More information : [SD 1513 8127 Sited from Plan] An irregular stone circle, diameter 51-60 ft with a centre stone 8' x 6' in Great Knott field. An alignment of 10 stones, some in pairs, runs for 152' ENE and a probable avenue 50 ft wide extends 345 ft. WSW Many of the stones on the N side of the avenue are missing, and there are natural boulders strewn over the area making it difficult to decide which stones belong to the monument. An outer ring of stones can be traced on the SE of the circle, and the remains of another circle 16 ft, diameter with a central stone lies 25 ft to the NW. In 1947 a trench was cut at the base of one of the stones and an inverted middle Bronze Age overhanging rim urn was found (Now in Barrow in Furness Museum) [See Illustrations Card.) (1)
SD 15128125 only two stones on the perimeter of the circle are standing, the remainder are either recumbent or at ground level. The alignment of 10 stones to the ENE appears to be an artifical feature. Surveyed at 1:2500. To the NW of the circle are five stones at ground level, but there is no indication that they represent the remains of a further circle. The 'avenue' to the WSW appears to be no more than natural rocks forming no coherent pattern. (2)
Listed by Burl as an ellipse 18.3 x 15.6m. (3)
Two stone circles, a stone avenue and a stone alignment at Great Knott, Lacra, scheduled. (4)
The stone circle and associated remains at Great Knott, Lacra were visited by English Heritage field investigators in June 1999. No measured survey was carried out and fieldwork was limited to surface examination of the remains. Almost all of the stones depicted on Barlow and Dixon's plan of 1947 (1) were identified but a substantial number were thought to be natural rather than artificial features.
The stone circle, at SD 5214 8125, is poorly defined, few of the 7 visible stones remaining upright or emerging much beyond ground surface. It was beside the northernmost stone of this circle that an inverted mid Bronze Age urn was recovered during excavations in 1947 (see authority 1). At the centre of the circle is a large flat stone. Barlow and Dixon also noted a possible outer circle but since this consists of only 4 stones in the south-east quadrant this identification must remain uncertain. An alleged second circle immediately to the north-west comprises three pieces of stone visible at ground level and cannot be certainly identified.
An alignment of stones runs from the stone circle, in an ENE direction, for about 46m and comprises 10 or 11 stones, including the two in the circle. Some of the stones in the alignment are paired but there is some irregularity in the layout.
The alleged avenue to the WSW of the circle seems to be little more than a natural scatter of boulders and stones, some of which have been revealed by water erosion of the boggy slack in which most of them lie. (5) |