Obadiah's Barrow (also known as Obediah's Grave) is a Neolithic entrance grave on the island of Gugh. It's one of around 80 entrance graves found in the Scillies, and apart from West Cornwall and parts of the Republic of Ireland, these aren't really found anywhere else.
The Barrow is a typical entrance grave. It's a roundish mound with a roofed funerary chamber at its centre, which is reached via a long passage (hence the name, entrance grave). These communal graves were pretty big, and this one measures 33 feet in diameter. The chamber was roofed with four large capstones, which have partially collapsed.
The grave was excavated in 1901 by archaeologist George Bonsor, who named his find after the farmer he was lodging with in St Agnes, Obadiah Hicks. Unlike many of the other entrance graves, the funerary chamber hadn't been disturbed prior to the excavation. Bonsor uncovered a male skeleton, a Bronze Age cremation urn, various bones and several cremation urn fragments.
To get to the Gugh Barrow, you can take a boat from St Mary's to St Agnes. From there, it's a case of walking across the sand bar to Gugh at low tide. Check the tide times carefully before setting out.
