The eastern chamber, looking northeast.
Remains of the west chamber on the right.
This site is the remains
of a circular chambered
cairn that originally had 2 back to back opposing limestone chambers facing
east and west and each probably entered by a passage through a now vanished mound.
The eastern chamber is well preserved and consists of a pair of upright portal
stones about 1.5 metres tall behind which are a pair of large slabs about 2 metres
in length and a smaller backstone - the covering slab capstone
from the top of the chamber is now gone. Inside, the chamber is about 1 metre
wide. The western chamber is in a very poor state, with only the collapsed portals
(one of which appears to be broken) visible, the other stones have either buried
or have been removed. Most of the cairn
mound that would have covered both of these chambers (believed to have had a diameter
of about 15 metres) and a possible outer kerb of stones is said to have been carried
away for wall building about 200 years ago and the site was subject to the usual
enthusiastic but damaging investigations by several 19th century antiquarians
who between them discovered the remains of about 17 sets of human bones as well
as animal teeth, pottery, flint
arrowheads and a flint knife.
As can be seen from the photograph top left, the site has fine views to the north across the Wye Valley and Chee Dale towards the hills beyond (indeed it is said to be the highest barrow in the Peak District standing at 425 metres above sea level) and this location and the views must have been significant to it's Neolithic builders.
As can be seen from the photograph top left, the site has fine views to the north across the Wye Valley and Chee Dale towards the hills beyond (indeed it is said to be the highest barrow in the Peak District standing at 425 metres above sea level) and this location and the views must have been significant to it's Neolithic builders.