29 September 2017

Minninglow

Yesterday felt like the very last day of summer. Without a jacket but with my camera  on my shoulder, I set off walking in warm September sunshine. I was on my way to Minninglow.

It is a special hill in Derbyshire limestone country, commanding far-reaching views over the surrounding countryside. However, that is not why it is special. On top of the hill there is much evidence of ancient burial practices dating back seven or eight thousand years to the Neolithic period. Bronze Age activity is also evident. Archaeologists tell us that Minninglow is the location of the largest Bronze Age chambered burial mound in Derbyshire.
Frustratingly, the burial mounds on the hill were probably first raided by Roman soldiers in the second century AD. Later, amateur Victorian investigators may have taken away yet more valuable artefacts. In this sense Minninglow is rather like one of Egypt's pyramids - pillaged before the more respectful modern age came along.

You might be wondering about the name - Minninglow. It's an odd name isn't it? In Derbyshire the place name ending "low" always refers to a hill and usually one that has seen burial activity. "ing" usually indicates a settlement in Anglo Saxon terminology. Consequently it is likely that we should be thinking  about someone called Minn who commanded a small community on the slopes of this sacred hill.
Alone on Minninglow for a few minutes, I rested on the stones, sensing the presence of men and women who had been there thousands of years before. They came to bury the dead and to observe the stars above. With all that we know, we are no better and no wiser than they were. 

All of my pictures show Minninglow.

15 comments:

  1. At first I thought you had developed dyslexia, lol, and it should have read morningglow, sounds like the policeman in the series Allo Allo.
    Seriously though this looks like a wonderful place to sit and comtemplate.
    Briony
    x

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    1. I am sorry to inform you that I did not sit and contemplate Briony!
      Ha-ha! Thanks for calling by again.

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  2. What a curious place. Sounds like a great outing for me and my metal detector! (JUST KIDDING!)

    Seriously, it reminds me a bit of the Tumulus in Hampstead Heath. I liked the information about the origin of the name. England has so many curious names; I always like to hear where they came from.

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    1. I am pleased you found this post interesting Steve.

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  3. A really enjoyable post, great atmosphere.

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  4. I love places like this - and always feel the presence of those who came before. Thanks for sharing this lovely one.

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    1. There's something in the air in places like that - not just in the imagination.

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  5. What a beautiful place for a walk and a think. Like Steve, I always like to hear the origins of English place names because they are so different from what we have here, so I appreciate your explanations. "Minninglow" is an especially nice name, in my opinion. Rolls off the tongue very nicely!

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    1. Maybe it should be the title of a poem.

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  6. I like your comment,I felt the presence of men and women from a long time ago.

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    1. Native North Americans were, I believe, very conscious of their ancestors and the long chain of history.

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  7. A fascinating place for sure, and your description along with the pictures make it all the more atmospheric (or should that be atmospherical?).

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    1. I think atmospheric... I can't say I have ever seen the word atmospherical in print.

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  8. Reminds me of a walk we took a few days ago. We climbed to an ancient hamlet and fort and Paul and Sarah left me there to get the car. There was a strong feeling of history but I really didn't need the wooden carved sign telling me I was walking with the angels of the Templars.

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