Penrith

Penrith is a small market town in Cumbria with an impressive amount of tourist attractions and historical places.

Penrith Castle sets in a beautiful park. It was built at the end of the 14th century. The location of the castle was not the highest point, but a former Roman fort site and a part of the old ruins were used for their defensive function. You can read more about its history on English Heritage’s website.

As the castle is in a park, anyone can sit anywhere, so one can have a picnic in the middle of the castle. That is romantic.

The park has beautiful gardens and there is a monument close-by. The views are stunning.

We walked around the town, it’s really lovely.

This is the Penrith and Eden Museum and gallery. The museum is free to visit and small, but there were a few visitors. There is also a information centre and there are plenty of leaflets with other local attractions. I like taking leaflets as they might advertise locations I missed when I looked online.

Only a few minutes away from the town centre there are 2 English Heritage locations: Mayburgh Henge and King Arthur’s Round Table.

Mayburgh Henge is a 3m high monument. Seven others would have stand beside it, three in the centre, forming a square with the fourth and two pairs at the entrance. The other stones were still standing in the eighteenth century, but is unknown why they aren’t there anymore.
The Henge was built about 4,500 years ago. Artefacts were found near the site. As for Stonehenge and other henges, the reason for what they were built is not known.

King Arthur’s Round Table is one of a group of prehistoric megalithic sites and burial mounds. Is very close to Mayburg Henge, in walking distance. This monument dates from 2000 – 1000 BC. During excavations it was discovered that there were two standing stones at the entrance. The original purpose is unknown, but it might have been used as an arena for jousting in 16th or 17th century.