Cumbria. The first traces of man's presence in Cumbria are to be found near Grange over Sands and date back to the palaeolithic period.
However although Cumbria was home to palaeolithic and mesolithic man (evidence of whom can be found in cave paintings, axe factories etc.) we shall confine our interest to the Neolithic and early Bronze Age periods, that is approximately 3,500 - 1,500 BC.
It was during the Neolithic and early Bronze ages that the stone circles in Cumbria and the Lake District were built.
Cumbria is home to 25% of the Stone Circles in England!
Few places are as atmospheric as a stone circle and Cumbria is blessed with a great number of them, though their condition and size varies.
Many are hidden from view, either half buried or too remote to be well known.
The best known of the circles is Castlerigg on the outskirts of Keswick; next comes Long Meg and her Daughters in the Eden Valley though much less often visited.
The remainder are rarely visited and few people realise just how many there are.
Described here are some of the more interesting Circles. In addition to the stone circles Mayburgh Henge and King Arthur's Round Table, both a mile or so to the south of Penrith are included.
Oddendale Stone Circle.
Some of these ancient monuments are well off the beaten track and require a certain amount of stamina to visit. However, you will see some extreamly beautiful countryside.
