Nympsfield Long Barrow

Nympsfield Long Barrow is the remains of a Neolithic burial site or barrow, located close to the village of Nympsfield in Gloucestershire, South West England.

It lies at the edge of a woods, and is now the location of a picnic site. It is one of the earliest examples of a barrow with separate chambers. It was constructed around 2800 BCE.

It is a Scheduled Monument (number 22857) in the guardianship of English Heritage.

Many of the finds from excavations at this site are now in the Gloucester City Museum.

Nympsfield Long Barrow is sited to the southeast of the B4066 road, around 6 miles (10 km) southwest of Stroud, and approximately 14 miles (23 km) west of Cirencester within Coaley Peak Country Park. The tumulus is no longer visible. In common with other barrows in the area it lies on the edge of a scarp of Jurassic oolitic (egg stone) limestone.

The barrow is 27 by 18 metres in size and overall trapezoidal in shape. There is evidence of curving walls behind the east entrance, which leads into a square forecourt area, opening onto a central passage. Three chambers lead off this passage, two larger chambers to either side and one small one to the end, divided off by constricting stones to restrict access. A small part of the north chamber was separated off to form a cist. The long axis of the barrow is orientated in a southeast to northwest direction.

The barrow has been excavated on three separate occasions, in 1862 by Buckman with the Cotteswold Naturalist's Field Club, in 1937 by E. M. Clifford and in 1974 by A. Saville. Twenty three bodies were discovered within the site. The remains of cremated children were placed in a separate cist. It was noted that the majority had common medical problems including infections in the mouth and gums, and abscesses. It is believed that, following interment, the bodies were left for a predetermined length of time, before a specific event took place, where the tomb was sealed over permanently.Haematite was found in the mound, possibly used as face-paint to make the dead appear alive.

...
Wikipedia