Belas Knap Long Barrow

Belas Knap is a well-preserved chambered long barrow located just below the crest of a ridge in Gloucestershire, offering commanding panoramic views of the surrounding Cotswold landscape. Dating back to the Neolithic period, this ancient burial site is a striking example of the early architectural and ceremonial practices of Britain’s prehistoric communities. The long barrow’s impressive trapezoidal mound, constructed with dry-stone walling, measures 70 metres in length, up to 26 metres in width, and rises to a height of approximately 3 metres, making it one of the most visually imposing monuments of its kind in the region.

One of Belas Knap’s most distinctive features is its “false entrance” at the northern end. This feature, comprising two upright stones topped with a lintel, creates the illusion of an entryway into the barrow but does not lead to any internal passage. Instead, it is thought to have been designed for ceremonial or symbolic purposes, perhaps serving to evoke the presence of an entrance while highlighting the site’s role as a place of ritual and reverence. Excavations revealed that the false entrance concealed the remains of six individuals, including five infants, which were likely interred during the Early Bronze Age, long after the barrow’s initial construction.

The long barrow contains four burial chambers situated at different points within the mound—south-east, north-east, west, and south. These chambers, constructed with limestone slabs and dry-stone walling, were each accessed via separate entrances along the sides of the mound. The chambers housed numerous human remains, reflecting the barrow’s function as a collective burial site. Excavations between 1863 and 1928 revealed a total of 39 interments, including men, women, and children. Artefacts such as animal bones and flint tools were also uncovered, providing insights into the cultural and ritual practices of Neolithic communities.

Flanking the mound are ditches, now infilled but still detectable as buried features, from which material was quarried for the barrow’s construction. Nearby, a Bronze Age bowl barrow lies 80 metres to the south-west, and the two monuments are intervisible, hinting at the continuity of this ridge’s significance as a ritual and burial site over millennia.

Belas Knap underwent restoration by the Ministry of Works between 1929 and 1931, ensuring its preservation as a historical and educational site. Today, it is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and remains a place of intrigue and contemplation, drawing visitors who marvel at its craftsmanship and the mysteries of its ancient builders. Surrounded by the tranquil beauty of the Cotswolds, Belas Knap stands as a testament to the ingenuity and spiritual depth of early human societies.

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

Created: 27  November  2016  Edited: 12  February  2025