
📷 Photo by don cload · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Just outside Bentham, Crippet's Wood holds a collection of Bronze Age round barrows scattered across the woodland floor.
These earth mounds are burial sites from thousands of years ago, when people lived across this part of the Cotswolds. Walking among them gives you a genuine sense of connection to those early communities, even if little remains known about their individual stories.
What makes the site particularly compelling is how different periods have layered their mark on the same ground. Beyond the Bronze Age burials, there's evidence of Roman activity here too, suggesting the location held significance long after those first mounds were raised. You're essentially moving through time as you walk, from prehistoric burial practices right through to the Roman occupation.
It's straightforward to explore on foot—a gentle woodland walk combined with real archaeological interest. There's nothing elaborate about the site; you're simply wandering through trees and encountering these ancient features as they exist naturally in the landscape. The quiet atmosphere makes it easier to stop and contemplate the span of human history represented here.
The location works well as a stop during a wider day exploring the region, sitting within easy reach of Cheltenham and Gloucester. Whether you're a keen archaeologist or simply interested in understanding how long people have occupied this part of England, most visitors find it genuinely rewarding to spend time here.
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Photos

I. S · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons