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Big Tree Long Barrow

Long Barrow

<b>Big Tree Long Barrow</b>Posted by hamishImage © Mike Murray
Also known as:
  • Buckland Down
  • Madbarrow
  • Modbury

Nearest Town:Radstock (5km WNW)
OS Ref (GB):   ST727517 / Sheet: 183
Latitude:51° 15' 47.69" N
Longitude:   2° 23' 28.73" W

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<b>Big Tree Long Barrow</b>Posted by hamish <b>Big Tree Long Barrow</b>Posted by hamish

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Details of Long Barrow on Pastscape

The remains of a long barrow, possibly chambered. A fragment of human bone has been found.
[ST 72735173] LONG BARROW [G.T.]. (1) Skinner was informed that three upright stones placed in the form of a triangle, and about as high as the Murtry stones (c.10 ft. ST75 SE 5) were removed from the barrow and broken up for road metalling sometime before this visit in 1819. The barrow appears to be orientated almost due north-south. The southern end has been overlaid by the cause-way of a modern road and the northern part survives as a quite well defined mound 0.8m. high. Recent ploughing shows the mound to be composed of earth with a few small stones. Resurveyed at 1:2500. (2) A fragmennt of human tibia has been recovered from the surface of this barrow. (3) ST 7272 5175: Big Tree, Buckland down, listed as a long barrow. Visited by LV Grinsell 29-Aug-1964. W part arable, E part grass. Site is named from an elm which stood in it until c.1960. The mound now resembles a round barrow but the S end may have been removed when the A362 was made (4) 'Big tree' previously known as 'Madbarrow' or 'Modbury', mentioned by John Strachey, 1730. (5)(6)
Chance Posted by Chance
20th January 2014ce

Hamish - I found this on the barrow at the Somerset Historic Environment Record:

"The site is named "Big Tree" from an elm which stood on it until c1960. The mound now resembles a [round?] barrow, but the S end may have been removed when the A362 was made."

Strachey records the barrow as "Modbarow" in his 1737 map, and (spelling obviously not of great importance to him) said "Madborough on Buckland Down is a large round tumulus.. At Madbarrow the Sherriffs Turn* is still kept which shows it a place of remark". Strachey did not mention any stones (as you'd imagine he would if he'd seen them).

*the Sherrif's turn, I believe, was like a county court. But outdoors.

Skinner, however, who visited in 1825, was told that three upright stones had once been there. He was also told that burials had been found.
..I have before noticed in my journals that a large tumulus on Buckland Down had three stele or upright stones placed so as to form a triangle; they were, as my informant said, who assisted in breaking the stones for the road[!], as high as a man on horseback, that is about the height of that under our present consideration at Orchardley (Orchardleigh).
(Quote from PSASv67, info also from website link below).

I also read a recentish bit of folklore connected with the site - from Proc Som Arch Soc 87, from 1941. The 'Big Tree' was blown down during a severe gale [rather knocking the 'c1960' date on the head] "and after a lapse of several years is still lying as it fell untouched.. 'It has not been removed' the writer was recently informed, 'because it is on a burial place'." We can only speculate whether this was the actual or presumed reason for the tree not being removed.

More on the finds at
http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?layer=smr&PRN=23165
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
23rd April 2005ce
Edited 17th August 2005ce