Long Meg and her daughters
Long Meg and Her Daughters is a Neolithic stone circle situated north-east of Penrith near Little Salkeld in Cumbria.
It is one of the best surviving stone circles in the North of England and is I believe the third largest in the England. Long Meg is aptly named as she is about 12 feet high, or tall whichever way you want to describe her.
The Origin Story
Meg and her daughters (or sometimes called sisters) date from about 1500BC and like many stone circles are believed to have had a significant religious or ritual purpose. About 0.5kms away from the circle is another smaller circle, very appropriately named Little Meg.
As far as Long Meg and her Daughters are concerned; There is a story that the number of stones is uncountable (there are 68 plus Long Meg by the way) and that the number once counted must be the same if counted clockwise and anti clockwise. Legend has it that they are a coven of witches that were turned to stone by Michael Scott - I believe we have talked about him before - and if counted correctly they will be released from the spell to wreck havoc on all those around them.
The time of Michael Scott and this story does fit in with the witchcraft fear of the 15th and 16th centuries. So at that time it would be a plausible explanation for the stones and would also bolster Michael Scott's reputation to boot.
However there is also the tale that they are the petrified bodies of young women who had engaged in “unlawful love” encouraged by Meg and so were turned to stone for their sins.
And lastly, there is one more story about the stones. In the 18th century; a Lt. Colonel Samuel Lacy of Salkeld Hall ordered some workmen to remove the stones but as they began their work an almighty storm blew in complete with thunder and lightning and the workers fled the area never to return, so the stone circle stayed as it was.
Key Locations
This is a much smaller, lesser-known Bronze Age stone circle. It sits roughly 0.5 miles northeast of the main Long Meg site near Maughanby, making it an easy and quiet detour.
Little Meg
These are five chambers carved out of the red sandstone cliffs along the River Eden. They were commissioned in the 18th century by Colonel Dykes Lacy. You can reach them via a scenic riverside walking path that connects directly with the Long Meg area.
Lacy's Caves
Located further south near Penrith, these impressive Neolithic earthworks and henge monuments offer a deeper look into the region's ancient ceremonial landscape
Mayburgh Henge & King Arthur’s Round Table
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