Details

The monument includes much of the western half of Little Round Table henge. It
is located on a comparatively flat alluvial river terrace between an
escarpment to the west and the steep slope to the River Lowther to the east,
and lies a short distance from the confluence of the Rivers Eamont and
Lowther. The eastern half of the henge would have extended across to the
present river bank. No archaeological remains have yet been confirmed to
survive on this side of the monument and hence it is not included in the
scheduling.
Faint remains of the henge include a low curving bank on the northern side
which measures some 30m in length and is up to c.4.9m wide by 0.15m high. On
the southern side of the site there are remains of a low discontinuous earthen
bank with some stone visible, much reduced and spread to a width of 9.4m and
up to 0.3m high.
Antiquarian reports noted an outer ditch surrounding the enclosure and an
entrance at the NNE. Limited excavation in 1939 across the
projected line of the monument's northern perimeter located the outer ditch
and found it to be V-shaped in profile and up to 4m wide by 2m deep. The
entrance to the monument was also located during the excavation. In 1988
further survey work found the monument to measure 92m in diameter overall.
All fences, walls, railings, gateposts, and the surface of a farmtrack are
excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath all these features
is included.

MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features,
considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

Henges are ritual or ceremonial centres which date to the Late Neolithic
period (2800-2000 BC). They were constructed as roughly circular or oval-
shaped enclosures comprising a flat area over 20m in diameter enclosed by a
ditch and external bank. One, two or four entrances provided access to the
interior of the monument, which may have contained a variety of features
including timber or stone circles, post or stone alignments, pits, burials or
central mounds. Finds from the ditches and interiors of henges provide
important evidence for the chronological development of the sites, the types
of activity that occurred within them and the nature of the environment in
which they were constructed. Henges occur throughout England with the
exception of south-eastern counties and the Welsh Marches. They are generally
situated on low ground, often close to springs and water-courses. Henges are
rare nationally with about 80 known examples. As one of the few types of
identified Neolithic structures and in view of their comparative rarity, all
henges are considered to be of national importance.

Little Round Table is one of a group of three henges clustered near to the
confluence of the Rivers Eamont and Lowther. Despite mutilation of the
monument's eastern side by road construction, survey of the remainder of the
monument together with limited excavation have confirmed the survival of the
henge's low earthworks, entrance and outer ditch. It will contain evidence of
the activities undertaken within the internal area.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Pennant, T, A Tour in Scotland; 1769, (1790), 277-8
Stuckley, W, Itinerarium Curiosum, (1776), 43
Atkinson, W, 'Trans Cumb & West Antiq & Arch Soc. Old Ser.' in On Some Earthworks Near Eamont Bridge, , Vol. VI, (1883), 444-55
Bersu, G, 'Trans Cumb and West Antiq and Arch Soc. New Ser.' in King Arthur's Round Table. Final Rep With App On Lit Round Table, , Vol. 40, (1940), 169-206
Topping, P, 'Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society' in The Penrith Henges: A Survey By the RCHME, , Vol. 58, (1992), 249-64
Other
Darvill, T., MPP Single Monument Class Description - Henges, (1989)
Title: Ordnance Survey 25"
Source Date: 1859
Author:
Publisher:
Surveyor:
Westmorland Sheet III, 16
Title: Ordnance Survey 25"
Source Date: 1897
Author:
Publisher:
Surveyor:
Westmorland Sheet III, 16

Source: Historic England