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| Meditators on the mound |
In 2016 I spent a marvellous weekend in Wiltshire with my
sister and her friend. The three of us were looking forward to a couple of days
without the children and some social and spiritual replenishment. We found
both, as well as plenty of exercise. We were off to burial sites and stone
circles nestled amidst rolling countryside and open skies. Before we’d barely
unpacked our bags at the guest house (after mentioning we were there to see
Avebury and Stonehenge), the owner asked us if we were going to see West Kennet
Longbarrow. Apparently, it was only ‘over the hill’ from where we were staying.
We dutifully dropped our bags in our rooms and headed straight back out with
the idea that it would build us up to walking around Avebury. It did indeed!
West Kennet Longbarrow is “one of the largest, most impressive and most accessible Neolithic
chambered tombs in Britain” [English Heritage] dating from 3,000-2,600BC.
That is certainly true, for as we drove round a curve in the road Silbury Hill
leapt into view, which is opposite the barrow. We dashed into a layby and
parked. Access seemed to be through a stile and into a field planted with a
cereal crop. After a steep climb through the field we reached the brow of the
hill and the barrow was before us. It stands 10.5 feet high, 82 feet wide and
328 feet long! It would originally have been a real eye-catching landmark covered
in bare chalk, but today it’s turfed over and the side ditches almost filled in
by generations of ploughing. Inside, four burial chambers would have held
cremations and partial remains of at least 46 male and female deceased of
varying ages. Grave goods of pottery, beads, stone implements and a dagger have
been found.
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| windswept author at the entrance stone |
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| detail of thistle growing in a notch in the entrance stone |
The entrance is guarded by a massive Saracen stone, filled
with curious holes. I assumed these were either used for poles when moving the
stone, or were perhaps holes made for offerings, for minute objects persisted
in some here, as well as at Avebury stone circle. I am immensely
claustrophobic, but with assistance from my two companions, I managed to enter
the tomb and walk a few metres into the cool, dark interior. Contrary to what I
imagined I might feel, it was intensely calm and restful. Back outside, the
view is amazing. You can turn in any direction and see other burial mounds on
the landscape, as well as the striking Silbury Hill, which was our next
conquest...
FACTS: COURTESY OF ENGLISH HERITAGE WEBSITE [link]
E S MOXON has had a lifelong passion for history
and writing. A childhood filled with family visits to ancient burial sites and
stone circles fuelled her imagination. Inspired by classic medieval tales and
Norse sagas, Elaine imagined herself inhabiting these Dark Ages and exploring
the landscapes in her mind and continues to do so through her novels. The first
in her ‘Wolf Spear Saga’ series is ‘WULFSUNA’ and books two and three will be
out soon. When not lost in pages of the past, she lives in the Midlands with
her family and their chocolate Labrador.
Blood, betrayal and brotherhood.
They come to
honour a Warrior-Lord’s dream,
An ancient saga
weaving their destiny,
But a
treacherous rival threatens their fate.
The Wolf Sons
are coming.
WULFSUNA
