Wayland's Smithy is an Early Neolithic chambered long barrow believed to have been constructed about 3600 BC by pastoral communities shortly after the introduction of agriculture to the British Isles from continental Europe. Although part of an architectural tradition of long barrow building that was widespread across Neolithic Europe, Wayland's Smithy belongs to a localised regional variant of barrows - found only in south-west of Britain - known as the Severn-Cotswold group. Wayland's Smithy is one of the best surviving examples of this type of barrow. The site's current appearance is a result of restoration following excavations undertaken by archaeologists, Stuart Piggott and Richard Atkinson, in 1962–63. Their research of the site showed it had been built in two different phases. First as a timber-chambered oval barrow built around 3590 and 3550 BC and then later as a stone-chambered long barrow in around 3460 to 3400 BC.
Wayland's Smithy is one of many prehistoric sites associated with Wayland or Wolund, a Germanic smith-god. This character appears in Norse mythology, and a depiction of him is believed to be present on the Franks Casket, on display in the British Museum in London. It was most likely named by the Saxons who settled in the area some four thousand years after Wayland's Smithy was built. The first recorded mention of the name is in an early medieval land deed (908AD) from Compton Beauchamp, which documented in a charter from King Eadred in 955 AD.
To Claim this Virtual cache, please complete the following:
Please note, English Heritage state "Open any reasonable time during daylight hours",
so please do not visit outside daylight hours.
- At the published co-ordinates you will find the entrance to the long barrow. Please post a picture of yourself or something that identifies you such as a piece of paper with your caching name, your GPSr, personal trackable or something else..
- At waypoint one (Tree) you will find a beech tree with lots of writing carved (vandalised) into the bark.
There is the name of a bird clearly carved into it, please message me through my profile the name of this bird.
Please note that any logs not completing these two tasks may be deleted.
Please log the cache straight away, if there are any issues with your log, I'll get back to you.
Virtual Rewards 4.0 - 2024-2025
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between January 17, 2024 and January 17, 2025. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 4.0 on the Geocaching Blog.