Home Newsletter Locations Diary
 Indexes
Topic Alpha County Sections By

Travellers Resource

Swinside Stone Circle

Nr Millom, Cumbria

The circle is also known as Sunkenkirk after a legend that the Devil made the stones sink into the ground to prevent them being used to build a church's foundation.

 Click on Image to see a larger version

A circle often said to be the finest in Britain, and having spectacular setting and views. I have not yet visited.

A near perfect circle 29 metres in diameter, with over 50 stones, some say 55. The stones are said to be finely dressed but could be weathered smooth.

The stones are very close together, a characteristic of the earlier larger stone circles. The modern-day gaps at the E and the SW were filled with stones originally.

Land rising at the back makes this easier to see and photograph than most and many get really carried away with this circle, I have yet to visit it. There is also a trig point on a high point (10 minute climb) that gives a view of it, in its setting.

Legends and Quotes

Often quoted as the best or one of the best circles in Britain.

Marjorie Rowling mentions in her 'Folklore of the Lake District' (1976) that the earliest source giving the name of the site is from 1642, when it was called 'Chapel Sucken' (sucked down or sunken down?). Janet and Colin Bord (in 'Prehistoric Britain from the Air') claim that people once tried to build a church on this site - but once they'd gone home for their teas the Devil pulled down what they'd built during the day (into the earth, one assumes - hence Sunken Kirk).

From The Gentlemans Magazine, by J. T. Blight 1843

"In the parish of Millum, in the same county, there did exist the remains of a Druidical temple, which the country people called " sunken kirk," i.e., a church sunk into the earth. It is nearly a circle of very large stones, pretty entire, only a few fallen upon sloping ground in a swampy meadow. At the entrance there are four large stones, two on each side, at the distance of 6 feet. Through these you enter into a circular area, 29 yards by 30. The entrance is nearly south-east. It seems probable that the altar stood in the middle, as there are some stones still to be seen there, though sunk deep in the earth. The situation and aspect of the Druidical temple near Keswick is in every respect similar to this, except the rectangular recess, formed by ten large stones, which is peculiar to Keswick.
 And I am informed that there are other remains of stone circles in these northern districts, where there yet exist so many popular superstitions and customs. Indeed, we find in Camden's account of Westmoreland allusion made to the ruins of one ancient round structure, which has always been considered to have been a temple dedicated to Diana, but which i now known by the name of Kirkshead. Many such instances will be found in the ancient monuments of Scotland. Sometimes there are two circles of stones, at others three circles, having the same common centre.
From the general arrangement of the stones, one of the largest having a cavity, at the bottom of which there is a passage for any liquid sacrifice to run down the side of it, nothing can be more evident than that the triple circle of stones was intended as an heathen temple, where Pagan priests performed their idolatrous ceremonies ; and what is most remarkable is, that most of these singular structures are still known by the name of chapels or temple stones".

See also

Our section on stone circles

The discussion on the purpose of stone circles


Planning Grid

Location:

Swinside Stone Circle, Nr Millom, Cumbria

Grid Reference:

SD171882

Map Link:

Multimap

Google Maps aerial photograph

Getting there:

The track up to the circle is marked as authorised access only for vehicles so if you can leave your car at the bottom, do so. The uphill (on the way there) walk is beautiful anyway! There's a 3 car or so parking option maybe 20 yards before the fork at Cragg Hall, on the verge opposite a gate. - Most say a 20 minute walk.

Access:

Public path

Parking:

Limited and maybe difficult, 20 minute walk away.

Facilities:

None

Things To Do, See and Photograph:

Impressive stone circle and views.

What to take:

 

Nature highlights:

 

Best Times to Visit:

 

Address:

Thwaites

Nr Millom

Cumbria

Postcode:

LA18 5LD

Telephone:

 

E-mail:

 

Website:

 

Opening times:

open all the time

Charges:

None

Photo Restrictions:

None

Other Restrictions: None
Special Needs Access: 20 minute walk uphill
Special Needs Facilities:  
Children Facilities:  
Dogs Allowed:  

Other useful websites:

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/79

CIN Page Ref:

swinside_stone_circle

Date Updated:02/09

Please let us know any other information that we can add to this Planning Grid or page and any errors that you discover. Before making a long trip to any location it is always wise to double check the current information, websites like magazines may be correct at the time the information is written, but things change and it is of course impossible to double check all entries on a regular basis. If you have any good photographs that you feel would improve the illustration of this page then please let us have copies. In referring to this page it is helpful if you quote the CIN Page Ref at the bottom of the Planning Grid above. To print the planning grid select it then right click and print the selected area.

Please submit information on locations you discover so that this system continues to grow.

This page:

Link directly to this page, with text or the button on right.

Text linking: Swinside Stone Circle on Photographers Resource

Linking Instructions                            http://www.photographers-resource.co.uk/