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The Five Barrows

Heritage Site in Northumberland

England

The Five Barrows

Alpacas grazing at Wood Hall farm They seem happy here!
Alpacas grazing at Wood Hall farm Credit: Russel Wills

The Five Barrows, located in Northumberland, is a significant heritage site that holds historical and archaeological importance. Situated on a gentle slope, the site comprises five large burial mounds, or barrows, dating back to the Bronze Age.

These barrows, thought to have been constructed around 2000-1500 BCE, are circular in shape and vary in size, with the largest one measuring approximately 15 meters in diameter. They were built using a combination of earth and stone, creating a distinct and imposing presence on the landscape.

The barrows at The Five Barrows are believed to have been used for communal burials, where multiple individuals were laid to rest together. Excavations conducted in the mid-20th century unearthed a wealth of artifacts, including pottery, arrowheads, and other ceremonial objects, providing valuable insights into the lives and customs of the people who lived during this period.

The site's location offers breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside, adding to its allure. Visitors to The Five Barrows can explore the mounds and gain a deeper understanding of the Bronze Age culture and burial practices. Interpretive signs and information boards are strategically placed, providing educational resources to enhance the visitor experience.

Due to its historical significance, The Five Barrows is protected as a scheduled ancient monument, ensuring its preservation for future generations. It stands as a testament to the ancient inhabitants of Northumberland and offers a unique glimpse into their rich and fascinating past.

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The Five Barrows Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 55.317/-2.07 or Grid Reference NT9502. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Alpacas grazing at Wood Hall farm They seem happy here!
Alpacas grazing at Wood Hall farm
They seem happy here!
A hembra and a cria (Mum and baby alpaca) In a paddock near Sharperton on the River Coquet.
A hembra and a cria (Mum and baby alpaca)
In a paddock near Sharperton on the River Coquet.
Road sign casualty of Storm Arwen But the post looks pretty rusty too! Alpacas over the fence.
Road sign casualty of Storm Arwen
But the post looks pretty rusty too! Alpacas over the fence.
Hope the picnic tables are alright The car park and picnic area at the entrance to Holystone Woods forest trails are unrecognisable. This area contained some massive pines. Storm Arwen flattened it despite its location down in the valley.
Hope the picnic tables are alright
The car park and picnic area at the entrance to Holystone Woods forest trails are unrecognisable. This area contained some massive pines. Storm Arwen flattened it despite its location down in the valley.
Storm Arwen near Holystone Everywhere one goes in mid and north Northumberland one sees the consequences of Storm Arwen's ferocity in swathes of fallen trees. On November 26th 2021 the storm is estimated to have damaged 16 million trees: the Great Storm of 1987 destroyed 15 million trees.
Storm Arwen near Holystone
Everywhere one goes in mid and north Northumberland one sees the consequences of Storm Arwen's ferocity in swathes of fallen trees. On November 26th 2021 the storm is estimated to have damaged 16 million trees: the Great Storm of 1987 destroyed 15 million trees.
Storm Arwen damage at the Lady's Well Fortunately this huge tree fell out of the enclosure rather than into it.
Storm Arwen damage at the Lady's Well
Fortunately this huge tree fell out of the enclosure rather than into it.
Storm Arwen damage at the Lady's Well Fortunately this huge tree fell out of the enclosure rather than into it.
Storm Arwen damage at the Lady's Well
Fortunately this huge tree fell out of the enclosure rather than into it.
Storm Arwen damage near the Lady's Well Everywhere one goes in mid and north Northumberland one sees the consequences of Storm Arwen's ferocity in swathes of fallen trees. On November 26th 2021 the storm is estimated to have damaged 16 million trees: the Great Storm of 1987 destroyed 15 million trees.
Storm Arwen damage near the Lady's Well
Everywhere one goes in mid and north Northumberland one sees the consequences of Storm Arwen's ferocity in swathes of fallen trees. On November 26th 2021 the storm is estimated to have damaged 16 million trees: the Great Storm of 1987 destroyed 15 million trees.
Waterfall at Rob Roy's Cave The cave is immediately to the left of this photo. The Dovecrag Burn boasts a number of small waterfalls though, as here, it rarely carries much water. The deep, narrow gorge is littered with fallen and decayed tree limbs which have become permanently trapped, rendering access difficult.
Waterfall at Rob Roy's Cave
The cave is immediately to the left of this photo. The Dovecrag Burn boasts a number of small waterfalls though, as here, it rarely carries much water. The deep, narrow gorge is littered with fallen and decayed tree limbs which have become permanently trapped, rendering access difficult.
Cascade on the Dovecrag Burn The Dovecrag Burn boasts a number of small waterfalls though, as here, it rarely carries much water. The deep, narrow gorge is littered with fallen and decayed tree limbs which have become permanently trapped, rendering access difficult.
Cascade on the Dovecrag Burn
The Dovecrag Burn boasts a number of small waterfalls though, as here, it rarely carries much water. The deep, narrow gorge is littered with fallen and decayed tree limbs which have become permanently trapped, rendering access difficult.
Waterfalls on the Dovecrag Burn Just upstream of Rob Roy's Cave. The Dovecrag Burn boasts a number of small waterfalls though, as here, it rarely carries much water.
Waterfalls on the Dovecrag Burn
Just upstream of Rob Roy's Cave. The Dovecrag Burn boasts a number of small waterfalls though, as here, it rarely carries much water.
Storm Arwen brought down many trees Some of the trees are being 'recycled' as firewood!
Storm Arwen brought down many trees
Some of the trees are being 'recycled' as firewood!
Salmon House once The Salmon Inn Sadly like many country pubs and the disease is spreading urban areas with so many watering holes closing.
Salmon House once The Salmon Inn
Sadly like many country pubs and the disease is spreading urban areas with so many watering holes closing.
Ford through Unnamed Burn I think this might be a drainage ditch rather than a burn.
Ford through Unnamed Burn
I think this might be a drainage ditch rather than a burn.
Lady's Well, Holystone Lady's Well is a stone water tank of possible Roman date, fed by a natural spring. The well is alongside the Roman road between High Rochester and the River Aln. The stone tank has been completely rebuilt at least once since the Roman period. The well has been a Christian holy site since the medieval period, and may have been the site of early Christian rituals. An alternative name for the well is 'Ninian's Well'. Ninian was the Bishop of Whithorn, in south-west Scotland, from AD500-550. It is possible that Ninian visited Holystone, although we have no evidence for such a visit. There is a legend that Paulinus, an early Christian missionary from Italy, converted 3000 people at the well during Easter AD627. In the medieval period, there was an Augustinian convent at Holystone, which may be where the name 'Lady's Well' comes from. In addition to the tank, a 15th century statue, said to be of Paulinus, was brought to the site from Alnwick in 1780. The statue was moved from the centre of the tank in the 19th century and replaced with a wheel cross. Local tradition says an altar-shaped stone near the well is the 'holy' stone, which gives the local village its name. The Lady's Well is a Scheduled Monument and Grade I Listed Building protected by law. <span class="nowrap"><a title="https://keystothepast.info/search-records/results-of-search/results-of-search-2/site-details/?PRN=N1209" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" href="https://keystothepast.info/search-records/results-of-search/results-of-search-2/site-details/?PRN=N1209">Link</a><img style="margin-left:2px;" alt="External link" title="External link - shift click to open in new window" src="https://s1.geograph.org.uk/img/external.png" width="10" height="10"/></span>
Lady's Well, Holystone
Lady's Well is a stone water tank of possible Roman date, fed by a natural spring. The well is alongside the Roman road between High Rochester and the River Aln. The stone tank has been completely rebuilt at least once since the Roman period. The well has been a Christian holy site since the medieval period, and may have been the site of early Christian rituals. An alternative name for the well is 'Ninian's Well'. Ninian was the Bishop of Whithorn, in south-west Scotland, from AD500-550. It is possible that Ninian visited Holystone, although we have no evidence for such a visit. There is a legend that Paulinus, an early Christian missionary from Italy, converted 3000 people at the well during Easter AD627. In the medieval period, there was an Augustinian convent at Holystone, which may be where the name 'Lady's Well' comes from. In addition to the tank, a 15th century statue, said to be of Paulinus, was brought to the site from Alnwick in 1780. The statue was moved from the centre of the tank in the 19th century and replaced with a wheel cross. Local tradition says an altar-shaped stone near the well is the 'holy' stone, which gives the local village its name. The Lady's Well is a Scheduled Monument and Grade I Listed Building protected by law. LinkExternal link
Lady's Well, Holystone Lady's Well is a stone water tank of possible Roman date, fed by a natural spring. The well is alongside the Roman road between High Rochester and the River Aln. The stone tank has been completely rebuilt at least once since the Roman period. The well has been a Christian holy site since the medieval period, and may have been the site of early Christian rituals. An alternative name for the well is 'Ninian's Well'. Ninian was the Bishop of Whithorn, in south-west Scotland, from AD500-550. It is possible that Ninian visited Holystone, although we have no evidence for such a visit. There is a legend that Paulinus, an early Christian missionary from Italy, converted 3000 people at the well during Easter AD627. In the medieval period, there was an Augustinian convent at Holystone, which may be where the name 'Lady's Well' comes from. In addition to the tank, a 15th century statue, said to be of Paulinus, was brought to the site from Alnwick in 1780. The statue was moved from the centre of the tank in the 19th century and replaced with a wheel cross. Local tradition says an altar-shaped stone near the well is the 'holy' stone, which gives the local village its name. The Lady's Well is a Scheduled Monument and Grade I Listed Building protected by law. <span class="nowrap"><a title="https://keystothepast.info/search-records/results-of-search/results-of-search-2/site-details/?PRN=N1209" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" href="https://keystothepast.info/search-records/results-of-search/results-of-search-2/site-details/?PRN=N1209">Link</a><img style="margin-left:2px;" alt="External link" title="External link - shift click to open in new window" src="https://s1.geograph.org.uk/img/external.png" width="10" height="10"/></span>
Lady's Well, Holystone
Lady's Well is a stone water tank of possible Roman date, fed by a natural spring. The well is alongside the Roman road between High Rochester and the River Aln. The stone tank has been completely rebuilt at least once since the Roman period. The well has been a Christian holy site since the medieval period, and may have been the site of early Christian rituals. An alternative name for the well is 'Ninian's Well'. Ninian was the Bishop of Whithorn, in south-west Scotland, from AD500-550. It is possible that Ninian visited Holystone, although we have no evidence for such a visit. There is a legend that Paulinus, an early Christian missionary from Italy, converted 3000 people at the well during Easter AD627. In the medieval period, there was an Augustinian convent at Holystone, which may be where the name 'Lady's Well' comes from. In addition to the tank, a 15th century statue, said to be of Paulinus, was brought to the site from Alnwick in 1780. The statue was moved from the centre of the tank in the 19th century and replaced with a wheel cross. Local tradition says an altar-shaped stone near the well is the 'holy' stone, which gives the local village its name. The Lady's Well is a Scheduled Monument and Grade I Listed Building protected by law. LinkExternal link
Lady's Well, Holystone --- CLOSED Due to Storm Arwen damage.
Lady's Well, Holystone --- CLOSED
Due to Storm Arwen damage.
The Church of St Mary The Virgin, Holystone
The Church of St Mary The Virgin, Holystone
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The Five Barrows is located at Grid Ref: NT9502 (Lat: 55.317, Lng: -2.07)

Unitary Authority: Northumberland

Police Authority: Northumbria

What 3 Words

///unearthly.chemistry.assess. Near Rothbury, Northumberland

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Nearby Amenities

Located within 500m of 55.317,-2.07
Holystone
Place: hamlet
Wikidata: Q11710013
Wikipedia: en:Holystone, Northumberland
Lat/Long: 55.3181496/-2.0719374
OpenStreetMap
Google Maps
Post Box
Ref: NE65 86
Lat/Long: 55.3182668/-2.0732959
OpenStreetMap
Google Maps
Post Office
Holystone Village Post Office
Lat/Long: 55.3182226/-2.0733595
OpenStreetMap
Google Maps
The data included in this document is from www.openstreetmap.org. The data is made available under ODbL.
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