Just outside the village of Uley lies a window into Gloucestershire’s Neolithic past. The monument is known locally as Hetty Pegler’s Tump, so named after the 17th century owners of the land at the time the burial mound was rediscovered and excavated.
The atmosphere of the site is palpable on the short approach from the roadside and despite significant damage to the structure over time, it remains one of the best examples of a Neolithic burial chamber in the region and one of the few you can step or rather crawl inside.
The site is also known as the Uley Long Barrow but is more accurately described as a transepted gallery grave consisting of small chambers leading off a main passage, although only three of these remain accessible today.
The burial mound dates to around 3800 BC and is of similar construction to other Cotswold-Severn barrows. Its hilltop setting towers above the Severn Vale with clear views across to the Forest of Dean and beyond.
Long barrows became more common as nomadic populations started to settle and cultivate the land. Given so many are in prominent positions in the landscape, it is possible they were used to mark territory as much as they were for burial and ritual.
Today, Hetty Pegler’s Tump seems a suitable place for quiet contemplation and the many offerings present at the site suggest people continue to practice personal rituals here, drawing new meanings from this ancient monument.
Visiting Information
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/uley-long-barrow-hetty-peglers-tump/
It is possible to walk along a footpath from the nearby Coaley Peak car park, where you can also visit the Nymphsfield Long Barrow.
Strange Stroud 
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