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According to Nicholas Thomas (A guide to Prehistoric Britain) Fairy's Toot measured 150 x 76 ft with a max. height of 40 ft in the 18th C. He explains it thus "it covered an elaborate tomb consisting of a passage, perhaps entered through a port-hole, with at least three pairs of side chambers". And according to Jacquetta Hawkes book, its "ruin" was described in the Gentlemans Magazine in the late 18th c, apparently it was road builders. The magazine lamented the loss of the skeletons found in the "catacombs". Woe betide a longbarrow if it happens to find itself by a road about to be constructed....

It all depends on who's present. It was only because of road builders that Newgrange was found. The little bump on the top of the ridge seems a good source of rocks to crush. Fortunately they dug into the front and came across the carved entrance stone before any real damage was done. The main man stopped the robbing immediately. It may not have been known today if they hadn't stumbled across it.

Many others weren't so fortunate though ...