As Dickie says this barrow has been very seriously damaged in the past. Happily the current land owner seems to value it, as they have taken the time, effort and expense to fence it off. This is a very peaceful place to be, I had it completely to myself, and saw a young fox playing in the lane which leads to it.
From the barrow, to the south west Bokerley Dyke can be seen clearly, with its barrows and the parts of Grim's Ditch associated with it.
I parked in a small layby a couple of hundred yards into the village and walked up the road into Long Barrow lane, it's a flat walk and I spent about half an hour at the barrow. Worth a visit if you get the chance.
This barrow is well presented now despite its obvious previous mutilation. Parking is tempting in the Martin Social club but unfriendly signs made us park on the verge instead. At the end of the lane next to Long Barrow House the barrow is neatly fenced off and seemingly protected. The damage has already been done though and it now has a strange crescent shape. The roots of some old trees almost give the impression of sarsens and it feels a bit like some of the Dorset stones sites such as Hell Stone or Grey Mare & Her Colts. Weird. Nice situ though with good views.
(SU 06382060) A much mutilated and overgrown mound which is probably a long barrow since the track leading up to it from the south is known locally as 'Longbarrow Lane'. It is from 37 to 40 metres in length, 9m. wide, 1.0m. in height on the N side and about 2.0m. in height on the S side. It is orientated approx. NW-SE.
A boundary hedge runs along the top of the mound which is considerably overgrown with trees. Much mutilated, it now has no very regular shape. Any vestige of a ditch has been expunged on the S side by a trackway and on the N side by cultivation.
The barrow at the end of Long Barrow Lane was a familiar object to open field farmers in the Middle Ages, who described the furlongs in its vicinity by their position in relation to it, eg above, below beyond or at Long Barrow (b). Four trackways or paths converge upon it, and it was a point on the boundary demarcating the tithings of West and East Martin.
The remains described in Authy 1 are extremely vague and fragmentary, but the evidence in Authy 2, the place-name etc and general topo position of the mound strongly suggests this to be the remains of a long barrow.
In the absence of any other name I can find I’ve given it this name. The fantastic ‘Hampshire Treasures’ resource gives the following info – “Long Barrow Lane. Very mutilated, no regular shape. Varies from 37 m. to 40 m. long and is approximately 9 m. wide. Much overgrown. O.S.A. No. SU02 SE23.”
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