swinside stone circle.

the stones used in its construction were porphyritic slate collected from the adjacent swinside fells, and are of the type that is known locally as ‘grey cobbles’. the ring has a diameter of about 26.8m, and currently contains 55 stones, although when originally constructed there probably would have been more. it has been suggested that along with castlerigg and other cumbrian stone circles, that it has a close affinity with the kings stones circle in oxfordshire and may be by the same builders as part of a thriving axe trade. it has a well defined entrance, 2.1 m wide, at the south-eastern side, which is marked by two large portal stones outside the circumference of the circle. such portal openings can also be found at other stone circles in the lake district, such as castlerigg and long meg and her daughters.