West Kennet Long Barrow by munki-boy
West Kennet Long Barrow
West Kennet Long Barrow is a Neolithic burial mound dating back about 5,500 years. It is one of the largest and best-preserved examples of a chambered tomb in southern England.# West Kennet Long Barrow Entrance The West Kennet Long Barrow was built about 1,000 years before Silbury Hill. It was constructed from local sarsen stone and limestone, and topped with chalk dug from two side ditches which have now silted up.# Inside West Kennet Long Barrow Inside West Kennet Long Barrow there are five burial chambers which were constructed at the eastern end of the monument. It is possible that the western end of the mound may have been added at a later date and largely constructed of chalk and sarsen rubble.
Tea-lights and wildflowers have been placed inside the barrow - a practice that is fairly common in recent times, which raises dissaproval from some people but although it may be misguided as we can’t possible know the intention of the original creators of the barrow, it is a practice that shows people in modern times have respect for the site. It may also give clues to the interpretation of stages of use for such structures in the past at various times throughout history, for we may not be the first people to do such things. # West Kennet Long Barrow Burial Chambers Excavations have revealed that the West Kennet Long Barrow was used as a communal tomb - at least 46 people were buried here over a 1,000 year period.
The chambers contained the remains of a cross section of the community, men and women, and from the very-young to the elderly. Few complete skeletons were found intact and it appears that bones were rearranged, or sometimes removed altogether, probably as ritual practices.
Analysis of the human bones has shown thai arthritis and toothache were common complaints in Neolithic times.
About 4,000 years ago, the tomb was deliberately filled in and the entrance blocked.# West Kennet Long Barrow Modern Skylight and Cap In 1859 John Thurnam excavated the western chamber and central passage. He was apparently unaware of the existence of the other chambers, which were not excavated until 1955 by Stuart Piggot and Richard Atkinson.
A modern concrete cap now forms the roof of the West Kennet Long Barrow and a small skylight allows some illumination of the interior.
West Kennet Long Barrow is in North Wessex Downs AONB, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Created: 27 November 2016 Edited: 29 November 2023
West Kennet Long Barrow
West Kennet Long Barrow LiDAR Map
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0
Local History around West Kennet Long Barrow
There are some historic monuments around including:
Saucer barrow on North DownBowl barrow 1km north-east of Avebury and 70m north of Green StreetFour earthwork enclosures on All Cannings DownBowl barrow 375m east of Wick Bottom BarnBowl barrow 950m SSW of Beckhampton Plantation, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Horton DownPenning bell barrow 600m east of Avebury Down BarnBowl barrow 150m north of the Alton White HorseBell barrow on Easton DownTwo bowl barrows 320m south-east of Little LondonPair of bowl barrows on West Down, 550m east of Witch PlantationRemains of `Falkner's Circle', a Neolithic stone circle 180m east of the West Kennet AvenueGroup of small enclosures on Horton Down, 910m north east of Easton Down long barrowBowl barrow 900m south west of the junction of the Ridgeway and Green Street, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Avebury DownPair of bowl barrows situated on the south east of Bishop's Cannings DownSilbury Hill: a monumental Neolithic mound west of the River Kennet and south of Avebury villageAvebury henge and stone circlesBowl barrow 640m south west of Beckhampton Buildings forming part of a round barrow cemetery on North DownBowl barrow 50m south-east of the `Sanctuary' forming part of the Overton Hill round barrow cemetery.Bell barrow 660m south east of Beckhampton Buildings, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Horton DownGreen Bank bowl barrow, 230m east of the Avebury henge monumentBowl barrow 630m north east of Wick Bottom BarnBarrow on Avebury Down, S of track from AveburyShrunken medieval village site E of Avebury TrusloeWansdyke: section from S of Furze Hill to Marlborough-Pewsey roadEarthwork enclosure on Milk HillBowl barrow 750m south west of Beckhampton Buildings forming part of a round barrow cemetery on North DownFour round barrows 740m east of Kitchen Barrow, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on All Cannings DownBowl barrow 230m west of The Grange, BeckhamptonA henge, four Bronze Age barrows and part of a Roman road 500m south west of Fox CovertWest Kennett Farm palisaded enclosuresLong barrow and abutting bowl barrow 700m WSW of Beckhampton Buildings, forming the focus of a barrow cemetery on North DownSaucer barrow 620m north of New Barn: Part of a barrow cemetery on Monkton DownBarrow S of WansdykeTwo saucer barrows and a pair of bowl barrows 750m SSW of Beckhampton Plantation, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Horton DownPrehistoric to post-medieval settlement, cultivation, industrial and funerary remains on Fyfield, Overton and Manton DownsSaucer barrow 250m east of Windmill Hill: part of the Windmill Hill round barrow cemeteryGrange Stables bell barrowThree bell barrows and a pillow mound 400m south-west of Knap CottageBowl barrow on Calstone Down, 500m south of Witch PlantationRound barrow cemetery and part of a field system 200m south of Beckhampton PenningStone circleSix bowl barrows 560m north of New Barn: part of a barrow cemetery on Monkton DownPair of round barrows and section of linear earthwork NE of the gallops on West DownBowl barrow 500m west of The RowGrange bowl barrow 130m north west of The Grange Stables bell barrow, BeckhamptonRound barrow forming part of the Fox Covert round barrow cemetery on West DownSite of an oval stone circle and part of an adjacent field system 700m SW of West Kennet long barrow.Bowl barrow forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Allington DownIron Age enclosure on Overton Hill, 600m north west of North FarmMedieval settlement remains immediately west of The VicarageWest Kennet Avenue and an earthwork bank east of West Kennett FarmThe Sanctuary, Overton HillEnclosed Iron Age farmstead 450m south of Down Barn on Bishop's Cannings DownGroup of six round barrows forming part of a Bronze Age cemetery 400m north-east of West Kennett FarmLong Stones long barrow 150m north of Beckhampton HouseAdam's Grave: a long barrow on Walker's HillBowl barrow immediately west of the Ridgeway, 400m north east of its junction with Green StreetEast Kennett long barrow, 600m south of East Kennett churchBowl barrow 400m west of Cooks PlantationBowl barrow 500m north-west of Berwick Bassett ClumpKnap Hill camp near Alton PriorsDitch W of Tanhill FairEarthwork enclosure N of WansdykeBowl barrow forming part of a Bronze Age cemetery 400m north-east of West Kennett Farm on Overton HillWick Down Farm earthworkBowl barrow east of the Ridgeway forming part of the Overton Hill Bronze Age round barrow cemetery.Bell barrow situated between Bishop's Cannings Down and Easton DownLangdean stone circleBowl barrow forming part of a linear round barrow cemetery on Allington DownEarthwork NW of New Town FarmBowl barrow 870m ESE of New Barn on Monkton DownTwo bowl barrows 670m south east of Beckhampton Buildings, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Horton DownBowl barrow 50m north east of East Kennett long barrow forming part of a cemeteryTen barrows forming part of Fox Covert round barrow cemetery, West Down.Bowl barrow 1km west of Tan HillHorslip long barrow, 450m north-west of Horslip Bridge.Pair of round barrows forming part of the Bronze Age round barrow cemetery 400m north-east of West Kennett FarmBowl barrow 610m south east of Beckhampton Buildings, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Horton DownBowl barrow 800m south-east of Tanhill PenningBowl barrow 200m east of Windmill Hill: part of the Windmill Hill round barrow cemetery.Pair of Bronze Age bowl barrows 200m WSW of Beckhampton Buildings forming part of a barrow cemetery situated on North DownThree Roman burial mounds, a Bronze Age bowl barrow, a pagan Saxon inhumation cemetery and a short length of Roman road on Overton Hill.Harepit Way linear boundaryBowl barrow 350m north-east of White Horse PlantationDevil's Den long barrow, 600m east of White AcreBowl barrow forming part of a linear round barrow cemetery on Allington DownPair of bowl barrows forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Allington DownRichardson medieval settlementThree bowl barrows 600m south-west of Knap CottageAvebury Long Stones 380m east of The Grange Stables, BeckhamptonBowl barrow 190m north east of Nolands Farm, YatesburyEarthwork enclosure 950m SSE of Manor FarmBell barrow 75m west of Red ShoreBowl barrow in The Belt, 350m north east of Hill BarnBowl barrow 200m north of East Kennett long barrow forming part of a cemeteryRound barrow cemetery 400m south of Avebury henge monument on Waden HillBowl barrow 770m south west of the junction of the Ridgeway and Green Street, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Avebury DownGroup of four round barrows 500m south-east of Avebury Down Barn, forming part of a Bronze Age round barrow cemetery on Avebury DownSharpridge field systemSquare enclosure 350m north of Wansdyke on Bishop's Cannings DownBowl barrow 300m south-east of Walker's PlantationBowl barrow 300m south of Fox Covert forming part of the Fox Covert round barrow cemetery on West DownBowl barrow forming part of a round barrow cemetery 120m north of the Devizes to Beckhampton road on North DownTwo bell barrows and a bowl barrow forming part of a round barrow cemetery adjacent to the Devizes to Beckhampton road on North DownFour bowl barrows forming part of a cemetery 270m east of long barrow on Roughridge HillBell barrow forming part of a round barrow cemetery 400m north-east of West Kennett Farm on Overton HillWest Kennet bell barrow, 160m north-west of West Kennet long barrowField system 275yds (250m) N of Field BarnEnclosure on Horton DownBowl barrow situated 60m west of Beckhampton Buildings forming part of a round barrow cemetery on North DownBowl barrow 650m ESE of New Barn, between Avebury Down and Monkton DownBowl barrow 200m east of East Kennett long barrow forming part of a barrow cemeteryEarthwork W of New Town FarmBowl barrow forming part of a round barrow cemetery situated 120m NNW of Down Barn on North DownTwo enclosures on Winterbourne DownWest Kennet long barrow, 800m south-east of Silbury HillBowl barrow 750m south-east of Windmill HillPair of round barrows 200m SSE of Windmill Hill: part of the Windmill Hill round barrow cemetery.Bell barrow forming part of a round barrow cemetery on North DownBowl barrow 800m north-east of Hackpen BarnSection of the WansdykeBell barrow 350m south-west of Barbury BarnEarthwork enclosure on Allington DownSharpridge earthworksPair of bowl barrows 150m north of the Wansdyke on All Cannings DownSouth Street long barrow, 70m south east of the Long StonesRybury campBowl barrow 700m south-east of Windmill HillBell barrow 600m west of Beckhampton BuildingsLinear barrow cemetery on Hackpen HillGroup of barrows on Draycott HillGroup of four round barrows 300m north west of the junction between the Ridgeway and Green Street on Avebury DownSection of Roman Road 560m north east of Beckhampton BuildingsA causewayed enclosure, the core of a round barrow cemetery, part of a prehistoric field system and an associated mortuary enclosure on Windmill HillSwanborough TumpThree confluent round barrows 580m west of the Ridgeway, forming part of a Bronze Age round barrow cemetery on Avebury DownBowl barrow on Kitchen Barrow HillSection of Wansdyke and associated monuments from east of The Firs to the eastern side of Tan HillKitchen Barrow: a long barrow on Kitchen Barrow HillGroup of five round barrows north-east of the Sanctuary: part of the Overton Hill round barrow cemetery.Long barrow on Horton DownTwo bowl barrows 400m south of Tanhill PenningField system E of Kitchen Barrow HillEarth Burgh (or Eorth Burh) NW of New Town FarmBowl barrow 40m north west of East Kennett long barrow forming part of a cemeteryGroup of round barrows on Rough HillBell barrow 300m south-east of Avebury Down Barn forming part of a Bronze Age round barrow cemetery on Avebury DownAll Cannings Cross, an Early Iron Age settlement siteThree Bronze Age barrows 200m NNW of Down Barn forming part of a barrow cemetery situated on North DownBowl barrow 800m south of Hemp KnollBowl barrow 900m SSE of Green BankBowl barrow 70m north of Green Street and east of the Avebury henge monumentBowl barrow 130m SSW of Beckhampton Buildings forming part of a barrow cemetery situated on North DownLinear round barrow cemetery 200m ENE of West Kennett long barrowBowl barrow 200m south of Green Street and 1100m east of the Avebury henge monument, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Avebury DownBowl barrow 200m south of Windmill Hill: part of the Windmill Hill round barrow cemeteryBowl barrow 750m east of New BarnPreshute Down field systemPair of round barrows 400m west of the Ridgeway, forming part of a round barrow cemetery situated on Avebury DownBowl barrow 750m south-west of Manor Farm: part of the Windmill Hill round barrow cemeterySaucer barrow 600m west of Beckhampton BuildingsThree sections of a linear earthwork south west of New BarnBowl barrow 50m south of The Sanctuary on Overton Hill, forming part of the Seven Barrow Hill round barrow cemeteryBowl barrow forming part of a cemetery 800m east of Kitchen BarrowPair of Bronze Age bowl barrows 400m south west of Beckhampton Buildings, forming part of a cemetery on North DownWinterbourne Bassett moundPair of bowl barrows 650m south west of Beckhampton Buildings, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on North DownBowl barrow 120m west of East Kennett long barrow forming part of a cemeteryLong barrow on Easton DownTwo round barrows W of New Town FarmBeckhampton round barrow cemetery 150m north east of the `Waggon and Horses'.
