Mayburgh Henge

In a quiet location just a few hundred yards from the busy A66 lies this large henge monument, one of the most impressive in Cumbria. Mayburgh consists of a large circular bank enclosing a central area about 1 1/2 acres in diameter.

In the centre of the henge a solitary standing stone has been set, the sole remnant of a smaller stone circle, or perhaps two circles. The banks are built upon boulders and rise to 12 feet in height.

No proper excavation has been done at Mayburgh, so it is difficult to date the henge with any certainty, but the presence of Neolithic and Bronze axes found near the site indicate a date in the Neolithic or Bronze Age.

There is little to indicate the reason why Mayburgh was built, but the fact that it is close to the confluence of the rivers Lowther and Eamont have given rise to the theory that it was once a trade centre on a route for stone axe trade from the Neolithic axe factory at Langdale.

Just a few hundred yards away, at the junction of the A66 and the B5320 is another ancient site, King Arthur's Round Table.

Mayburgh Henge is administered by English Heritage, and is open at any reasonable time.