- Article |
- Discussion |
- Edit |
- History
Arbor Low
Arbor Low is a late Neolithic henge monument, lying in the Derbyshire Peak District approximately three miles west of Youlgreave. It is the best-known prehistoric monument in the Peaks and was part of a wider Neolithic ritual landscape.
The Class II henge was built about 2500 BC and consists of a circular bank, 76m in diameter and 2.1m high, with an internal ditch around 9m wide and 1.8m deep, enclosing a central area. There are entrance causeways at the northern and southern ends. The stone circle inside consists of more than forty recumbent limestone slabs, with three lying in the very centre. These central stones form a 'cove' close to which a skeleton was found during excavations between 1901 and 1902. That the stones are lying flat rather than standing has been explained through the actions of zealous Christians toppling them or simply that time and subsidence caused them to fall over. However, since no holes have been found in which the vertical stones would have stood, it is possible that they were never erected. Whether this was intentional or simply due to an incomplete project being abandoned, we may never know.
A large round cairn was built later in prehistory east of the henge using material taken from the earth bank. It was excavated in 1845 and found to contain a cremation burial and various grave goods which are now in Sheffield City Museum.
Arbor Low is part of a larger complex, and is linked to the Bronze Age barrow of Gib Hill 320m away by an earth ridge.
Pages linking here
FEEDBACK
Did you enjoy this article? If so, why not comment on it? Perhaps you disagree with something in it, or you know something the writer doesn't and can add some extra facts. You may want to ask a question about this article. Making a contribution is easy - either click 'edit' to insert more information or 'discussion' and then 'add comment.' This is your site. Please feel free to use it to the full and share your memories, thoughts and knowledge about Derbyshire with others.
If there is no 'edit' link showing it means the article has either previously been published in the Derby Evening Telegraph, or it has been protected by the site administrator and cannot be edited.'
County: Derbyshire
Return to You and Yesterday






