Photo: MichaelMaggs / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Arbor Low is an archaeological site in Middleton and Smerrill, cared for by English Heritage. Read about its history and architecture, plus how to visit and what's nearby.
About Arbor Low
Arbor Low is a Neolithic henge monument on a limestone plateau in the Derbyshire Peak District, close to the village of Youlgreave.
Around fifty limestone slabs lie flat within a circular bank and ditch, earning it the nickname the Stonehenge of the Peak.
English Heritage manages the site, though it sits on private farmland and visitors reach it along a farm track.
The circle is thought to date from around 2500 BC, making it one of the best preserved henge monuments in the country.
Read more on WikipediaHistory of Arbor Low
The monument is thought to have been built in the late Neolithic period, with the surrounding bank and ditch constructed around 2500 BC and the stones added later. A short distance away stands Gib Hill, a Bronze Age round barrow raised over an earlier Neolithic long barrow. A low bank links the two sites, suggesting they were used together over many centuries.
Architecture of Arbor Low
The circle consists of around fifty limestone slabs set within a roughly circular earthwork bank with two opposing entrances, a classic henge layout. At the centre lies a group of stones known as the Cove, thought to have held special ritual significance.
Plan your visit to Arbor Low
Nearest station: Rowsley South (Peak Rail) (6.3 miles)
Places to visit near Arbor Low
Gib Hill
View Gib Hill on heritage mapWinster Market House
View Winster Market House on heritage mapNine Ladies
View Nine Ladies on heritage mapHistoric places nearby
Within 5 miles of Arbor Low there are 2 historic properties, including 1 archaeological site and 1 historic house, across English Heritage and Historic Houses sites.
Within 10 miles of Arbor Low there are 9 historic properties, including 4 historic houses and 3 archaeological sites, across Historic Houses, English Heritage and National Trust sites.
Within 20 miles of Arbor Low there are 34 historic properties, including 14 historic houses, 4 landscapes and 3 monuments, across National Trust, English Heritage and Historic Houses sites.
Stay nearby
Make more of your visit with an overnight stay near Arbor Low.
Find places to stay nearby Affiliate link. We may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.Facts
A Neolithic stone circle where every stone lies flat, and nobody is quite sure why.
- Type
- archaeological site
- Location
- Middleton and Smerrill, England
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