Castlerigg stone circle
The stone circle in 2005 | |
| Location | England, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 54°36′10″N 3°05′54″W / 54.6028366°N 3.098384°W |
| Type | Stone circle |
| History | |
| Founded | c. 3200 BC |
| Periods | Neolithic / Bronze Age |
| Site notes | |
| Ownership | English Heritage |
| Designated | 18 August 1882 |
| Reference no. | 1011362 |
Castlerigg Stone Circle (alternatively Keswick Carles, or Carles) is situated on a prominent hill to the east of Keswick, in the Lake District National Park, North West England. It is one of around 1,300 stone circles in the British Isles and Brittany, constructed as a part of a megalithic tradition that lasted from approximately 3200 BC to 2500 BC, during the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Ages.
Various archaeologists have mentioned the beauty and romance of Castlerigg and its surrounding landscape. In his study of the stone circles of Cumbria, archaeologist John Waterhouse commented that the site was "one of the most visually impressive prehistoric monuments in Britain."
Every year, thousands of tourists travel to the site, making it the most visited stone circle in Cumbria. This plateau forms the raised centre of a natural amphitheatre created by the surrounding fells and from within the circle it is possible to see some of the highest peaks in Cumbria: Helvellyn, Skiddaw, Grasmoor and Blencathra.