United Kingdom

Five Wells

Neolithic chambered tomb in the Derbyshire Peak District

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Historical Context

About

Five Wells is a Neolithic chambered tomb between the villages of Chelmorton and Taddington on Taddington Moor in the Derbyshire Peak District in England. The tomb is a protected scheduled ancient monument. Three stones mark the main chamber, which has been dramatically reduced; a second less well-preserved chamber is to the west. The burial mound is over 20 metres (66 ft) in diameter and was first excavated by the local archaeologist Thomas Bateman in 1846. The chambers have paved floors. Bateman discovered the remains of at least twelve human skeletons. Subsequent excavations (by Llewellyn Jewitt, William Lukis and Micah Salt between 1862 and 1901) found further human remains, pottery and flint tools in the chambers and passages and a separate cist (stone coffin) within the mound. Access can be made on foot via a permitted path from Pillwell Gate to the west. Access along the permitted path can also be made from the Limestone Way long-distance footpath, which runs along Sough Lane 500 metres (550 yd) to the east.

Paleolithic
Mesolithic
Neolithic
Chalcolithic
Bronze Age
Iron Age
Classical Period
Post-Classical Period
Early Modern Period
Industrial Period
Contemporary Period
Temporal Epochs

Historical Timeline

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First excavation

1846

Later excavations

1862–1901

Classification

Archaeological Features

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category

Burial and Funerary Structures

TombsGravesDolmens
category

Environmental and Natural Features

Artificial Mounds
category

Transportation and Communication Structures

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Reference

Details

Country

United Kingdom

Coordinates

53.24° N, -1.82° E