Neolithic sites around Gloucester UK

Around Gloucester UK

Gloucestershire boasts one of the finest concentrations of Early Neolithic monuments in Britain, it is also rich in remains from early settlements including the Iron Age and Roman villages. There are over one hundred burial grounds from the Neolithic era scattered throughout the area.

Hetty Pegler's Tump (or Uley Long Barrow)

A chambered neolithic long barrow 120 feet long, 85 feet at its widest, and 10 feet high at the entrance end. Clearly visible in the photograph here is the great lintel slab which measures over 8 feet by 4.5 feet. The entrance is about 3 feet high. The gallery beyond the entrance is 22 feet long, 3 to 5 feet in width, and 5 feet high. Originally there were two pairs of facing side chambers on the north and south sides, but those on the north have been blocked off since 1821 when the first excavations occurred. The barrow was dug into again in 1854. The gallery continues past the side chambers to form an end chamber at the west end. Its size can be judged by the presence of the author. During the 1821 excavation the remains of 15 skeletons were found, and a later, intrusive Roman burial above the northeast chamber. Located near Dursley on the B4066.

Nympsfield Long Barrow

This is a Neolithic chambered mound 30 metres long. Excavated three times, in 1862, 1937 and 1974, the remains of about 17 individuals, children and adults, were found in the chambers along with pottery and flint artefacts. Located near Dursley on the B4066.

Crickley Hill

Crickley Hill was inhabited intermittently for 4000 years between 3500 BC and 500 AD. The first neolithic village in 3500 BC had 50-100 people living there and they were some of the earliest farmers in the Cotswolds. In 2500 BC a defence wall was built but the settlement ended in violence after a short period. A new village in 700-600 BC had long timber houses and small huts for storing grain. It was defended by a stone wall and external ditch. The people living there in 400 BC had round houses but they were destroyed by burning. A post Roman village in 400-500 AD housed the last permanent occupiers.

Seven Springs

The Source of the River Churn. Located on the A436 between Cheltenham and Gloucester.