Race Down

Also known as:
Monument No. 209377, Tarrant Launceston 1 and Tarrant Launceston I
Nearest town:
Blandford Forum (6km WSW)
OS reference:
ST929089
OS sheet:
195
Latitude:
50° 52' 44.24 N
Longitude:
2° 6' 3.35 W
Added to TMA by

Sites within Race Down

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Images

Image of Race Down (Long Barrow) by formicaant

The east end of the barrow, showing the full width.

Image credit: Mike Rowland 17/10/2007.
formicaant
formicaant Oct 17, 2007

Articles

Race Down

texlahoma
texlahoma Mar 4, 2012

Nothing much to add to directions on getting to this site, follow the post by formicaant below but make sure to take the right hand path after parking up as there are two to choose from. If you take the left hand path you will make it there eventually but only after walking through some of the army base.

Both paths seem to be predominantly used though by dog walkers and not solders, on a Sunday at least. Follow the narrow right hand path, which is quite overgrown and enclosed until it opens out at the sign warning you are now entering MOD land. The path does continue on though and you don’t have to actually go through any security here, I guess it’s just luck whether you run into any patrol or not. The gunfire that could clearly be heard from the base was slightly off putting after just reading the sign but the odd friendly dog walker passing by calmed any nerves.

The long barrow is well enclosed behind barbed wire but looks very well preserved for it. It’s not possible to get very close but you can get a good perspective of it without taking the risk of jumping fences onto MOD land. This is a smaller structure by far than the Pimperne long barrow it’s closest neighbour.

Race Down

formicaant
formicaant Oct 17, 2007

This long barrow is on M.O.D. land, part of Blandford camp, but public footpaths cross the site so access is allowed. I got there via Tarrant Monkton, drive up a dead end track with a turning circle at its end, park and follow the footpath.
The barrow is well worth the effort, its in great condition, this has been an army camp for two hundred years, so agriculture hasn’t harmed it. It has a very wide base, I couldn’t get close enough to see any side ditches.

Miscellaneous

Race Down
Long Barrow
Chance
Chance Apr 2, 2016

Details of Long Barrow on Pastscape

(ST 92940884) Long Barrow (NR). (1) The barrow is situated in the area of military camp and has been fenced around. (2)
(17) LONG BARROW 92950885, on Blandford Race Down. Orientated S.E.-N.W., the mound is parallel-sided, 115 ft. long by 48 ft. wide, and up to 6 ft. high. It may be the one opened in 1840 by J. H. Austen, who found an extended inhumation, probably intrusive, 2 1/2 ft. from the top. (3)
ST 92940884. Long barrow; possibly the one opened by J H Austen and found to contain an extended inhumation, probably of much later date. The barrow mound measures 44 metres long, 18 metres wide and stands up to 1.8 metres high. Scheduling amended. (4)

Miscellaneous

Race Down
Long Barrow
Chance
Chance Apr 2, 2016

(17) Long Barrow (92950885), on Blandford Race Down, lies at over 350 ft. above O.D. on a gentle E. slope, just off the crest of a Chalk ridge. Orientated S.E.-N.W., the mound is parallel-sided, 115 ft. long by 48 ft. wide, and up to 6 ft. high. It may be the one opened in 1840 by J. H. Austen, who found an extended inhumation, probably intrusive, 2½ ft. from the top (C.T.D. Pt. 2, No. 27). (O.S., Map of Neolithic Wessex, No. 157.)

british-history.ac.uk/rchme/dorset/vol4/pp105-107#h3-0005

Sites within 20km of Race Down

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