David, as an Englishman who now lives abroad and who has a deep interest in this area, I just wanted to say how much I appreciate your posts here.
It's possibly the only thing that I really miss about leaving England: walking along the Ridgeway and feeling close to our ancestors. I used to go fishing on the River Avon, just near the Durrington Circle, so I often took the opportunity to visit sites around Stonehenge and up towards Avebury.
Here in Greece, I live not far from Theopetra (a cave with a wall across the entrance which is said to be the oldest known construction by hominids) and overlooking Sesklo, which I've seen described as the longest continually inhabited settlement in the Mediterranean basin, going back to about 9,000 BCE. But…great as those places are, they are still not quite the same as barrows in the chalk uplands of SW Britain.
So, thanks for this post in particular, and I look forward to the book.
I think round barrows might be my favourite type of prehistoric structure too! I love being a passenger in the car and shouting "barrows!" On the journey down into Dorset. There are some at Petersfield Heath in Hampshire that are rather unexpected being in amongst the trees and gorse but quite spectacular too. I was very fond of going to Hetty Pegler’s Tump in Gloucestershire when I was little, we would take a torch and crawl in.. I didn’t know Twmp was Welsh but that makes sense overlooking the Severn valley, although Hetty Pegler’s is a long barrow, it just seems round!
Lovely post - we found Lambourn Seven Barrows a few decades ago by accident, mesmerised by the spot, wild flowers, insects and a fabulous peaceful ambience. Decades before that my first experience of barrows when I was eight or nine not far away at Aldbourne Four Barrows, later used in Dr Who in The Daemons! Keep up the good work👍
Great piece David, I share your love for these barrows. A little different down here in the West, with many barrows placed on the cliff edge, but again, it seems they serve as navigational markers for those at sea. It may also be that those in the prominent cliff sites have just been better able to survive the harrow and plough.
Well, some of the most prominent clifftop barrows have disappeared in my lifetime - including the one on Golden Cap. But a few beauties survive: on Nibe Barrows Down; above Lulworth Cove; and on Swyre Head.
Great article. I am fortunate to live just a few miles from the Farway Hill Barrow Complex which is so enigmatic. Barrows have always fascinated me, their locations have an amazing atmosphere.
I actually included a pic of that Farway barrow in the previous edit of this piece, but swapped it out. It sits on a triple watershed, where the streams flow into three different seas.
The Isle of Wight, my home for 20 years, has a lovely chalk 'spine' running east to west, which has a whole series of barrows, as well as some on the gravel rise at Headon Warren. I've often thought, standing on them that they create an old map of relationships between parts of the Island - a way of seeing the landscape very differently than our modern custom - which does offer a fascinating insight into our ancient neighbours.
Indeed - interestingly, the barrow sequence continues on Purbeck with the Nine Barrows Down series of mounds - I didn't know about those on the IoW - had seen them on maps but they didn't look prominent enough to bother photographing. I may take a closer look!
Thank you for your wonderful posts and photos. I'm an American with a compelling urge to see every inch of the UK, and I don't always know why. But Jolyon's comment below says it: feeling close to our ancestors, to prehistory.
David, as an Englishman who now lives abroad and who has a deep interest in this area, I just wanted to say how much I appreciate your posts here.
It's possibly the only thing that I really miss about leaving England: walking along the Ridgeway and feeling close to our ancestors. I used to go fishing on the River Avon, just near the Durrington Circle, so I often took the opportunity to visit sites around Stonehenge and up towards Avebury.
Here in Greece, I live not far from Theopetra (a cave with a wall across the entrance which is said to be the oldest known construction by hominids) and overlooking Sesklo, which I've seen described as the longest continually inhabited settlement in the Mediterranean basin, going back to about 9,000 BCE. But…great as those places are, they are still not quite the same as barrows in the chalk uplands of SW Britain.
So, thanks for this post in particular, and I look forward to the book.
Best wishes
Jolyon
Thanks Jolyon - with you there. I actually wonder if I could survive living in this crowded isle without its prehistoric sites!
I think round barrows might be my favourite type of prehistoric structure too! I love being a passenger in the car and shouting "barrows!" On the journey down into Dorset. There are some at Petersfield Heath in Hampshire that are rather unexpected being in amongst the trees and gorse but quite spectacular too. I was very fond of going to Hetty Pegler’s Tump in Gloucestershire when I was little, we would take a torch and crawl in.. I didn’t know Twmp was Welsh but that makes sense overlooking the Severn valley, although Hetty Pegler’s is a long barrow, it just seems round!
Lovely post - we found Lambourn Seven Barrows a few decades ago by accident, mesmerised by the spot, wild flowers, insects and a fabulous peaceful ambience. Decades before that my first experience of barrows when I was eight or nine not far away at Aldbourne Four Barrows, later used in Dr Who in The Daemons! Keep up the good work👍
David, Wonderful article!
Great piece David, I share your love for these barrows. A little different down here in the West, with many barrows placed on the cliff edge, but again, it seems they serve as navigational markers for those at sea. It may also be that those in the prominent cliff sites have just been better able to survive the harrow and plough.
Well, some of the most prominent clifftop barrows have disappeared in my lifetime - including the one on Golden Cap. But a few beauties survive: on Nibe Barrows Down; above Lulworth Cove; and on Swyre Head.
Great article. I am fortunate to live just a few miles from the Farway Hill Barrow Complex which is so enigmatic. Barrows have always fascinated me, their locations have an amazing atmosphere.
I actually included a pic of that Farway barrow in the previous edit of this piece, but swapped it out. It sits on a triple watershed, where the streams flow into three different seas.
No, I didn't know that. I have never heard of a triple watershed. I will look into it, thank you
Did you know that Farway Barrow sits on a 'triple watershed'?
Just beautiful to see your pictures and read your stories
Thank you Pamela
The Isle of Wight, my home for 20 years, has a lovely chalk 'spine' running east to west, which has a whole series of barrows, as well as some on the gravel rise at Headon Warren. I've often thought, standing on them that they create an old map of relationships between parts of the Island - a way of seeing the landscape very differently than our modern custom - which does offer a fascinating insight into our ancient neighbours.
Indeed - interestingly, the barrow sequence continues on Purbeck with the Nine Barrows Down series of mounds - I didn't know about those on the IoW - had seen them on maps but they didn't look prominent enough to bother photographing. I may take a closer look!
Thanks for this list and your thoughts on locations.
thanks Rachel
Stunning!
Three Barrows on Dartmoor was a frequent walking route for me when I lived in the UK. I agree these sites have a compelling atmosphere.
I was there recently - walked from Iivybridge up to White Barrow and beyond - described in a previous post.
Thank you for your wonderful posts and photos. I'm an American with a compelling urge to see every inch of the UK, and I don't always know why. But Jolyon's comment below says it: feeling close to our ancestors, to prehistory.