Longstone Edge, Derbyshire Dales. Excavation

Longstone Edge is found on the western end of High Rake, an east-west aligned limestone escarpment in the Peak District National Park, c 5 km north of Bakewell (NGR SK 2088 7341). The escarpment, in the north-eastern part of the White Peak limestone plateau, rises to 390 m above sea-level; its southern edge has been quarried during medieval and post-medieval lead mining and the two barrows discussed here came to be situated on the northern lip of the former quarry, known as Longstone Rake. They were threatened by slippage and collapse of the quarry edge and by subsidence cracks which were opening up to the north and west of this face. The threat was heightened because of vibration from ongoing fluorspar mining, carried out by Laporte Minerals, 180 m below the ground surface. A topographical survey of the site was undertaken in December 1995 by the Central Archaeology Service (CAS) of English Heritage, using a total station theodolite (Reeves 1996). As well as recording the two known barrows in detail a small mound, perhaps a natural knoll, was observed to the west of Barrow 2, and a circular depression further west again. In addition, investigation of a fissure through Barrow 1 yielded rodent bones, snail shells, large mammal bones and a fragment of human skull. The excavation of the two barrows was undertaken over 10 weeks between August and October 1996, directed by Peter Reeves.