Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom England Derby Arbor Low Stone Circle

Arbor Low Stone Circle

6000-year-old site covered in more than 50 megaliths.

Derby, England

Added By
mrogerson
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
(WikiCommons)   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Arbor_lo...
Arbor Low at sunset   ringedfellow / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Perched high on a remote hill in the Peak District, Arbor Low, sometimes labelled the “Stonehenge of the North” is not as well known as some of the British stone circles, but it is no less impressive. Accessed via a farmyard, this prehistoric monument includes a number of Late Neolithic and Bronze Age features.

The main site consists of a bank and internal ditch which contains a set of more than 50 fallen stones. The rim of the structure has a diameter of 258 by 246 feet. There are two gaps in the bank – one at the northwest end and the other at the southeast. Another earthwork, known as Gib Hill, can be found 1000 feet from the site. It is thought that this contains the oldest element on the complex, a long barrow potentially dating back to 6000 BC.

Although the function of the henge is unknown, it is likely that the area would have been a focal point for bronze age people and there are various theories about why the stones lie flat. Some suggest they may have been toppled by Christians wishing to de-sanctify the pagan nature of the site. Others have posited that the stones may never have been upright in the first place as there are no holes within the quarry. In many way the perpetuated mystery of the location continues to draw visitors to Derbyshire to inspect the strange site.

Related Tags

Ruins

Know Before You Go

1⁄2 mile W of A515, 2 miles S of Monyash. Parking available on the lane at the base of the farm track. Follow the signs through the farmyard. Please drop the suggested donation in the box in the parking area. The farmer is friendly and you may be greeted by a resident farm cat.

Community Contributors

Added By

mrogerson

Edited By

anniemare, atimian, ringedfellow

  • anniemare
  • atimian
  • ringedfellow

Published

January 5, 2008

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/arbor-low-stone-circle-and-gib-hill-barrow/
  • http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=3
  • http://henge.org.uk/ancient-monument-directory/arbor-low/
Arbor Low Stone Circle
Long Rake
Derby, England, SK17 8RG
United Kingdom
53.168877, -1.761412
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Charles Cotton's Fishing House

Derbyshire, England

miles away

Sheepwash Pen and Lambs' Bank

Ashford in the Water, England

miles away

Rowtor Rocks

Derbyshire, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Derby

Derby

England

Places 4

Nearby Places

Charles Cotton's Fishing House

Derbyshire, England

miles away

Sheepwash Pen and Lambs' Bank

Ashford in the Water, England

miles away

Rowtor Rocks

Derbyshire, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Derby

Derby

England

Places 4

Related Stories and Lists

Standing Stones: The Great Stones of Great Britain and Ireland

mythology

By Chris White

Related Places

  • The island is sometimes accessible on foot at low tide.

    Kamakura, Japan

    Wakae Island Ruins

    The ruins of the oldest artificial island in Japan, still used for mooring today at 800 years old.

  • Istria, Romania

    Ancient City of Histria

    Once a thriving Greek port, now a windswept ruin lost to time.

  • Tynemouth Castle.

    Tynemouth, England

    Tynemouth Priory and Castle

    Royal burial place of the kings of ancient Britain.

  • Tharandt, Germany

    Tharandt Castle Ruin

    Near Dresden, a scenic medieval castle ruin offers atmospheric views, educational ties to forestry, and a glimpse into Saxony’s past.

  • Barnsley, England

    Tankersley Old Hall Ruins

    The ruins of a significant 16th-century building once appeared in a 1969 film.

  • Bottom of the visiting gallery showing the cross-section of the qanat after the fault. The metal structure symbolises the location of the P5 and the gallery digging into the stone.

    Walferdange, Luxembourg

    Raschpëtzer Qanat

    A Roman water tunnel still flows 2,000 years on.

  • Greifswald, Germany

    Eldena Abbey

    These crumbling monastery ruins inspired a master of German Romanticism.

  • The arch is visible below the surface

    Lleida, Spain

    Pont de Montiberri

    A river hides a charming medieval bridge.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.