Gatcombe Lodge

Visited – well, passed – after a trip to The Longstone of Minchinhampton. Having read the others’ accounts of their visits, I was definitely sticking to a walk-by only, especially when a police helicopter landed in the next field!

The barrow is of a good size and from the SE (seen through the trees) looks pretty intact. It sits in the corner of a field and is surrounded by a fence. From the west (from the footpath) it becomes clear that the barrow has suffered extensive damage through excavation, like the corpse of an animal that’s had its innards eaten but the head and torso have been left intact.

The republican in me wants to point out various things about the age of the barrow compared to the age of the monarchy, etc. but what’s the point?

On, then, to Minchinhampton, The Bulwarks and Whitfield’s Tump.