Grey Croft stone circle

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Grey Croft stone circle is a restored stone circle near Seascale on the coast of Cumberland

It is situated near the site of the former nuclear-power stations at Sellafield, at NY03340238.

Description

Grey Croft stone circle is a circle of 12 stones situated south of the Sellafield nuclear site.[1] The circle is about 650 yards from the sea. Only 10 of the original 12 stones are currently standing.[2] There is a small outlying stone 21 metres to the north.[2]

History

The stones in the circle were toppled over and buried in 1820 by a tenant farmer, with the exception of one stone.[1] In 1949 the site was excavated and nine of the stones were located, and replaced as accurately as possible.[1]

The excavations uncovered an oval stone cairn situated in the circle centre.[1] Trenching under the cairn revealed charcoal traces, calcined bones, a broken early Bronze Age jet or lignite ring, and flint flakes and scraper.[1] A Great Langdale Late-Neolithic stone-axe was found near to the eastern stone of the circle.[2]

See also

Outside links

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 National Monuments Record: No. 8753 – Grey Croft Stone Circle
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Burl, Aubrey: 'A Guide to the Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany', page 44. (Yale University Press, 2005) ISBN 0300114060