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Overhowden Henge is a Bronze Age ceremonial monument located in Berwickshire, Scotland. The site sits upon bedrock of the Gala Group, a wacke formation dating to the Telychian period, which outcrops across much of the Scottish Borders. Like other henges of its type, the monument would originally have comprised a circular or oval earthwork defined by a substantial ditch, with an outer bank and typically one or more entrance gaps. These monuments served ritual and gathering purposes during the Bronze Age, often sited in prominent landscape positions.
The Gala Group bedrock underlying Overhowden consists of sedimentary rocks that would have influenced construction methods and the durability of the earthwork itself. The wacke's resistance to erosion has helped preserve the monument's form across four millennia. The site's survival in Berwickshire reflects the landscape's continuing association with prehistoric ceremonial practice, as henges cluster across the eastern approaches to the Southern Uplands.
Overhowden Henge is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2155, ensuring its preservation and regulating any activities that might disturb its fabric. This designation recognises the monument's significance as an intact Bronze Age ritual site and its contribution to understanding ceremonial landscapes in the Scottish Borders.
Overhowden,henge is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2155. View the official record →
Overhowden Henge is a Bronze Age ceremonial monument located in Berwickshire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2155.
Overhowden,henge dates from the bronze age period, and is classified as a henge. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Overhowden,henge is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM2155.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Bowerhouse,fort 480m NW of (1.3 km), Fort and settlement, Blackchester (2.8 km), Trabrown,settlement 600m SW of (3.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Overhowden,henge's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Overhowden,henge stands on Gala Group, bedrock that formed in the Telychian. The rock here is wacke.