Bedfordshire has an ancient heritage that is often overlooked, woven into its chalk hills, river valleys and roadways. With evidence of settlements dating back to the Neolithic period, people shaped and honoured the land here through causewayed enclosures and henges such as Waulud’s Bank, burial mounds like the Five Knolls barrows, and early farming landscapes which has softened by time. The Chiltern escarpment preserves traces of Iron Age hillforts and linear earthworks, including Maiden Bower and Sharpenhoe, positioned on high ground overlooking ancient routes such as the Icknield Way, one of Britain’s oldest roads. Rivers and springs, including the beginnings of the River Lea and chalk springs like Barton Springs, are anchored settlement and ritual life, linking water, fertility, and movement through the landscape. Later Roman, Saxon, and medieval layers, such as mottes, moats, and churches, often reused or overlaid earlier sacred places, creating a tapestry of belief and continuity. Together, these sites reveal Bedfordshire not as an empty hinterland, but as a deeply inhabited ritual and agricultural landscape, shaped by thousands of years of human relationship with land, water, and sky.

Visitor Tips

  • These are archaeological and natural sites, avoid disturbing earthworks, barrows, or vegetation; leave offerings only where permitted and environmentally safe.
  • Many of these sites are open countryside or on public footpaths. Check access rights and parking before you go. Some earthworks (like Stratton Moat) might not be freely open but can be viewed respectfully from nearby access points.
  • Walk at quiet times (dawn/sunset) for more contemplative experiences.
  • For water-related sites like Barton Springs, be respectful of wildlife and avoid disturbing sensitive habitats.

Prehistoric & Ancient Earthworks

Five Knolls Barrow Cemetery (Dunstable Downs) * A cluster of late Neolithic/Bronze Age burial mounds on chalk downland, one of Bedfordshire’s few visible prehistoric ceremonial burial sites. CPRE Bedfordshire

Maiden Bower Hillfort (near Dunstable) * Iron Age hillfort enclosing older Neolithic causewayed enclosure features, rich with layered ancestral activity. Wikipedia

Sharpenhoe Clappers & Sundon Hills * Part of the Chilterns Iron Age promontory fort and archaeological earthworks, set in wild chalk grassland. Wikipedia

Galley Hillfort (Sandy) * An Iron Age fort site commanding views; earthwork banks remain visible in places. CPRE Bedfordshire

Bronze Age Barrows & Round Mounds (various locations) * There are scattered Bronze Age burial mounds outside Leighton-Linslade, on Streatley, and near Dunstable, often visible as low rounded earthworks. Central Bedfordshire Council

Dray’s Ditches (Streatley) *An Iron Age linear earthwork stretching through the landscape, worth visiting for historic ambiance. Central Bedfordshire Council

Historic Earthworks, Castles & Medieval Sites

Thurleigh Castle (Bury Hills) * A medieval motte-and-bailey castle site with impressive earthwork remains of an old defensive mound. Wikipedia

Totternhoe Castle & Knolls * Medieval motte and bailey earthworks above chalk valleys (note: public access varies). Central Bedfordshire Council

Conger Hill (Toddington) * Earthwork remains of a medieval motte in the countryside. Central Bedfordshire Council

Tilsworth Manor & Warren Knoll * Site of a medieval moat and a motte (earth mound) with ancient landscape interest. Central Bedfordshire Council

Stratton Park Moated Enclosure (Biggleswade) * Remains of a medieval moat and associated earthworks, a quiet historic spot to explore. Wikipedia

Historic Moats & Earthworks Nearby * Other small, moated sites and deserted medieval settlement traces at Eaton Bray, Hockliffe, Barton/Faldo Farm and others are recognised as scheduled ancient monuments (not all are easy to visit). Central Bedfordshire Council

Ancient Landscapes & Woodland

Hanger Wood (Stagsden) * An ancient semi-natural woodland with deep historical roots and ancient boundaries. Wikipedia

Odell Great Wood & Other Ancient Woods * While not strictly prehistoric earthworks, ancient woodlands like Odell Great Wood are rich in natural spiritual ambiance and biodiversity, perfect for seasonal rituals and quiet connection with nature.

Knocking Hoe & Totternhoe Chalk Grasslands * Wild chalk grassland landscapes with a deep relationship to the ancient geology and ecosystem of the Chilterns, ideal for mindful walking or seasonal observance.

Barton Springs (Barton-le-Clay) * A spring on the edge of Barton Hills National Nature Reserve, marking the start of a chalk stream amid rolling chalk grassland and woodland. The area is rich in wildflowers (like pasque flowers) and seasonal wildlife, with footpaths that make it perfect for contemplative walks and rituals connected to water, renewal, and the land. The springs and hills are open access and are especially atmospheric at dawn or dusk. MapQuest+1