Being not to far from each other I thought it would make sense to write about both locations in one blog and they do have links to one another.
Long Meg and her daughters is a stone circle located in Cumbria in and is one of the biggest stone circles in the UK. Like Avebury stone circle located in wiltshire, it also has a small road that runs through it and two trees placed within it where i believe offerings are sometimes placed. The biggest stone amongst all 69 (if though that number is debatable as legend as it you cant count the stones twice) is Long Meg. Long Meg herself is a beautiful carved red sandstone monolith around twelve feet in height. She has marvellous spiral carvings engraved on her sides.
Over the years, Long Megs cravings have had Archaeologists fastinated, so much that they 3D scanned the stone to show the cravings more better.
With many stone circles there is also myths and legends and this particular circle as quite a few. Legend tells that Long Meg and her Daughters were a coven of witches. In the thirteenth century, A Scottish Wizard or some think he was a priest, Michael Scott, found witches in the midst of pagan worship or some tales state they was just dancing on ‘The Lords Day’. He is said to have cast a spell over them, turning them all to stone. Its believed that the person who does count the stones twice and gets the same number twice, will break Michael Scott’s spell and the witches will be released from their slumber and the whole circle becomes alive.
It quite uncanny when you visit here, how much Long Meg actual structure resembles a face. It looks like it has a point sticking out for a nose and just underneath looks like lips.
Who was Long Meg?
There is various tales who Long Meg could have been, two suggestions have been made that it was a local witch who went by the name of Meg of Meldon who was alive in the 17th century or it was a lady named Meg of Westminster, who again was alive in the 17th century.
Another legend is what you should definitely not do is chip bits off Meg; if you do, she will bleed.
Another legend comnections to Lacys Cave.
Laceys Cave
They are named after Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Lacy of Salkeld Hall, who commissioned their carving in the 18th century. The reason for their creation is unknown, however they were used by Lacy for entertaining guests and the area was originally planted with ornamental gardens and consist of 5 chambers.
Lacy who lived in nearby Salkeld Hall and was infamous for once attempting to blow up the stones of the Long Meg and her Daughters Stone Circle. Lacy decided to blast the prehistoric monument with gun powder. However, commencement of the work coincided with a violent thunder storm, which was interpreted by the labourers as a supernatural warning and they refused to continue the work, thereafter Lacy had a change of heart.
Charlene Lowe Kemp
Interesting read
Thank u