Visited this site whilst on a quick tour round the Rockbourne/Martin Long Barrows. Its access hasn't improved since jimit's notes. I ended up pushing my way through the brambles/ivy and found the barrow itself very ill defined. There were some very barky dogs on Tenantry Farm but they ran away as we walked passed.
When Hampshire Treasures describe this as "overgrown" they're not joking! The site of the barrow is easily seen from the road as it is crowned by Yew trees.Closer to, it seems to be surrounded by a very overgrown hedge but after struggling through this it becomes apparent that it is Ivy clad scrub growing on the outside and partly down the very well defined ditches. The barrow itself is the shortest "Long" barrow I've seen and has a very dumpy appearance, however its actual outline is difficult to determine as the Yews are falling over, re-layering and/or rotting and there are huge mounds of fresh chalk everywhere caused by active badger setts. The ditches are heavily weed infested and a winter visit left me picking burrs out of my clothes for some time.
What does one do about a site like this? Clear it of the untidy scrub and dead trees and restore it to some of the majesty it had when first constructed or leave it to gently decay and remain the undoubted wild-life sanctuary it surely has become?
Disabled: Parking on small verge just off the road. Walk up-hill on very deeply rutted track (Much used by off-roaders while I was there), locked farm gate, ploughed field, many brambles and much scrub and uneven ground.
The fantastic ‘Hampshire Treasures’ resource gives the following info – “Duck's Nest Long barrow - SU 105 204 - north east of Down Farm. Thickly overgrown, therefore accurate measurements difficult; about 47 m long and 29 m wide. Deep ditch on west side and a shallower one on the east. Scheduled Ancient Monument no.27”
A fantastic name for an overgrown long barrow - it's also known as 'Duke's Rest' locally. Sited conspicuously on an eminence of Rockbourne Down, it's intervisible with Grans Barrow, Knap Barrow, and a longbarrow on Little Toyd Down. There is also a group of round barrows half a mile to the north. To the northwest there are traces of an Iron Age settlement and 'Celtic' fields - an area full of interest!
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