[visited jan 2011] This is a weird melange of an earthwork added to by the somewhat surreal landscape immediately behind it of what’s left of eldon hill. The focus seems however to be to the west and south as that is where the landscape opens up.
According to the HER this is a bronze age round barrow on top of a neolithic long barrow. Both are obvious upon inspection, the long barrow very denuded, the round barrow somewhat damaged presumably by excavations in the 18th and 19th century. Without guidance though this could be a round barrow simply spread out in one direction. The round barrow is large and I saw a few larger stones poking through on top, presumably from the two cists which were found in the 19th century.
The barrows themselves seem similar to the injected barrows at various henges about the land including the one at Arbor Low. A new religion interposing itself onto the old perhaps.
Access is over a stile, through a gate and easily accessibly from the nearest road along a muddy track/footpath.
What a curious place, J. Can there even be another example anywhere else in the country?
Long low, a bit further south in the peaks, is two round barrows (neolithic and bronze age) joined together with a bank... Not the same but just as odd. And I know of two or three chambered round barrows turned long in the neolithic in the cotswolds.
But no, not like this.
Not 3 miles away is the barrow at the Bullring; an oval barrow overlaid with a Bowl barrow...
themodernantiquarian.com/site/4683/bull_ring.html
Well that's very interesting. It's one thing reusing a barrow but plonking a new one on top is a bit rude really. Your pair joined with a bank sounds particularly good.
How absolutely fascinating, the mind boggles... :-)
I should have remembered before, but Gib Hill near Arbor Low is another example of a round barrow overlying an older long barrow. Apparently there is a 3rd example in the peaks, I'm sure I'll happen upon it. (unless the book I am reading means the bullring barrow.)
The White Rake long barrow on Longstone Edge/Moor is also an example of a later Bronze Age barrow built onto a Neollithic long barrow.