During the Medieval period, places like Coldrum were considered un-Christian. As such, people did what they could to remove the traces of them. Here it meant removing some of the stones (possibly for building material), and levelling the ground so the mound was no longer visible. Later on when chalk was needed, the eastern side of the area was quarried away. With the stones no longer in their original place, it wasn't clear what shape it was.
Meet the ancestors
During the Neolithic period, people were only just beginning to farm the land and domesticate animals such as sheep, cattle and pigs. It was a revolutionary time in history, and in this area, they were some of the early pioneers. The field system around the area was already in place before Coldrum Long Barrow was built.
Within the burial chamber, a number of bones were discovered. In fact the bones from more than 22 men, women and children were found, ranging in age from a new-born baby to the elderly. Studies by the Royal College of Surgeons show they were likely to be close family members.
The thing to remember is that a long barrow isn't a graveyard, but a communal tomb. As was custom in many areas, the bodies were laid to rest elsewhere, and the bones were placed here years later. There were 2 phases of burial, the first phase was between 3985 - 3855 BC, with the second phase about 200 years later.
What did the longbarrow look like?