Castlerigg Stone Circle: One Of Britain’s Most Important And Earliest Stone Circles
A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com - Prehistoric stone circles keep many secrets and fascinate ordinary people and researchers. One of the circles that has long been a puzzle, is located about 37 km (23 mi) southwest of Long Meg-Castlerigg, Keswick, Cumbria, in North West England.
Aerial photo of the Castlerigg Stone Circle. Photo credits: Simon Ledingham
It is known as the Castlerigg Stone Circle or the the Keswick Circle in the older historical sources, and its exact purpose still remains unclear, but researchers believe that it was used for ceremonial or religious purposes.
Castlerigg Stone Circle was built around 4,500 years ago in the Neolithic times.
The circle, probably once had 42 stones, now consists of 38 granite stones arranged in a circle, approximately 32.6 x 29.5 m in diameter. Within the ring is a rectangle of a further 10 standing stones. The tallest stone is 2.3 meters high. It was probably built around 3000 BC – the beginning of the later Neolithic Period.
The stones are impressive many reaching 6ft/2m in height. Credits: Cumbria and the Lake District
It is one of the earliest stone circles in Britain and one of the most important, due to its geometrical and astronomical alignments as well.
It was commonly regarded as a sacred space due to its specific surroundings, in form of a rectangular space on the eastern side of the circle slightly south of the east-west axis defined by ten stones and referred to as an adytum, or sacred place in pagan temples, entered only by priests.
This rectangular stone setting, known as the 'Sanctuary' was most probably added later to the circle.
The extraordinary feature at Castlerigg, has not been encountered in other stone circles in the British Isles.
Including the stones along the perimeter of the circle gives a total of thirteen stones in the rectangle. Interestingly, there are three distinct gaps in the rectangle which, if they once held stones, gives 16 as the total number of stones.
Prehistoric farming communities settled in the fertile, mountanous regions of the Lake District.
For the first time, the circle is mentioned in ‘Itinerarium curiosum; or, An account of the antiquities, and remarkable curiosities in nature or art, observed in travels through Great Britain’ by William Stukeley (1687 – 1765), an Anglican clergyman and English antiquarian devoted to the archaeological research of the prehistoric monuments of Stonehenge and Avebury.
Stukeley wrote: … for a mile before we came to Keswick, on an eminence in the middle of a great concavity of those rude hills, and not far from the banks of the river Greata, I observed another Celtic work, very intire: it is 100 foot in diameter, and consists of forty stones, some very large.
At the east end of it is a grave, made of such other stones, in number about ten: this is placed in the very east point of the circle, and within it: there is not a stone wanting, though some are removed a little out of their first station: they call it the Carsles, and, corruptly I suppose, Castle-rig”.
Neolithic-era stone tools were unearthed inside the circle and in the centre of Keswick during the 19th century.
There are still many features at Castlerigg that have to be examined; Castlerigg has not been extensively excavated to determine whether it served as a trading place or as religious center, or even both.
See also:
‘Lios na Grainsi’ – Ireland’s Largest Stone Circle
Magnificent Skellig Michael And A 1,400-Year Old Christian Monastery
Enigmatic Ale’s Stones – Sweden’s Megalithic Ship-Like Formation
It is still unknown exactly what might be preserved beneath the surface of this fascinating stone circle. Three Neolithic stone axes were found in and near the Castlerigg stone circle in 1856 and 1875 and and similar finds have been made at other Neolithic stone circles. The axes - almost never used - were often held as high status and something sacred may have been associated with them.
Megalithic stone circles were undoubtedly important meeting places for ancient people living within the scattered Neolithic communities, and the Castlerigg was one of them.
Written by – A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com Senior Staff Writer
Copyright © AncientPages.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or part without the express written permission of AncientPages.com
Expand for referencesReferences:
English Heritage Visit Cumbria
A. Bevan, M. Lake, Computational Approaches to Archaeological Spaces
More From Ancient Pages
-
Legend Of Sleeping Hero Holger Danske: Viking Warrior Who Never Died
Featured Stories | May 8, 2016 -
Illuminated Ancient Manuscripts Reflect 1,000 Years Of Human History
Artifacts | Sep 12, 2015 -
Study Traces DNA Of Inca Emperors To Their Modern-Day Descendants
Archaeology | May 29, 2018 -
Mysteries Of The Yellow Emperor – The ‘Son Of Heaven’ From Regulus
Chinese Mythology | Nov 27, 2019 -
Pre-Clovis, Paisley Caves: Archaeologists Identified The Earliest Population Of North America
Archaeology | Jul 16, 2020 -
Legendary Minamoto No Tametomo – First Samurai To Commit Seppuku
Ancient History Facts | Apr 12, 2018 -
Unexplained Accounts Of Mysterious Fires – ‘Burning’ Questions Remain Unanswered – Part 1
Featured Stories | Aug 2, 2019 -
Mysterious Chultuns – Ancient Underground Chambers Built By The Maya – But For What Purpose?
Featured Stories | Jun 24, 2017 -
Ancient Mystery Of Peculiar Nail With Six Faces And Six Eyes – Unusual Discovery In Borgholm Castle, Sweden
Artifacts | Jan 8, 2017 -
Danish Royal Sunken Ship Sheds Light On Psychological Warfare In The Middle Ages
Archaeology | Apr 3, 2017 -
Överhogdal Tapestry: Amazingly Well-Preserved Ancient Textiles With Norse And Christian Motifs
Artifacts | Apr 26, 2019 -
Lost Advanced Ancient Forest Civilization In The South West Pacific Could Re-Write History – Legends And Archaeological Findings Examined
Civilizations | Apr 25, 2018 -
Anglo-Saxons Practically Eradicated Native Britons: The Question Is: Was It Ethnic Cleansing?
Archaeology | Jan 8, 2019 -
Çatalhöyük – 9,000 Years Ago: Overcrowding, Infectious Diseases, Violence And Environmental Problems Of Early Farmers
Archaeology | Jun 18, 2019 -
On This Day In History: Roman Emperor Trajan Was Born In Spain – On Sep 18, 53 AD
News | Sep 18, 2016 -
Unusual Carved Stone Pillar With ‘Special Powers’ Discovered In Canada Confirmed Authentic Indigenous Artifact
Archaeology | Jan 29, 2021 -
Mysterious Megaliths Of Russia May Offer Evidence Of An Ancient Advanced Lost Civilization
Ancient Technology | Jul 22, 2017 -
On This Day In History: “Man In The Iron Mask” Died In The Bastille, Paris, France – On Nov 19, 1703
News | Nov 19, 2016 -
What Really Happened To Library Of Alexandria Remains A Mystery
Featured Stories | Dec 3, 2020 -
On This Day In History: The Mongol Conqueror Genghis Khan Died – On August 18, 1227
News | Aug 18, 2016