Bull Ring Henge Celebration Day

Saturday, July 30th: 11:00am - 7:00pm Location: Dove Holes Community Hall and the Bull Ring Henge, Dove Holes, Derbyshire.

This event has been organised to celebrate the Bull Ring prehistoric henge and 10 years of the Megalithic Portal web resource; a free day of talks, displays and activities in Dove Holes Community Hall and the henge itself as part of the Festival of British Archaeology.

Many people are familiar with Arbor Low, often dubbed the Stonehenge of the North,  but this event is to celebrate it's less well know sister site, the other great henge monument in the Peak District,  The Bull Ring, a 90m diameter circular earthwork, thought to have also contained a stone circle within the henge.

The Bull Ring henge, Doveholes

Two archaeological excavations in 1949 and 1984 uncovered over forty flint and chert tools and two items of pottery dated to the Beaker period, suggesting construction of the henge between 2500 - 2000BC. These artefacts are now housed in the Buxton Museum. A large mound a few metres from the henge, thought to be a neolithic burial mound with a possible bronze age a barrow on top of it, similar to the bronze age barrow built into the henge bank at Arbor Low.  The results of recent geophysical surveys are expected to be published soon.

The Bull Ring has been neglected for centuries and over the centuries the henge has seen much damage; the northern causewayed entrance is now significantly narrower owing to stone quarrying within the ditch. Hopefully by raising the profile of the Bull Ring this event will help safeguard its future.

There are a great number of fascinating stone circles and other megalithic monuments in the area so the celebration event be looking at the wider context of the henge as well.

Talks will include Martha Lawrence from Buxton Museum on the Bullring henge and some of it's closest relations. Martha will have a selection of artefacts found at the henge.

Kirsty Whittall will outline her research on the Bull Ring henge and the recent survey work.

Kevin Kilburn, Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, will deliver a presentation on The Bridestones Legacy and solstice alignments at Peak District monuments

Finally, Andy Burnham will give a presentation on 10 years of the Megalithic Portal.

There will be a number of displays of prehistoric finds from the henge and a collection of 60+ neolithic stone axes, blades and scrapers from around the world.  A photo gallery and 'slide' display will showcase the best photography of ancient sites and there will be a Megalithic Book stall.

During the day tours of the Bull Ring Henge will take place on the hour.

Martha Lawrence from Buxton Museum will be available to answer questions and members of the Megalithic Portal Society will be on hand to advise on how find information on ancient sites near you.

Pre-booking not required, just turn up on the day. See you there.

Location:
The Dove Holes Community Hall, Hallsteads, Dove Holes, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 8BJ, is located on the A6, five miles north of Buxton. Turn in at the sign for Dove Holes Community Association, the hall is at the end of the road behind the cricket pitch where there is some parking available.
The Community Hall is a short walk from Dove Holes railway station.

Promoted as part of the CBA Festival of British Archaeology.

See The Megalithic Portal page for further information.

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