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Long Barrow
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2/11/2010
I've seen the Beckhampton or Longstones long barrow many times - as the 49 bus whizzes around the Beckhampton roundabout. It sits approximately at the end of the Beckhampton Avenue, tucked away at the side of Beckhampton training stables.
Today I took myself off for a much needed ramble - the walk went via Yatesbury then up to Windmill Hill. On the final part of the walk we returned to the layby near Beckhampton along a very muddy track which is virtually a continuation of the path down from Windmill Hill. It was an unusual perspective of the Beckhampton Avenue and one I have not experienced before. Strangely, it seemed to bring this lesser known part of Avebury to life - easy to visualise that the Avenue led to the long barrow much in the same way as the West Kennet Avenue leads to the Sanctuary. The other aspect of the landscape that seemed to fall into place was the relationship of Folly Hill (over which now is the road to Beckhampton) to the bigger picture of Avebury. I intitially posted a brief fieldnote which included the paragraph below, however, today walking with a group of ramblers (far to many to be honest) somehow triggered a deeper understanding of the mysteries of Avebury which took a little while to percolate.
Passing the Longstones (Adam & Eve) I got to talking about the Longstones long barrow; someone in the group said that when the Longstones barrow was excavated plough marks were found under it - suggesting the land had been ploughed before the barrow was built. Apparently the oldest known plough marks to be found.
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Posted by tjj
2nd January 2011ce
Edited 3rd January 2011ce
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