Saints and Stones: Belas Knap Long Barrow
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Belas Knap is a restored Severn-Cotswold long barrow that is approximately 178 feet long, nearly 60 feet wide, and almost 14 feet in height.

What appears to be the main entrance to the barrow, with intricate dry-stone walling and large limestone jambs and lintels is, in fact, a false one. The actual burial chambers are down the long east and west sides of the barrow and at its southern foot. There are four burial chambers, two on opposite sides near the middle, one at the southeast angle and one at the south end. These are formed of upright stone slabs linked by dry-stone walling and originally had corbelled roofs.

Severn-Cotswold monuments are distributed along both sides of the Severn River with the highest concentration of cairns being found in Gloucestershire. The Cotswold-Severn group is very heterogeneous, having a wide variety of chamber configurations and their one unifying trait being strict adherence to a trapezoidal mound plan.

About Belas Knap Long Barrow

Megalithic Portal: Belas Knap (Sudeley I)
Modern Antiquarian: Belas Knap
Megalithics: Belas Knap
Wikipedia: Belas Knap
Wikipedia: Long Barrow

Journey to Belas Knap Long Barrow

The Belas Knap Long Barrow is located northeast of the town of Cheltenham in Gloucestershire on a series of minor roads off the A436. Traveling north from the A436, park at the layby on the right just before the junction with Corndean Lane that leads to the village of Winchcombe. Take the path marked Winchcombe Way through the trees to open fields and then south to the site.

Ordnance Survey Map (SP021254)

Visitors Information

Visitors information for the Belas Knap Long Barrow may be found at the English Heritage website. For general tourism information for Gloucestershire, see the Explore Gloucestershire website.

Additional Photos of Belas Knap Long Barrow

Road Sign for Belas Knap Long Barrow
Start of Footpath to Belas Knap
Winchcombe Way Sign at Start of Footpath to Belas Knap
Belas Knap Ancient Monument Sign on Path
Descriptive Sign at Belas Knap
The Horns and False Entrance at the Northern End of Belas Knap
Close-Up of the Horns and False Entrance at the Northern End of Belas Knap
Northeast Chamber of Belas Knap
Looking into the Northeast Chamber of Belas Knap
Interior of Northeast Chamber of Belas Knap
Interior of Northeast Chamber of Belas Knap
Looking Out from the Northeast Chamber of Belas Knap
Southeast Chamber of Belas Knap
Looking into the Southeast Chamber of Belas Knap
Interior of the Southeast Chamber of Belas Knap
Northwest Chamber of Belas Knap
Interior of Northwest Chamber of Belas Knap
Northwest Chamber of Belas Knap
South Chamber
Barrow Wall at Northwest Portion of Belas Knap
Southern End of Belas Knap


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