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West Tump

Long Barrow

Miscellaneous

This barrow was 'discovered' by G B Witts in 1880, and he excavated it the same year.
http://archive.org/stream/transactionsbris05bris#page/200/mode/2up

He noted that the south east end curved in slightly forming the horns characteristic of the Severn-Cotswold longbarrows. It was also surrounded
by a dry stone wall. The `horns' stood to a height of approximately 1m and between them were two upright stones forming a false doorway. There was no chamber at the south east end, but it was found 25m from the southern `horn'. Here there was an entrance through the wall 0.6m wide. A passage 2m long led to the chamber, which contained about 20 skeletons. One of the skeletons, that of a young woman, was placed at the end of the chamber on a semi-circle of flat stones, and the remains of a baby were nearby.

By 1920 the surrounding wall had all but disappeared, though you can see something of it still. The remains of the `horns' are now just a depression, and there's a great big dip in the top where the excavation took place.

The barrow lies in Buckle Wood, so it might be a bit camouflaged today - but I think at 150 feet long you might spot it.

(info from the scheduled monument record and James Dyer's 'Cotswolds and Upper Thames' regional archaeology booklet)
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
6th November 2003ce
Edited 17th July 2012ce

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