Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
A panoramic view of Dranesville Tavern
Dranesville Tavern
The Bargain Stone stands in the churchyard.
Bargain Stone
The Ernst Thälmann Monument
Ernst Thälmann Monument
One of the BHS murals tells the origin story of Stockport.
The BHS Murals in Stockport
Loading...
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
You could probably take some of that stuff out.
Dear Atlas: How Do I Pack Light for a Long Trip?
Ripples in the land are remnants of the field walls that once held rows of native sugarcane and sweet potatoes.
Unearthing the Mysteries of Hawai'i's Ancient Agriculture
Petrified Forest National Park.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom England Penrith Long Meg and Her Daughters
AO Edited

Long Meg and Her Daughters

Legends say this red sandstone monolith and the dozens of smaller boulders that surround it were once a coven of witches—before a Scottish wizard turned them all to stone.

Penrith, England

Added By
katielou106
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Long Meg and Her Daughters   Allan Harris/CC BY-ND 2.0
Long Meg   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
Some of her Daughters   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
More of the stones referred to as the daughters   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
Looking through the stone circle   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
  rbenn250 / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

With a diameter measuring 340 feet (100 meters), the formation known as "Long Meg and her Daughters" is the second-largest stone circle in England, and the sixth-largest in northwestern Europe. In addition to being one of the largest, it is also thought to be one of the oldest stone circles in England, dating from between the late Neolithic or early Bronze Age period.

The titular Long Meg is the tallest of the stones at about 12 feet (3.6 meters). She stands alone, about 80 feet (25 meters) outside the circle, positioned with her corners facing the points of the compass. Long Meg is carved with megalithic art on the side facing towards the stone circle. The designs include a cup and ring pattern, a spiral, grooves, and rings of concentric circles. There are supposed to be a group of figures but these are so faint they are difficult to find.

Long Meg is made of local red sandstone but the daughters are rhyolite boulders, a type of granite. Some believe that Long Meg was brought to the location from somewhere close to the River Eden to the west, which may have already held pre-existing rock carvings, with other carvings possibly added after it was moved. There is one school of thought that Long Meg herself is not contemporary with the rest of the stone circle.

The purpose of the site is also debated. While some believe it is a burial place, others believe it may be something more. They have suggested that Long Meg and other stone circles in the area were gathering places, where people came together at specific times of the year for proposes like trade, rituals, or social exchanges.

One local legend claims that Long Meg was a local witch who along with her daughters, was turned to stone for profaning the Sabbath by dancing wildly on the moor by a Scottish wizard. A slightly different version of the tale has the surrounding stones been Meg's lovers, not daughters, who nevertheless experienced the same fate of been turned to stone for their association with the witch. Either way, the circle is supposedly endowed with magic leftover from the wizard's spell, making the stones uncountable. The legend holds that it is impossible to count the same number of stones twice. If anyone should manage to do so then, the spell would be broken and either release the witch and her associates trapped in the stones, or the person who manages to count them will receive incredibly bad luck.

A different legend has it that if you walk around the circle and count the number of stones correctly, then put your ear to Long Meg, you will hear her whisper.

Related Tags

Standing Stones Witches Neolithic Archaeology Legends Bronze Age Ancient

Know Before You Go

Just over a third of a mile to the northeast of Long Meg and her Daughters is one of the smallest stone circle's on Cumbria, appropriately named Little Meg. It is a short walk to get to this site and worth it for the clear carvings on one of the stones.

Community Contributors

Added By

katielou106

Edited By

rbenn250, Michelle Cassidy

  • rbenn250
  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

September 30, 2021

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Meg_and_Her_Daughters
  • http://www.stone-circles.org.uk/stone/longmeg.htm
  • https://www.visitcumbria.com/evnp/long-meg-and-her-daughters/
Long Meg and Her Daughters
Hunsonby
Penrith, England, CA10 1NW
United Kingdom
54.728026, -2.667441

Nearby Places

Lacy's Caves

Penrith, England

miles away

Countess Pillar

Brougham, England

miles away

Giant’s Grave

Penrith, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Penrith

Penrith

England

Places 2

Nearby Places

Lacy's Caves

Penrith, England

miles away

Countess Pillar

Brougham, England

miles away

Giant’s Grave

Penrith, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Penrith

Penrith

England

Places 2

Related Places

  • Cairn T

    Ballineale, Ireland

    Loughcrew Cairns

    These Neolithic burial mounds and a still-intact passage tomb may have solar calendar significance on the spring and autumn equinoxes.

  • Stane Alane Standing Stone

    Lochgilphead, Scotland

    Stane Alane Standing Stone

    A mysterious solitary standing stone from the Neolithic period.

  • Dolmen “Sorgiñetxe” (“witch’s house”)

    Arrizala, Spain

    Dolmen of Sorginetxe

    An ancient stone structure that, according to legend, was built by witches.

  • Carn Goedog

    Eglwyswrw, Wales

    Carn Goedog

    This rocky outcrop served as a quarry for some of the bluestones that sit at the center of Stonehenge.

  • The cairn from the entrance opposite the car park

    Kilmartin, Scotland

    Dunchraigaig Cairn and Baluachraig Rock Art

    No other place in Scotland has such a high concentration of prehistoric carved stone surfaces.

  • Nether Largie Standing Stones

    Kilmartin, Scotland

    Kilmartin Glen Prehistoric Monuments

    This collection of Neolithic monuments make up one of The U.K.'s richest archeological landscapes.

  • Ballymeanoch Standing Stones set out in two parallel rows

    Kilmartin, Scotland

    Ballymeanoch Prehistoric Monuments

    This Neolithic-era complex boasts standing stones, a cairn, and the only henge in Western Scotland.

  • The flat circular centre of the henge

    Eamont Bridge, England

    King Arthur's Round Table

    Though this large circular site is now named for the legendary king, its history dates back to the Neolithic era.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.