I found this mysterious site completely by chance when following up some research on stack-stands which led me to the Historic England Research Report Series 74/2024. I took a look on lidar to see if these very low relief features could be seen and my first reaction was one of disbelief as I would probably have put the array of over 170 small circular enclosures down to the traces of cattle ring-feeders. I carefully checked the date of publication but it was 30th April 2024, not April Fools Day, and perfectly serious.
Historic England describe them as 'a unique feature in the landscape of Derbyshire.'
It has also been said that they 'can justifiably be considered one of the archaeological mysteries of Derbyshire'. The mystery remains unsolved.
Historic England Research Record: 307787
3D Lidar Landscape on Sketchfab: https://skfb.ly/pMFyD
Historic England describe them as 'a unique feature in the landscape of Derbyshire.'
It has also been said that they 'can justifiably be considered one of the archaeological mysteries of Derbyshire'. The mystery remains unsolved.
Historic England Research Record: 307787
3D Lidar Landscape on Sketchfab: https://skfb.ly/pMFyD
LIDAR (DSM, 1m) copyright Environment Agency (2022) - enhanced for archaeology.
Survey plan from Historic England report (2024).
Detailed view of part of field north of road.
Detailed view of part of field south of road.
The rings were first recorded by John Lomas, following their initial discovery during a survey of the boundary area between Hartington and Parwich in 1957.
The recent Historic England report of 2024 surveys and describes 173 small ring-shaped enclosures, within two fields, north and south of the Parwich Road. The enclosures are defined by shallow ditches and low external banks. The features measure between 2.9 and 11m in diameter (average between 6-8m). Ditches are 0.8-1.2m wide and only 0.05-0.2m in depth with banks similar in height. Clearly a challenge to visualise on LIDAR. The inner part doesn't appear to be a raised mound although the freely available lidar doesn't have enough resolution to provide an accurate profile.
The recent Historic England report of 2024 surveys and describes 173 small ring-shaped enclosures, within two fields, north and south of the Parwich Road. The enclosures are defined by shallow ditches and low external banks. The features measure between 2.9 and 11m in diameter (average between 6-8m). Ditches are 0.8-1.2m wide and only 0.05-0.2m in depth with banks similar in height. Clearly a challenge to visualise on LIDAR. The inner part doesn't appear to be a raised mound although the freely available lidar doesn't have enough resolution to provide an accurate profile.
The report states that there is 'no confusion between the ring features and ring-feeders for cattle. The latter tend to leave a shallow mound of residual feed, a narrow groove marking the base of the portable cage, and a broad halo of animal trample, but none of these include an encircling ditch or bank'.
Ring-feeders are of relative recent agricultural use (probably since the round bales were invented). A few of the features are overlaid by enclosure-period field walls (dated to 1788) and some from spoil from the lead mining rakes thought to be over 200 years old.
There are more ring features to the north, of very similar appearance on my enhanced lidar, some of them in areas where ring-feeders are placed and seen on contemporary satellite imagery. The area covered by the ring-banks, and the number of them, makes this interpretation unlikely.
Ring-feeders are of relative recent agricultural use (probably since the round bales were invented). A few of the features are overlaid by enclosure-period field walls (dated to 1788) and some from spoil from the lead mining rakes thought to be over 200 years old.
There are more ring features to the north, of very similar appearance on my enhanced lidar, some of them in areas where ring-feeders are placed and seen on contemporary satellite imagery. The area covered by the ring-banks, and the number of them, makes this interpretation unlikely.
Previous surveys of these features in 1958-60 & 1991 suggested a Neolithic or Bronze Age funerary origin but based on little evidence. A few examples have been carefully excavated but no human remains have been found.
Scientific dating evidence (by thermoluminescence) obtained from a single ring sampled in 1999 (as yet unpublished) is said by the HE report to point to medieval or post-medieval construction, but a wider range of samples may be required before such a date could be regarded as conclusive.
This has led to proposed agricultural origin for the ring features such as stack stands (for peat, turf or vegetation), and bee-gardens used to protect individual skeps. The two fields were certainly common moor- or heath-land and limited ploughing has left such low-profile features relatively intact.
Scientific dating evidence (by thermoluminescence) obtained from a single ring sampled in 1999 (as yet unpublished) is said by the HE report to point to medieval or post-medieval construction, but a wider range of samples may be required before such a date could be regarded as conclusive.
This has led to proposed agricultural origin for the ring features such as stack stands (for peat, turf or vegetation), and bee-gardens used to protect individual skeps. The two fields were certainly common moor- or heath-land and limited ploughing has left such low-profile features relatively intact.
In Northumberland we regularly see ditched stack stands of many different shapes and sizes, and they are often found in clusters. However, they are never in numbers such as found here and they certainly never cover such large areas of land.
For more information see the following:
Historic England Research Report Series 74/2024.
David Went and Jackie-Ann Judge (2024).
An Archaeological Survey of the Parwich Rings
Parwich, Derbyshire.
Lomas, J. (1962). A Bronze Age site at Parwich.. The Derbyshire Archaeological Journal 82. Vol 82, pp. 91-99. https://doi.org/10.5284/1066240
Makepeace, GA.& Shimwell, DW (1997). A re-survey of the ringbanks on Parwich Moor and excavation of four ringbanks at Parwich.. The Derbyshire Archaeological Journal 117. Vol 117, pp. 17-25.
https://doi.org/10.5284/1066563
Parwich & Local District History Society Newsletters
Newsletter 14: The Mysterious and Unexplained Parwich Ring Banks and Ditches by Rob Francis (2003).
Newsletter 15: The mystery of the Parwich Rings Solved? – part 2 by Rob Francis (2003).
Historic England Research Report Series 74/2024.
David Went and Jackie-Ann Judge (2024).
An Archaeological Survey of the Parwich Rings
Parwich, Derbyshire.
Lomas, J. (1962). A Bronze Age site at Parwich.. The Derbyshire Archaeological Journal 82. Vol 82, pp. 91-99. https://doi.org/10.5284/1066240
Makepeace, GA.& Shimwell, DW (1997). A re-survey of the ringbanks on Parwich Moor and excavation of four ringbanks at Parwich.. The Derbyshire Archaeological Journal 117. Vol 117, pp. 17-25.
https://doi.org/10.5284/1066563
Parwich & Local District History Society Newsletters
Newsletter 14: The Mysterious and Unexplained Parwich Ring Banks and Ditches by Rob Francis (2003).
Newsletter 15: The mystery of the Parwich Rings Solved? – part 2 by Rob Francis (2003).
Cattle ring-feeders are seen in the upper part of the north field in satellite imagery from Google Earth dated 29/04/2025 and on historic images in 23/04/2021. The available lidar may predate this earlier date. Ring feeders such as these became prominent in modern agriculture following the invention and commercialisation of large round hay and silage balers in the early 1970s.
Cattle ring-feeders and farm tracks serving them in north part of North Field. Google Earth, imagery date 29/04/2025).
There appears to be several more of the small ring features in other parts of the neighbouring area as asserted by Lomas & Makepeace.
LIDAR )DSM, 1m). An indication of more ring features in unsurveyed north-east part of the North Field?
These includes the two reported by the latter author in Alsop Moor Plantation, some 250m west of the south field,
DTM lidar of the plantation locates one of these (and possibly the second, adjacent) at SK 1653 5734. This looks like a ditched enclosure of about 11m diameter although with a mounded central area more like a round cairn or tumulus. Whatever this feature is it looks quite distinct from the lead rake which crosses the plantation to the north.
DTM lidar of the plantation locates one of these (and possibly the second, adjacent) at SK 1653 5734. This looks like a ditched enclosure of about 11m diameter although with a mounded central area more like a round cairn or tumulus. Whatever this feature is it looks quite distinct from the lead rake which crosses the plantation to the north.
LIDAR (DTM, 1m). Alsop Moor Plantation.
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