‘Visited’ 13.8.11
Saw these 2 Barrows marked on the O/S map and an entry on Megalithic.
I also found an entry in the excellent Prehistoric England book by Nicholas Thomas – Page 125. Thomas states that 4 burials were found here containing adults, a child and even a dog! Thomas gives one of the Barrow’s dimensions as 110 ft x 45ft.
Given this information I was keen to pay a visit.
However, things don’t always go according to plan!
What I should have done is enquired at Eyford Hill Farm to ask for permission to visit the Barrows (I assume they own the land?). Instead I opted for a ‘sneak’ visit from the minor road to the north.
I crossed over the drystone wall and electric fence and made my way uphill. Then up and over a wooden fence (and another electric fence) and eventually I was just about able to make out the Barrow marked on the O/S map slightly north of the Long Barrows (SP143258). This is now no more than a very low ploughed out mound which has a fence running across the top of it. I would say approximately 0.5 metres high x 20 metres across.
I then started to look for the Long Barrows. I never felt comfortable during this ‘sneak’ visit. The land is very open and I am sure I could have been spotted from far off. I could see the farm house in the distance. There was also a tarmac road running across the fields which I was afraid someone would come driving along at any time.
To make matters worse I became quite disorientated and I was unable to work out which way I should be heading – it all looks so easy when looking on the map!
Given what I had seen elsewhere in the vicinity today I imagine that the Barrows are no more than small ploughed out mounds? I certainly didn’t see anything obvious although as I said I may have been looking in the wrong place!
The nerves got the better of me and I headed back to the car.
As I was heading back across the fields 3 bi-planes flew overhead – now, that’s something you don’t see every day!
All in all there is nothing that I saw that would merit a visit unless of course the Long Barrows are in a reasonable condition?
(Best ask at the farm first!)
