Waulud's Bank

Infobox Megalith
Name = Waulud's Bank
Photo =
Type = Neolithic Henge
Country = United Kingdom
County = Bedfordshire
Nearest Town = Luton
Nearest Village =
Grid_ref_UK = TL0523
Grid_ref_Ireland =
Coor = coord|51|54|37|N|0|27|30|W|region:GB_type:landmark|display=inline,title
Condition =
Access =
References = Megalithic Portal|0000

Waulud's Bank is a Neolithic Henge in Leagrave, Bedfordshire dating from 3,000BC.

Waulud's Bank earthworks lies on the edge of the Marsh Farm Estate in Leagrave, Luton. The River Lea runs close by, its source located within the vicinity of the surrounding marsh. Archaeological excavations date the site at around 3000 bc, therefore the site probably began its origins in the Neolithic period. The 'D' shape of the site is almost identical to that of Durrington Walls near Avebury, however the Durrington Walls site has an 'A' road cutting it in half and is almost certainly from a later period than the Waulud's Bank site. The site was later re-used in the Iron Age and during the Roman occupation.

The enclosure consists of a bank and external ditch of around 7 hectares with a turf reveted chalk & gravel bank (derived from the ditch material). No entrances or external features are known.

The ditch is 9.2 m wide and 2.1 m deep. Finds include neolithic pottery & flint arrow heads (some are on display at Luton Museum).

The building at the edge of Waulud's Bank was a one time farmhouse called Marsh Farm House, the occupants of which probably owned the area that later became the Marsh Farm Estate.

Myths and Legends

Its interesting to note that the source of the River Lea is at a place now called '5-Springs' to the northwest of Wauluds Bank. According to legend, the Celtic god 'Lug' or 'Lud' or 'Lyg', presided over the springs.

'Lud' is the Celtic god of light, and the name 'Lea' or 'Lee' may be a corruption of this name. The town now known as Luton is named after this river which in itself may be named after the god of light. 'Ton' is an Anglo-Saxon name for a town or large settlement. So therefore Luton could mean 'the town of Lud' the Celtic god of Light.

The English Heritage record claims that Waulud may be a corruption of the name Wayland (the smith) who was a Norse god, also known as Wolund, Weyland, Weland, (see also Waylands Smithy).

The record also mentions that 'some early writers' believed Waulud's Bank to be a place called Lygeanburgh (the similarly sounding Limbury is nearby). This was a settlement supposedly captured by Cuthwulf, (Prince of Wessex) in 571. Though it probably was unrelated in reality.

Rumours have placed Julius Caesar at the source of the River LeaFacts|date=November 2007, and a substantial Roman villa once existed in Bramingham Road which borders Waulud's Bank. Interestingly the site is in close proximity to the Icknield Way and about convert|5|mi|km|0 in distance from Watling Street in Dunstable - also connected with Roman History.