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West Kennet Long Barrow

West Kennet Long Barrow

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Sanctuary S
Sanctuary Oct 12, 2011 08:33:53

Two weeks ago in the middle of the really hot and dry spell we had in the south, I visited Avebury and met up with a few friends. Ending with a walk up to the WKLB where I needed to carry out some research and making our way through the usual T lights and into the main eastern chamber I was amazed to see water still running down the orthostat to the right rear of the chamber. There had been no rain for at least 5 days and it was some 80 degrees outside. Where on earth does it come from as the soil level above it is now virtually nil so nowhere for it to collect? I held the flat of my hand against the stone and the water was building up against it like someone had left a tap on!! Even one of the dogs with us was licking water off the stone to get a drink. It was most strange. Any thoughts on this?

S Squid Tempest
Squid Tempest Oct 12, 2011 09:40:19
Replying to Sanctuary

Condensation?

T tomwatts
tomwatts Oct 12, 2011 10:14:04
Replying to Sanctuary

...Any water that seeps into an ancient barrow should percolate down pretty swiftly between the stones.

...At Grianan Of Aileach the restoration was cocked up and mortar used in places to bind the stonework. Water accumulated behind the mortar, froze in winter and expanded, and forced the stones apart, causing collapses.

...Hope it doesn't happen at WKLB.

T tjj
tjj Oct 31, 2011 22:05:51
Replying to Sanctuary

I was over at WKLB today and checked out the wet stone - it wasn't raining today but has been recently so the hot conditions of our late summer didn't apply. The stone was of course still wet and the friend I was with said that it may be partly due to condensation - apparently sarsen sweats and houses built with sarsen are usually damp.

I'll just mention the two groups of activities going on in the short while I was there:
A group of people drumming and laying down rosemary (evidence of incense burning) - they were leaving as we arrived. And a group of school kids ages around ten, with their teacher. They were striking pieces of flint together to make sparks.

G Gwass
Gwass Nov 1, 2011 20:29:52
Replying to Sanctuary

Sanctuary wrote:
Two weeks ago in the middle of the really hot and dry spell we had in the south, I visited Avebury and met up with a few friends. Ending with a walk up to the WKLB where I needed to carry out some research and making our way through the usual T lights and into the main eastern chamber I was amazed to see water still running down the orthostat to the right rear of the chamber. There had been no rain for at least 5 days and it was some 80 degrees outside. Where on earth does it come from as the soil level above it is now virtually nil so nowhere for it to collect? I held the flat of my hand against the stone and the water was building up against it like someone had left a tap on!! Even one of the dogs with us was licking water off the stone to get a drink. It was most strange. Any thoughts on this?
Dog pissing on top of the barrow above?

B bladup
bladup Nov 2, 2011 00:01:10
Replying to Sanctuary

Always thought the stone was placed on a blind spring that is connected to the very nearby swallowhead springs, the ancients seemed fascinated by places that were wet when dry and dry when wet, the gypsy race (stream) near rudston is another example of this, it still gets us asking why/how even now,(it's something to do with where the water goes once underground).

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