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Long Barrow
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How could I resist adding a site with a name like this? But technically there won't be much to see. Before it was ruined it was probably as beautiful as Stoney Littleton, and had at least three pairs of sidechambers. I've seen it mentioned elsewhere, but I came across something about it in the library, in the Proceedings of the Bath Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club (vol 3 for 1877).
It was 150ft north to south, and 76ft east to west. The chambers were closed by a perforated stone 13ft north of the entrance (I suppose this means it was kind of 'horned' like Stoney Littleton - also it's interesting that the stone was perforated). It had large slabs infilled by dry stone walling inside, and a drystone wall outside with the earth mound above it. "The waywarden wanted stones for the road, and so found the chambers... A limekiln has been built on the site and the stones..burned into lime; also a fold-yard constructed at another point, and the stones used for walling! A very small portion still remains.."
"Such monuments.. are destroyed through ignorance of their true value, and the use which may be made of them. The spots of land on which they stand not unfrequently fall into the possession of persons quite unable to comprehend their value or importance, and for the sake of a little temporary gain a record of past ages is ruined irretrievably!"
I suppose there may also be stones left in any walls to the field? Otherwise the site rather serves as a reminder as what could have happened to similar barrows like Hetty Pegler's Tump and Stoney Littleton if they hadn't been brought under the wing of local Antiquarian societies, and the last paragraph of the quote above is probably as true now as it was then.
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Posted by Rhiannon
10th February 2003ce
Edited 4th January 2005ce
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