Minninglow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Minninglow |
|
|---|---|
| Minning Low | |
Aerial view of the summit in 2009
|
|
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 372 m (1,220 ft) |
| Geography | |
 Minninglow
Location in Derbyshire
|
|
| Parent range | Peak District |
| OS grid | SK209573 |
Minninglow (also known as Minning Low) is a special hill located in the Peak District National Park in Derbyshire, England. It's found in an area called the White Peak. At the very top of the hill, hidden among a clump of trees, are ancient burial sites. These include a large tomb from the Neolithic (New Stone Age) period and two round burial mounds from the Bronze Age.
Contents
Discover Minninglow Hill
Minninglow is a fascinating place, standing at 372 meters (about 1,220 feet) tall. It's not just a hill; it's a window into the past. The ancient burial sites at its summit are so important that they are protected as a Scheduled Monument. This means they are recognized as nationally important archaeological sites.
Secrets of the Ancient Tombs
The biggest and most impressive burial site at Minninglow is a chambered tomb. This type of tomb is a large mound of stones that contains rooms or chambers. The Minninglow tomb is oval-shaped, measuring about 45 meters (148 feet) long and 38 meters (125 feet) wide. It still stands about 2.4 meters (8 feet) high today.
Inside this large mound, there are at least two complete chambers. These rooms were built using huge limestone slabs. There are also signs of at least three other chambers that might be incomplete or hidden.
Who Explored the Tombs?
A man named Thomas Bateman was one of the first to explore this tomb. He excavated it in 1843 and again in 1851. Later, a famous historian named Nikolaus Pevsner described it as one of the most amazing prehistoric burial sites still existing in Derbyshire.
The tomb was used for a very long time. The oldest parts date back to the Early Neolithic period. But other things found there show it was also used in the Late Neolithic or early Bronze Age. Even during the Roman period, people visited or used the site.
Bronze Age Burial Mounds
Besides the large chambered tomb, there are two smaller bowl barrows on the hill. These are round mounds of earth and stone, built during the Bronze Age. Thomas Bateman also excavated these barrows. He found signs that they too were disturbed or used during the Roman period.
Visiting Minninglow
Minninglow hill is quite close to the High Peak Trail. This trail is a popular path for walking and cycling, running between the villages of Parwich and Longcliffe. Although there isn't a public right of way directly to the top of Minninglow, special permission was given by the landowner for many years. This allowed people to walk to and explore the ancient sites.
The path from the High Peak Trail to Minninglow is usually marked. You might see wooden signs, similar to those for public footpaths, and wooden markers along the route to guide you.
The Big Railway Embankment
About one kilometer (half a mile) northwest of Minninglow hill, you'll find a huge structure called the Minninglow Embankment. This is part of the old Cromford and High Peak Railway. Today, the railway line is gone, and its path is now the High Peak Trail.
This embankment is a very impressive piece of engineering. It was built in the 1820s using local limestone and earth. It's a great example of large-scale construction from before the Victorian era. You can easily reach this embankment from a car park and picnic area located about 200 meters (650 feet) further along the High Peak Trail.
