128 



NATURE 



[July 29, 1909 



THE STONE CIRCLES OF KESWICK AND 

 LONG MEG.' 



IT has frequently been shown that the site on which 

 a stone circle was erected was chosen with refer- 

 ence to the elevation of the northern horizon. At 

 Keswick and Long- Meg it appears that a further 

 choice was exercised, in that, when possible, natural 



The rectangle or chapel involves ten additional stones, 

 and there is a single outlying stone. These are al' 

 shown on the plan accompanying the paper, those 

 which appear to have fallen being indicated by cross- 

 hatching. The stones range from 2 to 7 feet in height. 

 As the result of a preliminary survey, the following 

 alignments were carefully measured : — 



Fig. I. — Portion of Ordnance Map — Long Meg. From the Proceedings of the University of Durham Philosophical Society. 



features were utilised in place of outlying stones or 

 circles. In each case Arcturus rose in a well defined 

 gap between two hills, whilst at Keswick, where the 

 Pleiades were used for the May warning, the align- 

 ment passes over the crest of Great Mell Fell. 



(i) From the centre of the circle over the tip of the 

 pointed stone. No. i, to the gap on the horizon between 

 Blencathra (Saddleback) and Skiddaw ; (2) from the 

 eccentric centre along- the centre line of the chapel, 

 over the tip of the pointed stone, No. lo, to the crest 



Fig. 2.— The Chapel or Rectangle, Keswick Circle. From the Proceedings of the University of Durham Philosophical Society. 



At Keswick the circle consists of thirty-eight unhewn 

 stones with an internal diameter of about 50 feet. 



1 Abstract of a paper on " Sun and Star Observations at the Stone Circles 

 of Keswick and Long Meg," by Dr. John Morrow (Proceedings of the 

 University of Durham Philosophical Society, vol. iii., part iii, 1908-g). 



NO. 2074, VOL. 81] 



of Great Mell Fell ; (3) from the outlying stone to the 

 centre of the circle, proceeding along the valley of the 

 Greta. 



The observed altitudes and azimuths and the calcu- 

 lated declinations are given in Table I. 



