Nempnet aka Fairy Toot Burial Mound, Nempnet Thrubwell, Somerset, South-West England, British Isles [Map]

The Gentleman's Magazine Volume 59 Part 1 Page 392. The barrow is, from North to South, 150 feet; from East to West 79 feet. This looks more like a designed proportion than the effect of chance. It has been immemorially known by the name of Fairy's Toote [Map], and considered still, by our sagacious provincials, as the haunts of ghosts, goblins, and fairies.

This may be deemed the electrical tremblings of very remote superstition. The idle tale travelled down through many an age, long, long after the cadavers from which it originated had ceased to be had in remembrance. Desirous of obtaining stone for the adjacent roads, the proprietor ordered his workmen to see what the Toote was made of. They accordingly commenced their labours at the Southern extremity, and soon came to the stone D, which then was at A, with a considerable West inclination, and no doubt served for a door to the sepulchre, which, prior (and in some instances subsequent) to Christianity, was the common mode of securing the entrance of these repositories. Such as that which was placed at the mouth of the cave wherein our blessed Saviour was interred. The stone D being passed, an admirable unmortar'd wall appeared on the left-hand, and no doubt a similar one after the dotted line on the right side existed, as we find it continued in the same direction at F. This wall was built of thin irregular base freestone, less in length and breadth, but in general thicker, than common Dutch chimney tile. Its height was some what more than four feet; its thickness about fourteen inches. Thirteen feet directly North from A (where the stone D stood) the perforated stone B appears, inclining to the North about thirty degrees, and shutting up the avenue between the unmortar'd walls. — Working round the East side, at I a cell presented itself, two feet three inches broad, four feet high, and nine feet from South to North. Here were found a perfect human skull, the teeth entire, all found, and of the most delicate white: it lay against the inside of the stone B, the body having been deposited North and South. Several other pieces of skulls, human spinal joints, arm bones, &c., were found herein; and particularly the thigh bone of a very large quadruped, which, by comparing with the same, bone of an ox, I conjecture to have belonged to an animal of that species. As the skull appeared to me larger than common, I was willing to form some conjecture of the height of that body to which it belonged, and applied my rule to it, taking the painter's datum, of allowing eight faces (from the hair on the forehead to the chin) for the whole, found it gave something more than eight feet. With this the length of the sepulchre agrees, being, as was before observed, nine feet. In this cell was also found the tooth of some large bead; but no one that has seen it can guess of what genus. At the termination of the first sepulchre, the horizontal bones in the top of the avenue had fallen down. With some difficulty, and no little danger, I obtruded far enough to see, by site light of a candle, two other similar catacombs, one on the right, the other on the left fide of the avenue, containing several human skull's, and other bones; but which, from the imminent hazard of being buried in the ruins of the surrounding masses, have not yet been entered. This, as far as it goes, is a true account of the discoveries at the Southern extremity of the tumulus. The lateral section at G has afforded as yet nothing more than a view of the unmortar'd wall, seen in the Southern extremity at H, and here at F, with the continuation of the central avenue seen. at B, and here from C to C. This avenue is constructed of very large rock fragments, consisting of three bones, two perpendicular and one horizontal, as may be seen in the representation E. Three cells are here discernible, two of which are on the West side, and one on the East; these also have human bones. The proprietor means now to proceed from B to C C, propping up the avenue with wooden posts, in the same manner in which our miners do their adits, to the lapis caluminaris veins. This mode will give the visitor an opportunity of seeing the different cells with safety and convenience. I have only to add, that the tumulus is formed of small whitish stone, of which the neighbourhood affords plenty; and that the exterior appears to have been turfed, there yet remains a stratum, five or six inches deep, of graded earth on the bones. The view I took on the spot, in one of the sneaping days of the last rigorous season. I can therefore say nothing for it, but that, if it be not a good drawing, it is a true representation. When the central avenue is cleared, I purpose to send you the ichnography. In the mean time, through your publication, I beg to present my compliments to your correspondent Owain o Feirion, who, if I mistake not, is my old college acquaintance, and other gentlemen who may have a turn for such investigation; and hope, through your valuable vehicle, to have their sentiments on this subject.— But, Mr. Urban, if no other more able hand shall give the publick conjectures relative to the history of Fairies Toote, you shall again hear on this subject from your old correspondent.

Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society Volume 8 Pages 35-62. Fairy's Toot [Map], which is now destroyed, was another of these singular tumuli. It is situated about a quarter of a mile east of Butcombe Church, on the declivity of some rising ground near Nempnett Farm, in the same parish. Its discovery was noticed by the Rev. Thos. Bere, rector of Butcombe, who made a drawing of it, and communicated the following account to the Gentleman's Magazine A.D. 1789:

"This barrow is from N. to S. 150 feet, and from E. to W. 76 feet. It had been known from time immemorial by the name of Fairy's Toot, and considered the haunt of fairies, ghosts, and goblins.

"The waywarden of the parish being in want of stones, ordered his workmen to see what Fairy's Toot was made of. They began at the south extremity, and soon came to a stone inclining west, and probably the door of the sepulchre. The stone being passed, an unmortared wall appeared on the left hand, and no doubt a similar one existed on the right. This wall was built of thin stone (a white lias). Its height was more than four feet, its thickness fourteen inches. Thirteen feet north from the entrance a perforated stone appeared, inclining to the north, and shutting up the avenue between the unmortared walls. Working round to the east side of it, a cell presented itself, two feet three inches broad, four feet high, and nine feet long from north to south. Here was found a perfect skeleton, the skull with teeth entire, the body having been deposited north and south.

"At the end of the first sepulchre, the horizontal stones on the top had fallen down. There,were two other catacombs, one on the right and the other on the left, of the avenue, containing several human skulls and other bones. A lateral excavation was made, and the central avenue was found to be continued. Three cells were here discernible, two on the west side and one on the east. These had no bones in them. The whole tumulus was covered with a thin stratum of earth, and overgrown with trees and bushes."

"The upright stones of which the cells are composed are stated to have been many of them two or three tons weight each, and in the very state in which Nature formed them. The number of cells can only be matter of conjecture. Supposing the avenue to have been 110 feet long, and about two feet thickness of wall or stone between each two cells, there would be room for ten cells on each side of the avenue." (See Sayer's History of Bristol.)

The writer of this notice conjectures this sepulchral tumulus to have been the work of the Druids, and the burying-place belonging to the Great Temple of Stanton Drew.