Arbor Low facts for kids
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| Location | near Middleton-by-Youlgreave and Bakewell |
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| Region | Derbyshire, England |
| Coordinates | 53°10′08″N 01°45′42″W / 53.16889°N 1.76167°W |
| Type | Henge monument |
| Official name | Arbor Low henge, large irregular stone circle, linear bank and bowl barrow |
| Designated | 18 August 1882 |
| Reference no. | 1011087 |
Arbor Low is a very old and well-preserved stone circle in the Peak District, England. It's a special type of monument called a henge, built by people in the New Stone Age (the Neolithic period). It sits on a high, flat area made of limestone rock. The site has a circle of stones, surrounded by big earth banks and a ditch.
Contents
What is Arbor Low?
Arbor Low is made up of about 50 large limestone rocks. These stones were dug out from a nearby area. They form a circle that looks a bit like an egg. Experts think there were originally about 41 to 43 stones. Some of these stones are now broken into smaller pieces.
The stones are quite big, usually between 1.6 and 2.1 meters long. Some of the biggest ones, called monoliths, are even longer, up to 2.9 meters. Only one stone is partly standing up. All the others are lying flat on the ground. It's possible that these stones were once standing upright in shallow holes.
In the middle of the stone circle, there are at least six smaller stones. People used to think these were set up in a rectangle, and this area is known as the cove.
The Earthworks
The stones are surrounded by a huge earth bank. This bank is about 90 meters long and 85 meters wide on the outside. It stands about 2 meters high. Inside the bank, there's a ditch that is about 2 meters deep and 7 to 10 meters wide.
There are two pathways that cut through both the bank and the ditch. These are like entrances. One is on the northwest side and is 9 meters wide. The other is on the southeast side and is 6 meters wide. The inner bank encloses an area that is about 52 meters long and 40 meters wide.
Arbor Low is one of the best-preserved henge monuments in the British Isles.
Discoveries at Arbor Low
During digs between 1901 and 1902, some human bones were found near the cove. Other interesting things found at the site include tools made from flint, such as scrapers and arrowheads. Tools made from bone and antler were also discovered.
The Area Around Arbor Low
Later, during the Bronze Age, a large round burial mound was built to the east of the henge. This mound, called a cairn or barrow, was made using earth taken from the henge's bank. When it was dug up in 1845, it contained a cremation burial. This means someone's ashes were buried there. Also found were flint and bone tools, and two pots. These pots are now kept at the Weston Park Museum.
Arbor Low is part of a bigger ancient area. It's connected by a raised earth ridge to an even older Neolithic burial mound called Gib Hill. Gib Hill is about 320 meters away.
How Arbor Low Was Built and Used
The earth bank and ditch of the henge, along with its two entrances, were probably built during the late Neolithic period. The stones were added later, sometime before 2000 BC. This means the site was used for a long time, even into the Bronze Age. During the Bronze Age, the outer bank was changed so that the round burial mound could be built. Both the earthworks and the stone arrangements at Arbor Low were likely built after the nearby Gib Hill.
Protecting Arbor Low
Arbor Low was one of the first ancient sites in England to be officially protected by law. This happened on August 18, 1882. You can still see small stone markers around the henge today. They have the letters VR and GR carved into them. VR stands for Victoria Regina (Queen Victoria) and GR stands for Georgius Rex (King George). These markers show the boundaries of the protected area.
Visiting Arbor Low
Arbor Low is located on private farmland, but visitors are allowed to come and see it. As of September 2020, adults are asked to pay a small entrance fee of £1. Children can enter for free.
Images for kids
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Arbor Low, showing the circular earthworks and flat stones.
