Notgrove Long Barrow, Notgrove, Gloucestershire
Notgrove Long Barrow is a Neolithic chambered tomb. When it was surveyed in 1974, it was approximately 46 metres long, 30 metres wide and a maximum of 1.7 metres high. Excavations were done by G. B. Witts in 1881 and E. M. Clifford in 1934-5. These revealed a dome-shaped chamber within the mound. They found two burials, a man and a young female. The chamber was built and sealed off before the long barrow was built over it. The long barrow had an inner passage that led into an antechamber, which in turn led into four side chambers and an end chamber. The excavations within the passage and chambers found areas of burning, Neolithic pottery, human and animal remains (including the almost complete skeleton of a calf), and flints. There was evidence that the barrow had been robbed and disturbed since at least Roman times. In one chamber, which had not been disturbed, two human skeletons were uncovered beneath a large flat stone. They were accompanied by animal bones and teeth, a leaf arrowhead, and a jet or shale bead. The finds are now held at Cheltenham Museum. The barrow is now grassed-over and the inner passage and chambers can not be accessed in order to protect the monument. The site is now in the care of English Heritage (2010). Find out more.
