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Mayburgh Henge & King Arthur's
Round Table
Welcome to the EDGE Guide to the Henges of Cumbria.
The remaining stone in the centre of the Henge.
Mayburgh Henge
Nearest Town: Penrith.
Location: NY 519284, Sheet 90.
Less than half a mile west of Eamont Bridge and just south of Penrith is the magnificent Mayburgh Henge. Constructed entirely of cobble stones and measuring some 280ft/87m in diameter. Now grassed over we can only imagine what effect this stone structure must have had on those coming across it for the first time. A true Sky Scraper of its day.
It has been estimated that it would have taken 1000 men six months to build.
A single tall stone is all that remains of a stone circle that once stood in the centre of the Henge. There were other standing stones on the banked entrance to the Henge but these have disappeared - presumably used in nearby buildings.
King Arthur's Round Table
Nearest Town: Penrith.
Location: NY 523283, Sheet 90.
The Table is less than half a mile from Mayburgh Henge. This Henge pre-dates the fictional King Arthur's time by a few thousand years.
You won't find any knights here.
Difficult to photograph, the table is worth a visit.
This is an earthwork consisting of banks and ditches as opposed to Mayburgh's cobble stone construction. Unfortunately road building has destroyed parts of the Henge and again it would seem that a stone circle has been destroyed for use as local building material.
Of the two Henges Mayburgh is thought to be the older, it is possible that these henges are older than the stone circles.
