<< Our Photo Pages >> Wayland's Smithy - Long Barrow in England in Oxfordshire
Submitted by Andy B on Sunday, 09 February 2025 Page Views: 76549
Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Wayland's Smithy Alternative Name: Waylands Smithy; Weyland's SmithyCountry: England County: Oxfordshire Type: Long Barrow
Nearest Town: Swindon Nearest Village: Compton Beauchamp
Map Ref: SU28098539 Landranger Map Number: 174
Latitude: 51.566690N Longitude: 1.596133W
Condition:
| 5 | Perfect |
| 4 | Almost Perfect |
| 3 | Reasonable but with some damage |
| 2 | Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site |
| 1 | Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks |
| 0 | No data. |
| -1 | Completely destroyed |
| 5 | Superb |
| 4 | Good |
| 3 | Ordinary |
| 2 | Not Good |
| 1 | Awful |
| 0 | No data. |
| 5 | Can be driven to, probably with disabled access |
| 4 | Short walk on a footpath |
| 3 | Requiring a bit more of a walk |
| 2 | A long walk |
| 1 | In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find |
| 0 | No data. |
| 5 | co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates |
| 4 | co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map |
| 3 | co-ordinates scaled from a bad map |
| 2 | co-ordinates of the nearest village |
| 1 | co-ordinates of the nearest town |
| 0 | no data |
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External Links:
I have visited· I would like to visit
druid tlcearth Judy6 NickE070812 Bkidd9 43559959 whese001 burtvader trylondm would like to visit
mesolithica visited on 13th Sep 2024 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 3
Couplands visited on 12th Sep 2023 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 3
Hordernm visited on 30th Apr 2023 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 3
aolson visited on 24th Jun 2022 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 3 A must see on our day out from London to Avebury. When we got there there was a grade school outing having lunch on the barrow. It was fun to see the kids playing around on what to them must have just been another field trip, but for us was a (possibly) once in a lifetime visit.
NDM visited on 1st Jun 2022 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 3
GemmaJ visited on 26th Jun 2020 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 3
fibo74 visited on 19th Jan 2020 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4
storm123 visited on 26th Oct 2017 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 3 A beautiful place, had seen it on the tv and wanted to visit it ever since, my dad wanted to come so thought make the day of it, there was a short walk for most people but for disabled was a rather tiring walk but well worth it. the Long barrow is stunning and the surrounding area is just as nice, so quite and peaceful. will definitely be going back when people are not there who allow their children to use it as a climbing frame, and dump rubbish (no respect for the nature or natural beauty of the place)
TwinFlamesKiss visited on 1st Nov 2016 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 5 Easy access from car park along a flat firm smooth path. Awesome in the Autumn.
Jansold visited on 24th Oct 2016 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4
Chrononaut1962 visited on 12th Sep 2016 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 3
Harmudge visited on 1st Jan 2016 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 4
emerald visited on 22nd Dec 2015 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 2 A very interesting burial camber. A long walk require from the National Trust car park (charges apply) , the sign post said 1 1/2 miles but l took a route near the Uffington Horse so it was nearly four miles there on very muddy paths. Great site though, reasonably well sign posted (although l did wonder when l was a mile down the track leading to it and qondered whether l had passed it!) Very clean area, atmospheric but isolated
LittleFaerie visited on 1st Sep 2013 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 3
ModernExplorers visited on 1st Mar 2013 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4 Great long barrow built for hobbits
jeffrep visited on 26th May 2011 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 3
custer visited on 22nd Apr 2011 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4 Fantastic set in woodlands majical feel. Great place to rest and cool down out of the sun on the way to Uffington.
SolarMegalith visited on 26th Feb 2011 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 4
TheWhiteRider visited on 22nd Jun 2010 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 3
SteveC visited on 20th Jun 2010 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 4
woodini254 visited on 27th Sep 2009 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 3 A superb site that can be visited via approx a mile walk along an easy footpath well signposted from Uffington White Horse Car Park. Well worth a visit.
graemefield visited on 20th Jul 2009 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 3
ChrisHealey visited on 20th Jun 2008 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4 Really special location, perfect setting amongst the trees.
Richard13 visited on 1st Jun 2004 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 3 Wayland's Smithy is well preserved Severn-Cotswold long barrow which enjoys a delightful setting amidst a small plantation of trees. The approach along the ridgeway makes for a fine prelude and a visit can also be combined with a visit to Uffington Castle and White Horse. The large stones at the front of the barrow make for an impressive sight, and the chambers in the barrow are also accessible. Wayland's Smithy is well known site so can become busy, so it is worth visiting 'off-season'. However a visit is always rewarding whevener you go.
wildtalents visited on 1st Jul 2002 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 3 Access: 2 Absolutely crawling with visitors on the day we walked along the Ridgway to see this marvellous tomb. If there had been maybe one-third as many kids hooting and yelling as they clambered all over the monument it might have been bearable, but their simian behaviour seemed calculated to annoy. Despite that it was possible to appreciate the tomb for what it is, substantially reconstructed I should think, and to hope for a repeat visit on some colder day outside of the school holidays!
RedKite1985 visited on 1st Jan 1997 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 4
SandyG visited on 21st Jan 1991 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 4
Orcinus visited on 1st Jan 1989 - their rating: Amb: 4
fingland visited on 22nd Sep 1965 - their rating: Cond: 4 I think the date is close to when I first saw it and it was a lot more secluded then, in fact it was a bit more enclosed by trees and undergrowth as I remember gave it a bit of a spooky atmosphere .
I used to visit it on my walks along the Ridgeway at late winter, early spring you never saw many people there in those days.
Jimwithnoname visited - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4
Twistytwirly visited - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 4
NickyD visited - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 3
Lazulilou visited - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 4 Access: 4
BonHolloway visited - their rating: Cond: 4 Access: 3
morgainelefay visited - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 2
mark_a Humbucker DrewParsons MAIGO Bladup coin rldixon nicoladidsbury TimPrevett myf Andy B PhilipT davidmorgan AngieLake TheCaptain JimChampion sirius_b sirius_b cazzyjane StoneLee AnnabelleStar Hengerunner Wazza12 have visited here
Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 4.03 Ambience: 4.45 Access: 3.36
Excavations in the 1960s revealed the barrow was constructed in two phases - a wooden mortuary enclosure with stone floor was later covered by a trapezoidal mound of chalk. Inside there are three chambers, one main one and two to the sides. The long barrow was reconstructed after excavations - pieces of green plastic trellis can be seen protruding from the mound material near the entrance!
Its setting in the beech trees could be very atmospheric, but avoid visiting on a Bank Holiday!
Page originally by Vicky M
In 2019 we reported far-right rituals at Wayland's Smithy and Avebury, more in the comments on our page
Note: New on our page, from the information board, the upper photo shows the site before its reconstruction and the lower photo shows the original barrow
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