Notgrove Long Barrow by munki-boy

Notgrove Long Barrow

The long barrow at Notgrove is a chambered tomb dating to the Neolithic period or New Stone Age. The barrow is located on a ridge below the Cotswold Hills.

Notgrove is famously but erroneously described by Jones in the film Raiders of the Lost Ark, which is said to have made this rather disappointing monument more popular than it otherwise would have been.

Notgrove Long Barrow is a roughly trapezoidal mound orientated on an east-west axis. Constructed from small stones with dimensions of 50 metres from east to west and 26 metres from north to south and a height of around 1.5 metres.

The long barrow was partially excavated in 1881 by Witts and later by E.M. Clifford in 1934 to 35. Although causing much damage relative to modern methods the excavations revealed a dry stone revetment and a forecourt of 15 metres by 8 metres on the eastern side.

The long barrow at Notgrove is a chambered tomb dating to the Neolithic period or New Stone Age. The barrow is located on a ridge below the Cotswold Hills.

Notgrove is famously but erroneously described by Jones in the film Raiders of the Lost Ark, which is said to have made this rather disappointing monument more popular than it otherwise would have been.

Notgrove Long Barrow is a roughly trapezoidal mound orientated on an east-west axis. Constructed from small stones with dimensions of 50 metres from east to west and 26 metres from north to south and a height of around 1.5 metres.

The long barrow was partially excavated in 1881 by Witts and later by E.M. Clifford in 1934 to 35. Although causing much damage relative to modern methods the excavations revealed a dry stone revetment and a forecourt of 15 metres by 8 metres on the eastern side. A dome-shaped chamber, from an early part of the mound construction was discovered within the mound with an enlosed cist containing the remains of an adult male.

An entrance on the eastern side of the mound was found to lead to a passage around 12 metres in length and also aligned East to West. An amulet, pottery and bone implement were found within the passage wich led on to six chambers in total which contained skeletal remains. Access to the inner-chamber had been blocked during the late Neolithic.

The prehistoric finds from the excavations at the Notgrove Long Barrow are held at Cheltenham Museum.

The mound was backfilled in 1976 to protect the barrow from vandalism.

Notgrove Long Barrow is in Cotswolds AONB, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Created: 31  July  2021  Edited: 29  November  2023

The Backfilled area of Notgrove Long Barrow
Damaged Section of Notgrove Long Barrow
Top of Notgrove Long Barrow

Notgrove Long Barrow

Notgrove Long Barrow LiDAR Map

A LiDAR Map showing the area around Notgrove Long Barrow

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0

Local History around Notgrove Long Barrow

There are some historic monuments around including:

Long barrow 400m north-east of Chalk Hill CottageFour bowl barrows 850m south east of Bemborough Farm; forming part of the Bemborough Farm round barrow cemeteryBell barrow 650m north west of Lots BarnBowl barrow 990m south east of Bemborough Farm: part of the Bemborough Farm round barrow cemeteryFive bowl barrows 300m north of Chalk Hill Cottage; part of the Cow Common round barrow cemeterySummerhill prehistoric siteTwo bowl barrows known as Hawling Downs round barrows, 610m north east of Slade Barn FarmRound barrow 300m west of Church FarmBowl barrow, known as Bauble's Barrow, 500m south of Empshill FarmBowl barrow known as `Salter's Pool round barrow' 850m east of SummerhillBowl barrow, known as Norbury Camp round barrow, 220m south east of FosseleighSalperton campHazleton long barrows, north and southBowl barrow 100m north-east of Slatepit CoppiceNorbury campRound barrow N of Chedworth Roman villaCamp S of Bespidge Wood, near SudeleyTwo bowl barrows 260m north of Chalk Hill Cottage; part of the Cow Common round barrow cemeteryChurchyard cross in St George's churchyardBowl barrow 900m south east of Bemborough Farm; part of the Bemborough Farm round barrow cemeteryLong barrow 500m SSE of Guiting Hill FarmRound barrow W of Salperton ParkBowl barrow in Guiting WoodSocket stone at Turkdean ManorNotgrove long barrowBarrow Hill long barrow and round barrowNew Court Ground Roman villa (S of new buildings)Two bowl barrows 740m south west of Southdown FarmRound barrow 250m south east of Greenfield Hill BarnCompton Abdale Roman villaBowl barrow 500m south-east of Swell Wold FarmBowl barrow 760m south of Roel FarmTwo bowl barrows 450m north-east of Chalk Hill Cottage; part of the Cow Common round barrow cemeteryBowl barrow 690m south west of Roel FarmEarthwork N of Lyne's BarnDeserted medieval farmstead and associated earthworks 300m north west of Chalkhill FarmLower Harford medieval settlementSettlement siteBowl barrow 310m SSW of Pinnock Wood FarmThe socket stone and part of the shaft of a churchyard cross in St Bartholomew's churchyardBowl barrow 180m WNW of Nosehill FarmMedieval and later settlement remains and associated fields at HawlingPinnock and Hyde round barrows (NE of Pinnock)Turkdean Roman Villa.

The Salt and Pepper Pots

Brett Gregory is an award-winning filmmaker based in Bolton whose production company, Serious Feather, is currently making a documentary about autism and poetry.

As a part of this production, Landscape Britain was asked to advise with regards to the location of specific areas of outstanding natural beauty throughout the region.

Visit www.seriousfeather.com for further information.

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Notgrove Long Barrow map

Notgrove Long Barrow UK Map