| Long Meg and her Daughters, Little Salkeld |
Long Meg and her daughters is a stone circle (the daughters) with an outlying stone (Long Meg) which dates from the Bronze Age. According to legend the stone circle was originally a coven of witches who were caught conducting a Sabbat. Michael Scott, the famed Scottish wizard turned the witches to stone for their sins.
It is said that the stones are uncountable and that if anybody counting the stones should arrive at the same number twice, then the spell will be broken and the witches will be returned to human form.
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There are about 66 stones, although some may be buried and others have been removed over the centuries. Another tradition relates that severe storms will occur if any of the stones are removed, during the eighteenth century destruction of the stones was called to a halt because of severe thunderstorms.
Long Meg, the tall red sandstone outlying megalith has its own traditions, and has been associated with a local witch, if the stone is damaged it is supposed to bleed freely. The stone has some enigmatic cup and ring markings on its surface and may not be contemporary with the circle.
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| Map ref: NY 570 372 |
| Directions: The circle lies about six miles North East of Penrith just North of Little Salkeld. |
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