The Stoney Littleton Long Barrow (also known as the Bath Tumulus and the Wellow Tumulus) is a Neolithic chambered tomb with multiple burial chambers, located near the village of Wellow in the English county of Somerset. It is an example of the Cotswold-Severn Group and was scheduled as an ancient monument in 1882. It was one of the initial monuments included when the Ancient Monuments Protection Act 1882 became law.[1]
Stoney Littleton Long Barrow
The entrance to Stoney Littleton Long Barrow in 2015
The chambered long barrow was built around 3500 BC. Excavations in the early 19th century uncovered bones from several individuals. The stone structure is about 30 metres (98 ft) in length and contains a 12.8 metres (42 ft) long gallery with three pairs of side chambers and an end chamber.
The barrow is approximately 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) south west of the village of Wellow. It is on a limestone ridge overlooking Wellow Brook approximately 200 metres (660 ft) to the north and west of the barrow.[2] It is surrounded by a rectangular grass area accessed via a stile and footpath from a car park at Stoney Littleton Farm.[3]
The tomb was first opened around 1760 by a local farmer to obtain stone for road building.[5][6] The site was excavated by John Skinner and Richard Hoare in 1816-17, along with a labourer Zebedee Weston,[7] who gained the entry through the hole which was made previously.[4] The excavation revealed the bones (some burned) of several individuals.[5] The mound was restored in 1858 by Thomas Joliffe.[2] Some of the artefacts from the excavations are in the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.[3]
It was scheduled as an ancient monument in 1882.[8] Since 1884 the Stoney Littleton Long Barrow has been in state care,[8] and is now managed by English Heritage who have provided an information board at the site.[5] Further conservation work and a geophysical survey were carried out in 1999 and 2000 by the Cotswold Archaeological Trust.[2]
It is about 30 metres (98 ft) in length and 15 metres (49 ft) wide at the south-east end, it stands nearly 3 metres (10 ft) high.[8] Internally it consists of a 12.8 metres (42 ft) long gallery with three pairs of side chambers and an end chamber.[4] The passage and entrance are roughly aligned towards the midwinter sunrise.[11] The roof is made of overlapping stones.[12] There is a fossil ammonite impression decorating the left-hand doorjamb.[13][14]
Unusually, the barrow is not situated on flat ground and "looks as though it is sliding down the side of a hill."[3]
Gallery
The entrance
The impression of an ammonite at the entrance to the barrow
The chamber
Curved back
The entrance
The back end
Disfigured plaque
The interior
References
^Fry, Sebastian. (PDF). English Heritage. p. 46. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 February 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
^ abcdHistoric England. "Stoney Littleton Long Barrow (203075)". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 20 January 2015.
^ abcdDarvill, Timothy. "Stoney Littleton Long Barrow, Wellow, Bath and North East Somerset". Digital Digging. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
^ abc. Bath and North East Somerset Council. Archived from the original on 2 March 2008. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
^ abcde"History and Research: Stoney Littleton Long Barrow". English Heritage. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
^Maclean, John (1980). "Description of the Chambered Tumuli of Uley and Mympsfield". Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society. V: 108–111.
^"The Reverend John Skinner. Amateur archaeologist and vicar of Camerton between 1800 and 1839". The Heritage Journal. 3 August 2010. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
^Dunn, Richard (2004). Nempnett Thrubwell:Barrows, Names and Manors. Nempnett Books. pp. 33–62. ISBN0-9548614-0-X.
^Scott, Shane (1995). The hidden places of Somerset. Aldermaston: Travel Publishing Ltd. p. 16. ISBN1-902007-01-8.
^Lewis, Jodie (2008). "The Long Barrows and Long Mounds of West Mendip" (PDF). Proceedings of the Bristol Spelaeological Society. 24 (3): 187–206.
^Carter, Katy (2004). Heritage Unlocked: Guide to free sites in Devon, Dorset and Somerset. English Heritage. pp. 84–85. ISBN978-1850748755.
^"Stoney Littleton". Stone circles. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
^Darvill, Timothy (2010). "Megaliths, Monuments, and Materiality". Paper of the European Megalithic Studies Group: 8.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Stoney Littleton Long Barrow.
"Stoney Littleton Long Barrow". English Heritage. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
QuickTime Virtual Reality Video
August 23, 2023
stoney, littleton, long, barrow, also, known, bath, tumulus, wellow, tumulus, neolithic, chambered, tomb, with, multiple, burial, chambers, located, near, village, wellow, english, county, somerset, example, cotswold, severn, group, scheduled, ancient, monumen. The Stoney Littleton Long Barrow also known as the Bath Tumulus and the Wellow Tumulus is a Neolithic chambered tomb with multiple burial chambers located near the village of Wellow in the English county of Somerset It is an example of the Cotswold Severn Group and was scheduled as an ancient monument in 1882 It was one of the initial monuments included when the Ancient Monuments Protection Act 1882 became law 1 Stoney Littleton Long BarrowThe entrance to Stoney Littleton Long Barrow in 2015Shown within SomersetAlternative nameBath Tumulus and Wellow TumulusLocationnear WellowRegionSomerset EnglandCoordinates51 18 48 N 2 22 54 W 51 31335 N 2 38168 W 51 31335 2 38168TypeChambered long barrowHistoryPeriodsNeolithicSite notesConditionintactPublic accessyesThe chambered long barrow was built around 3500 BC Excavations in the early 19th century uncovered bones from several individuals The stone structure is about 30 metres 98 ft in length and contains a 12 8 metres 42 ft long gallery with three pairs of side chambers and an end chamber Contents 1 Location and access 2 History 3 Description 4 Gallery 5 References 6 External linksLocation and access EditThe barrow is approximately 1 5 kilometres 0 93 mi south west of the village of Wellow It is on a limestone ridge overlooking Wellow Brook approximately 200 metres 660 ft to the north and west of the barrow 2 It is surrounded by a rectangular grass area accessed via a stile and footpath from a car park at Stoney Littleton Farm 3 History EditChambered long barrows were constructed during the Neolithic between 4000 and 2500 BC for the ritual inhumation of the dead 4 Stoney Littleton Long Barrow was probably constructed around 3500 BC 5 The tomb was first opened around 1760 by a local farmer to obtain stone for road building 5 6 The site was excavated by John Skinner and Richard Hoare in 1816 17 along with a labourer Zebedee Weston 7 who gained the entry through the hole which was made previously 4 The excavation revealed the bones some burned of several individuals 5 The mound was restored in 1858 by Thomas Joliffe 2 Some of the artefacts from the excavations are in the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery 3 It was scheduled as an ancient monument in 1882 8 Since 1884 the Stoney Littleton Long Barrow has been in state care 8 and is now managed by English Heritage who have provided an information board at the site 5 Further conservation work and a geophysical survey were carried out in 1999 and 2000 by the Cotswold Archaeological Trust 2 Description EditSevern Cotswold tombs consist of precisely built long trapezoid earth mounds covering a burial chamber 9 The Stoney Littleton Long Barrow stands on a limestone ridge overlooking Wellow Brook and the village of Wellow 10 It is constructed from stone including Blue Lias and Forest Marble quarried within an 8 kilometres 5 0 mi radius 2 3 5 It is about 30 metres 98 ft in length and 15 metres 49 ft wide at the south east end it stands nearly 3 metres 10 ft high 8 Internally it consists of a 12 8 metres 42 ft long gallery with three pairs of side chambers and an end chamber 4 The passage and entrance are roughly aligned towards the midwinter sunrise 11 The roof is made of overlapping stones 12 There is a fossil ammonite impression decorating the left hand doorjamb 13 14 Unusually the barrow is not situated on flat ground and looks as though it is sliding down the side of a hill 3 Gallery Edit The entrance The impression of an ammonite at the entrance to the barrow The chamber Curved back The entrance The back end Disfigured plaque The interiorReferences Edit Fry Sebastian A History of the National Heritage Collection Volume One 1881 1900 PDF English Heritage p 46 Archived from the original PDF on 15 February 2015 Retrieved 15 February 2015 a b c d Historic England Stoney Littleton Long Barrow 203075 Research records formerly PastScape Retrieved 20 January 2015 a b c d Darvill Timothy Stoney Littleton Long Barrow Wellow Bath and North East Somerset Digital Digging Retrieved 20 January 2015 a b c Stoney Littleton Long Barrow Department of the Environment Guide Book 1982 Bath and North East Somerset Council Archived from the original on 2 March 2008 Retrieved 20 January 2015 a b c d e History and Research Stoney Littleton Long Barrow English Heritage Retrieved 20 January 2015 Maclean John 1980 Description of the Chambered Tumuli of Uley and Mympsfield Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society V 108 111 The Reverend John Skinner Amateur archaeologist and vicar of Camerton between 1800 and 1839 The Heritage Journal 3 August 2010 Retrieved 21 July 2018 a b c Historic England Stoney Littleton long barrow 1007910 National Heritage List for England Retrieved 22 October 2014 Dunn Richard 2004 Nempnett Thrubwell Barrows Names and Manors Nempnett Books pp 33 62 ISBN 0 9548614 0 X Scott Shane 1995 The hidden places of Somerset Aldermaston Travel Publishing Ltd p 16 ISBN 1 902007 01 8 Lewis Jodie 2008 The Long Barrows and Long Mounds of West Mendip PDF Proceedings of the Bristol Spelaeological Society 24 3 187 206 Carter Katy 2004 Heritage Unlocked Guide to free sites in Devon Dorset and Somerset English Heritage pp 84 85 ISBN 978 1850748755 Stoney Littleton Stone circles Retrieved 20 January 2015 Darvill Timothy 2010 Megaliths Monuments and Materiality Paper of the European Megalithic Studies Group 8 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Stoney Littleton Long Barrow Stoney Littleton Long Barrow English Heritage Retrieved 9 August 2017 QuickTime Virtual Reality Video Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Stoney Littleton Long Barrow amp oldid 1129632903, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
