| Summary : A Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age henge monument comprising earthwork enclosure defined by a bank and internal ditch with an inner ring of standing stones, all now recumbent. The maximum external diameter of the enclosure is circa 90 metres. There are two entrance causeways, one to the northwest and the other to the south-south-east. The circle of stones may originally have comprised around 39 uprights, while in the centre of the enclosed area are the remains of a roughly square setting of stones, perhaps a cove. Excavation of the site was undertaken by Harold St George Gray in 1901-2, but was not extensive. Finds included flint implements including a few scrapers and arrowheads, including a barbed and tanged example from the bottom of the ditch. A few fragmentary bones and teeth were also recovered. A human skeleton was found in the area of the central setting, but was not accompanied by any artefacts. Scheduled. A linear earthwork approaches the henge from the south (see Monument No. 308731), while a round barrow (see Monument No. 308666) is situated on the south east part of the henge bank. |
More information : [SK 16036355] Arbor Low [O.E.] (1)
Arbor Low is a Class II Henge Monument consisting of a ring of 42 stones and a central core surrounded by a ditch with an external bank. (2)
Scheduled, and in the charge of the M.O.W. (3)
The excavations of 1901-2 suggested that the earthwork connected with the ditch on the south-west was of the same date.(4) (2-4)
Stones all recumbent, some signs of mutilation of the bank. (See plan with field notes). (5)
Field report of 19.8.52 correct.
Resurveyed at 1/2500. (6)
Additional references. (7-9)
Excavation of the site was undertaken by Harold St George Gray in 1901-2 on behalf of the Anthropological Section of the British Association. The excavations were not extensive. Finds included flint implements including a few scrapers and arrowheads, including a barbed and tanged example from the bottom of the ditch. A few fragmentary animal bones and teeth were also recovered. A human skeleton was found in the area of the central setting of stones (or cove), but was not accompanied by any artefacts. Gray also examined an associated earthwork (Monument No. 308731) which runs up to the S side of the enclosure. He also discussed but did not re-examine the previously excavated round barrow (Monument No. 308666) constructed on the SE part of the henge bank. (10)
The site and its archaeological history have recently been described by Harding & Lee (11) and Barnatt (12), the latter suggesting that the stones, now almost all recumbent, had originally been set in shallow stone holes, contrary to the frequently expressed view that they had never stood upright.
A fuller description of the site including pre-Gray excavations is provided by Barnatt in his survey of henges and related monuments of the Peak District (13), while the broader background of the site is discussed by various authors in a recent volume on the prehistory of the Peak District (14).
Arbor Low henge is a scheduled Monumnet described as a "large irregular stone circle. Linear bank and bowl barrow". The monument includes the henge and stone circle, the linear bank adjoining the henge, and a bowl barrow superimposed on the east side of the henge bank. The henge features a massive bank and internal ditch surrounding an oval area of circa 40m by 52m. The ditch is between 7-12 m wide, the bank is circa 2m high and is between 8-10m wide. It is roughly circular and has an external diameter of 90 by 85m. The ditch is crossed by causeways at the entrances. The remains of the stone circle are situated within the henge. There are 50 stumps and fragments of stones: the original number of stones may have been 41-43. Leading southward from the henge is a bank and ditch that extends for 150m further south is another section which is 200m long and turns westward. The 70m gap between the two is not included in the scheduled area.(15)
Fieldwork has shown that the site of Arbor Low may have been chosen because for a henge it was close to an earlier "sacred" complex. A Neolithic barrow (Gib Hill) is situated approximately 1000 foot from the henge: this was constructed in two phases, the first an oval mound partly overridden by a second later mound with a cist burial. Furthermore there were traces of a fragment of a circular earthwork enclosure and stone bank. J. Radley conjectures that this may be the remains of an earlier henge that was superseded by Arbor Low and subsequently slighted. (16)
D. Thomsen published a guide to Arbor Low in 1963, this includes a map of the site. (17)
Arbor Low is an English Heritage managed property. Details of opening hours and how to find the monument are included on the English Heritage web site. (18)
The name Arbor Low is thought to derive from 'Eorthburg Hlaw' which means 'earthwork mound'. See source for further details. (19) |