Grey Croft stone circle
Archaeological site in Cumbria, England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Grey Croft stone circle is a restored stone circle near Seascale in Cumbria, England (grid reference NY03340238). It is situated near the site of the former nuclear-power stations at Sellafield.
  Grey Croft stone circle Shown within Cumbria | |
| Location | Cumbria |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 54.4076°N 3.4908°W |
| Type | Stone circle |
| History | |
| Periods | Neolithic / Bronze Age |
Description
Grey Croft stone circle is a circle of 12 stones situated south of the Sellafield nuclear site.[1] The circle is about 600 metres (2,000 ft) from the sea. Only 10 of the original 12 stones are currently standing.[2] There is a small outlying stone 21 metres (69 ft) to the north.[2]
History
The stones in the circle were toppled over and buried in 1820 by a tenant farmer, with the exception of one stone.[1] In 1949 the site was excavated and nine of the stones were located, and replaced as accurately as possible.[1]
The excavations uncovered an oval stone cairn situated in the circle centre.[1] Trenching under the cairn revealed charcoal traces, calcined bones, a broken early Bronze Age jet or lignite ring, and flint flakes and scraper.[1] A Great Langdale Late-Neolithic stone axe was found near to the eastern stone of the circle.[2]
See also
- Swinside stone circle, 12 miles to the southeast
