upon the stones here, and upon those at _Stonehenge_. For some years
together, I went from one to the other directly, staying a fortnight
or more at each place to make my observations. Nothing is more
manifest, than that the stones of _Stonehenge_ have been chizel’d,
some quite round, some on three sides, easily to be distinguish’d. The
stones of _Abury_ are absolutely untouch’d of tool. No doubt, at that
time of day, the aboriginal patriarchal method from the foundation
of the world was observ’d, not to admit a tool upon them. Even when
_Solomon_’s temple was built, tho’ the stones were all carv’d with
great art, yet that was done before they were brought to the building;
for no ax or hammer was heard thereon. The like, probably, may be said
of _Stonehenge_.
[Illustration:
TAB. XX.
_The HAKPEN or snakes head temple on Overton hill, calld the
Sanctuary._]
It seems likely, that when _Stonehenge_ was built, the Druids had some
notice from _phœnician_ traders, of the nature of _Solomon_’s temple;
therefore they made their impost work, as some kind of advance, toward
a cover’d temple, and likewise chizel’d their stones in compliance
thereto. By using the best of my judgment, in comparing the effect
of the weather upon _Stonehenge_ and _Abury_, I could easily induce
myself to think that _Abury_ was as old again. For in some places there
were cavities a yard long, corroded by time, and on those sides that
originally lay on the ground, which, if they had not been expos’d to
the weather, by being set upright, would have been smooth. Several
other persons of good judgment have been of the same sentiment.
[Illustration: _RUBEN HORSALL Clark of Abury & Antiquarian. July 29
1722_]
CHAP. IX.
_Of the barrows or sepulchral tumuli about_ Abury, _very numerous
here, as having for ages been a metropolitical temple. The
several kinds of them, conjecturally distinguished. Royal barrows
of old and later fashions. Druids’ barrows. Archdruids’ or long
barrows._ Silbury _much the largest barrow about_ Abury, _and
perhaps in the world. The temple built, seemingly, on account of
this barrow. The sacred character as a prophylactic to the ashes
of the dead. The Druids taught the resurrection of the body as
well as soul. The great king dug up, who was interred at top. His
most ancient bridle found with the corps, in possession of the
author. The_ british _chariots an oriental usage. A conjecture
of the name of this king_, Cunedha, _who lived at_ Marlborough.
_Of the fountain of the_ Kennet _hard by, taking its name from
him. The dimension of_ Silbury-hill, _its solid content. A
demonstration of the_ Roman _road made since_ Silbury-hill. _A
conjecture concerning the time of year when this prince died.
The anniversaries of the ancients at the tombs of the dead. What
has been found in other barrows here. Beads of amber, and other
matter, as glass, earth, &c. A flat gold ring, spear-heads, a bit
of gold. Another demonstration of the_ Roman _road being later
than these works. An entire urn which the author dug up. A double
circle of stones at_ Winterburn-basset. _Pyriform barrows. Of
long barrows or archdruids’. Very large ones here, above 300 foot
long. Some set round with stones. Some with great stoneworks at
the end._
So many ages as _Abury_ was the great cathedral, the chief
metropolitical or patriarchal temple of the island, no wonder there
are an infinite number of these barrows about it. Great princes,
and men within a considerable tract of country round here, would
naturally choose to leave their mortal remains in this sacred ground,
more peculiarly under the divine regard. Every hill-top within view
of the place is sure to be crowned with them. As at _Stonehenge_, so
here, there are great varieties of them, which no doubt, originally,
had their distinctions of the quality and profession of the person
interr’d. In the additions to Mr. _Camden_’s _Wiltshire_, several sorts
of them are mention’d.
1. Small circular trenches, with very little elevation in the middle.
These are what I call (for distinction-sake) Druid barrows. An eminent
one I have given plate XXII, on the _Hakpen_ hill, overlooking _Kennet_
avenue.
[Illustration:
TAB. XXI.
Prospect of the Temple on Overton Hill. 8 July 1723.
_Stukeley d._
_The Hakpen, or head of the Snake, in ruins._]
2. Ordinary barrows, meaning plain round ones, common all over
_England_. Some may be _roman_, or _saxon_, or _danish_, as well as
_british_.
3. Barrows with ditches round them. These are commonly such as I esteem
royal, of the newest fashion among the old _Britons_; generally of an
elegantly turn’d bell-form. These two last sort I call king-barrows.
4. Large oblong barrows, some with trenches round them, others without.
These I call, for method sake, archdruids’ barrows. Several of ’em
near _Abury_ and _Stonehenge_. And sometimes we find ’em in other
places about the kingdom. A druid celt was found in that north of
_Stonehenge_, which induc’d me to give them the title. I shall speak a
little concerning them in the method mention’d, as they are observable
about _Abury_, but we ought to begin with _Silbury_, which, says our
right reverend and learned author, is the largest barrow in the county,
and perhaps in all _England_.
_Silbury_ indeed is a most astonishing collection of earth,
artificially rais’d, worthy of _Abury_, worthy of the king who was
the royal founder of _Abury_, as we may very plausibly affirm. By
considering the picture of _Abury_ temple, we may discern, that as this
immense body of earth was rais’d for the sake of the interment of this
great prince, whoever he was: so the temple of _Abury_ was made for
the sake of this _tumulus_; and then I have no scruple to affirm, ’tis
the most magnificent _mausoleum_ in the world, without excepting the
_Egyptian_ pyramids.
_Silbury_ stands exactly south of _Abury_, and exactly between
the two extremities of the two avenues, the head and tail of the
snake. The work of _Abury_, which is the circle, and the two avenues
which represent the snake transmitted thro’ it, are the great
_hierogrammaton_, or sacred prophylactic character of the divine mind,
which is to protect the _depositum_ of the prince here interr’d. The
_Egyptians_, for the very same reason, frequently pictur’d the same
hieroglyphic upon the breast of their mummies, as particularly on that
in my lord _Sandwich_’s collection; and very frequently on the top and
summit of _Egyptian_ obeliscs, this picture of the serpent and circle
is seen; and upon an infinity of their monuments. In the very same
manner this huge snake and circle, made of stones, hangs, as it were,
brooding over _Silbury-hill_, in order to bring again to a new life the
person there buried. For our Druids taught the expectation of a future
life, both soul and body, with greatest care, and made it no less than
a certainty.
————————_vobis auctoribus umbræ
Non tacitas Erebi sedes, Ditisque profundi
Pallida regna petunt; regit idem spiritus artus
Orbe alio_———— Sings _Lucan. Phars._ I.
Here might be said, with the same poet,
_Et regis cineres extructo monte quiescunt._ Lucan.
’Till in the month of March, 1723, Mr. _Halford_ order’d some trees to
be planted on this hill, in the middle of the noble plain or _area_
at the top, which is 60 cubits diameter. The workmen dug up the body
of the great king there buried in the center, very little below the
surface. The bones extremely rotten, so that they crumbled them in
pieces with their fingers. The soil was altogether chalk, dug from the
side of the hill below, of which the whole barrow is made. Six weeks
after, I came luckily to rescue a great curiosity which they took
up there; an iron chain, as they called it, which I bought of _John
Fowler_, one of the workmen: it was the bridle buried along with this
monarch, being only a solid body of rust. I immerg’d it in limner’s
drying oil, and dried it carefully, keeping it ever since very dry. It
is now as fair and entire as when the workmen took it up. I have given
a sketch of it in plate XXXVI. There were deers’ horns, an iron knife
with a bone handle too, all excessively rotten, taken up along with it.
_Pausanias_, in _Eliacis_, writes, how in his time, a _roman_ senator
conquer’d at the _olympic_ games. He had a mind to leave a monument of
his victory, being a brazen statue with an inscription. Digging for the
foundation, just by the pillar of _Oenomaus_, they took up fragments of
a shield, a bridle and _armilla_, which he saw.
Our bridle belong’d to the harness of a _british_ chariot, and brings
into our thoughts the horses and chariots of _Egypt_, mention’d in
earliest days. The _Tyrian Hercules_, who, I suppose, might bring the
first oriental colony hither, was a king in _Egypt_. In scripture,
when _Joseph_ was prime minister there, we find chariots frequently
mention’d, both for civil and military use. In _Joshua_’s time,
xvii. 16, 18. the _Canaanites_, _Rephaim_ or giants, (_Titans_)
and _Perizzites_ had them. So the _Philistines_. Our ancestors the
_Britons_ coming both from _Egypt_ and _Canaan_, brought hither the
use of chariots; and they remain’d, in a manner, singular and proper
to our island, to the time that the _romans_ peopled it. And it was
fashionable for the _romans_ at _Rome_, in the height of their luxury,
to have _british_ chariots, as we now _berlins_, _landaus_, and the
like.
_Esseda cælatis siste Britanna jugis._
_Philostratus_, _vit. sophist._ xxv. _Polemon_, remarks the enameling
and ornament of _phrygian_ and _celtic_ bridles, as being very
curiously wrought. Ours is perfectly plain and rude; an argument of its
great antiquity.
_Silbury_ is the name of the hill given by our _saxon_ ancestors,
meaning the _great_ or _marvellous hill_. So _Silchester_, the
_Vindoma_ of the _Romans_, means the _great Chester_. It cannot help
us to the name of the monarch there buried. When I consider this hill
standing at the fountain of the _Kennet Cunetio_, still call’d _Cunnet_
by the country people, and that among the most ancient _Britons_ the
name of _Cunedha_ is very famous, that they talk much of a great king
of this name, it would tempt one to conjecture, this is the very man.
This conjecture receives some strength from what my old friend Mr.
_Baxter_ writes about _Cunetio_ or _Marlborough_, which the river
first visits. He thinks it had its name from a famous king, _Cunedha_,
who lived at _Marlborough_, called _Kynyd Kynüidion_, which we may
_english_, _Cunedha_ of _Marlborough_, which name is mention’d in the
ancient _british_ genealogies before the grandfather of king _Arthur_;
tho’ we scarce imagine their genealogies can truly reach the founder
we are thinking of. But _Cyngetorix_, a king in _Britain_, who fought
_Julius Cæsar_, and _Cunobelin_, king of the island in _Augustus_’s
time, may be descendants of this man, at least their names have some
relation. And in _Cæsar_’s _Comment._ B. G. VII. _Conetodunus_ a
_gaulish_ prince, is the same name.
We may remember too, that _Merlin_ the magician, who is said to have
made _Stonehenge_ by his magic, is affirm’d to have been buried at
_Marlborough_. Mr. _Camden_ recites it from _Alexander Necham_.
Doubtless _Stonehenge_, much more _Abury_, are incomparably older
than _Merlin’s_ time. But the oldest reports we can expect to have of
these affairs, must be from the _Britons_, the oldest inhabitants left.
And ’tis natural for them to affix old traditions vastly beyond their
knowledge, to the last famous persons they have any account of; so
that we may well judge some truths are generally latent in these old
reports. It is likely our king _Kunedha_ lived at _Marlborough_, was
buried in _Silbury_, was the founder of _Abury_. And the archdruid,
who with him was the projector and executor of the stupendous work of
_Abury_, was buried at _Marlborough_. For _Marlborough_ is in sight
of that part of the temple which is the _Hakpen_, or snake’s head, on
_Overton-hill_.
[Illustration:
TAB. XXII.
_Stukeley delin._ _Toms Sculp._
_Prospect of Kennet Avenue from the Druids tumulus on Hakpen hill.
May 15ᵗʰ. 1724._]
_Strabo_ writes in XII, that there is a _tumulus_ of king _Marsyas_,
where he was buried, at the head of the river _Marsyas_. This seems to
be an exact parallel case with ours, and that the river preserves the
name of the king to this day, from whom it had its name. _Pausanias
Bœot._ writes, the tomb of _Asphodicus_ is at the spring-head of the
river _Oedipodias_. And _Tiresias_’s sepulchre is by the fountain
_Telphussa_. And the like of very many more.
The person that projected the forming this vast body of earth,
_Silbury-hill_, had a head as well as hands, and well chose his ground,
well contriv’d how to execute his purpose. He pitch’d upon the foot of
the chalk hill, by the fountain of the _Kennet_, in the very meridian
line of _Abury_. The bottom of the hill is natural earth, and beyond
the verge of its circumference at bottom, they dug the earth of the
hill away to the level of the adjacent meadow, in order to furnish
materials for the artificial part of the hill, leaving as it were an
isthmus, or neck of original land. Further, to render this artificial
part more detach’d from the natural, they dug a deep trench on the
land-side, in the middle of the isthmus, but left two bridges, as it
were, or passages up to the hill. By this means the ascent for the
multitude employ’d, was render’d more easy, for the natural hill was as
a half-pause or resting-place for them.
The diameter of _Silbury-hill_ at top is 105 feet, the same as
_Stonehenge_. At bottom ’tis somewhat more than 500 feet, in reality
300 cubits, as at top 60 cubits. 100 cubits its exact perpendicular
altitude. They that have seen the circumference of _Stonehenge_, will
admire that such an _area_ should be carried up 170 feet perpendicular,
with a sufficient base to support it: and they that consider the
geometry of this barrow, as I have drawn it in plate XXVIII, will be
equally pleased with the natural and easy proportion of it. But without
actually seeing it, we can scarce have a full idea of it. The solid
contents of it amount to 13558809 cubic feet. Some people have thought
it would cost 20000_l._ to make such a hill.
Some old people remember king _Charles_ II, the duke of _York_, and
duke of _Monmouth_ riding up it. The _Roman_ way, _via Badonica_,
coming from _Overton-hill_ to _Runway-hill_, should have pass’d
directly thro’ _Silbury-hill_; wherefore they curv’d a little southward
to avoid it, and it runs close by the isthmus of the hill, then thro’
the fields of _Bekamton_. This shews _Silbury-hill_ was ancienter than
the _Roman_ road. They have lately fenc’d out the _Roman_ road (which
they call the _french way_) in the plough’d fields of _Bekamton_; but
you see the continuation of it when it reaches the heath ground, as in
plate IX.
It seems no difficult matter to point out the time of the year when
this great prince died, who is here interr’d, _viz._ about the
beginning of our present _April_. I gather it from this circumstance.
The country people have an anniversary meeting on the top of
_Silbury-hill_ on every _palm-sunday_, when they make merry with cakes,
figs, sugar, and water fetch’d from the _swallow-head_, or spring of
the _Kennet_. This spring was much more remarkable than at present,
gushing out of the earth in a continued stream. They say it was spoil’d
by digging for a fox who earth’d above, in some cranny thereabouts;
this disturb’d the sacred nymphs, in a poetical way of speaking.
We observed before, concerning the temple of _Rowldrich_, there
was a like anniversary meeting at that place, which doubtless has
been continued thro’ all ages, and all succession of inhabitants,
from the death of the arch-druid there buried. If we read the fifth
_Æneid_ of _Virgil_, we shall there find the major part of it to be a
description of the very matters we are writing of. The great poet who
affectedly describes all ancient customs, speaks of his hero making a
_tumulus_ for his father _Anchises_, and a temple and sacred grove;
providing priests and officers necessary for that purpose. Celebrating
the anniversary remembrance of his deceased parent, with great
magnificence, with sacrifices, feasting, games, sports and exercises,
and distributing rewards to the victors. So _Virgil_ in _Georg._ 3.
_Et viridi in campo templum de marmore ponam_, &c.
So _Herodotus_ describing the manner of sepulture among the _Thracians_
and _Macedonians_. The whole matter is so notorious, that I leave
the reader to make the particular application and parallel. Here at
_Silbury_, the country being all a fine and exquisite down, I cannot
point out the place where the games were kept: perhaps on the meadow
between _Abury_ and the hill.
I took notice that _apium_ grows plentifully about the spring-head of
the _Kennet_. _Pliny_ writes _defunctorum epulis dicatum apium_. To
this day the country people have a particular regard for the herbs
growing there, and a high opinion of their virtue.
The king-barrows which are round, both here and elsewhere vary in their
turn and shape, as well as magnitude, as we see in a group together;
whereof still very many are left, many destroy’d by the plough. Some of
the royal barrows are extremely old, being broad and flat, as if sunk
into the ground with age. There is one near _Longstone_ cove set round
with stones. I have depicted two groups of them, one by the serpent’s
head, on _Overton-hill_; another by the serpent’s tail, in the way
between _Bekamton_ and _Oldbury_ camp: some flat, some campani-form,
some ditch’d about, some not. One near the temple on _Overton-hill_
was quite levell’d for ploughing _anno_ 1720; a man’s bones were found
within a bed of great stones, forming a kind of arch. Several beads
of amber long and round, as big as one’s thumb end, were taken from
it, and several enamel’d _British_ beads of glass: I got some of them,
white in colour, some were green. They commonly reported the bones to
be larger than common. So _Virgil Georg._ 1.
_Grandiaque effossis mirabitur ossa sepulchris._
I bought a couple of _British_ beads, one large of a light blue and
rib’d, the other less, of a dark blue, taken up in one of the two
barrows on _Hakpen-hill_, east of _Kennet_ avenue. These two barrows
are ditch’d about, and near one another. The single barrow next it
toward the snake’s head temple, is large and beautifully turn’d, with a
ditch about it, at a distance, which throws it into a campanule form.
[Illustration:
TAB. XXIII.
_A Prospect from_ Abury _Steeple_.
_Stukeley d._]
Mr. _Bray_ of _Monkton_ open’d a barrow, among many others, at
_Yatesbury_. There was a great stone laid at top, just under the
surface. When taken up, they found a body laid in a stone coffin,
form’d by several stones. He says, in another they found a body, with a
flat gold ring, which was sold for 30_s._ and a piece of brass, about
the bulk of a pint mug, with spear-heads of iron.
A man of _Ambresbury_, who had liv’d here, told me of a brass
spear-head dug up in a barrow between _Monkton_ and _Abury_, by a body:
and that under some stones in a barrow, south of _Silbury_, they found
a bit of gold, (I suppose the covering of a button, or the like, such
as that I dug up at _Stonehenge_,) and many sharp bits of iron.
Mr. _Aubury_ speaks of a barrow opened in _Kennet_ parish, _anno_ 1643,
two stones 11 feet long, laid side by side, and a corps between, with a
sword and knife. Another like stone laid over all.
There is a very delicate hill north of _Abury_, of a round form, with
an easy ascent quite round; ’tis call’d _Windmill-hill_. The turf as
soft as velvet. ’Tis encompass’d with a circular trench, exceeding old.
Fifteen barrows of a most ancient shape thereon. Many barrows are on
the top, of several shapes. I open’d a small one, very old, flat, and
round, and found an entire urn turn’d up-side down, into a hole cut in
the solid chalk. The bones very rotten. I have given a drawing of the
urn, plate XXXVI. It was red without, black within, 14 inches high, 9
in diameter at the aperture, wrought a little both within and without,
and at the bottom, which stood uppermost.
South of _Abury_ town is a hill, between it and _Silbury_, call’d
_Windmill-hill_; it lies between our two avenues, and intercepts
the view from one to the other. This too is crown’d with barrows of
different sorts and sizes. The _Via Badonica_ runs on the southern
skirt of it, going from _Overton-hill_ to _Silbury_. I took notice
there of a barrow of that kind I call _Druids_. This happening too near
the track of the _Roman_ road, it goes over part of it. Part is fill’d
up, and the lump in the middle, under which the urn lay, they have dug
away: A further demonstration, that it is of a date posterior to our
_celtic_ works here. This hill too is call’d _Weedon-hill_, perhaps
from the _Roman_ way.
At _Winterburn-basset_, a little north of _Abury_, in a field
north-west of the church, upon elevated ground, is a double circle of
stones concentric, 60 cubits diameter. The two circles are near one
another, so that one may walk between. Many of the stones have of late
been carry’d away. West of it is a single, broad, flat, and high stone,
standing by itself. And about as far northward from the circle, in a
plough’d field, is a barrow set round with, or rather compos’d of large
stones. I take this double circle to have been a family-chapel, as we
may call it, to an archdruid dwelling near thereabouts, whilst _Abury_
was his cathedral.
There are likewise about _Abury_ some pyriform barrows, longish, but
broad at one end: some compos’d of earth, thrown into a _tumulus_.
Of this sort a very long one in the valley from _Bekamton_ to
_Runway-hill_. Another among the furze bushes south of _Silbury_,
set with stones, which farmer _Green_ carry’d away. Others made of
stones set upright in that form. Of the latter, a very large one in
_Monkton-fields_, about 20 stones left on one side. ’Tis directly
north of _Abury_ town. Another such south of _Silbury-hill_. Another
pyriform, made only of earth, under _Runway-hill_. Another on the hill
south-west from _Bekamton_, cut through with some later division dike.
The long barrows are what I call archdruids’. There are but few about
_Abury_ left, and but two at _Stonehenge_. The paucity seems to confirm
the notion. One very large at _East-Kennet_, points to _Abury_, but
with its lesser end: no less than 200 cubits in length, which is 350
feet, a huge body of earth. Another not far off points to the snake’s
head temple, being at a right angle with the former.
By _Horslip-gap_ is another considerable long barrow of a large bulk,
length and height: it regards the snake’s head temple, tho’ here not in
sight.
By _Bekamton_ cove another, a vast body of earth, as thick as the
_vallum_ of _Abury_, and points to the cove hard by; which shews that
cove to be as a chapel. Another large round barrow near it.
In _Monkton_, west of the town, is a large and flat long barrow, set
round with stones, which I have depicted in plate XXX, ’tis just 120
cubits long, 30 cubits broad in the broadest end. It stands due east
and west, the broadest end eastward. Its breadth the fourth part of its
length: a most magnificent sepulchre, and call’d _Milbarrow_.
But even this is much exceeded in south long barrow, near
_Silbury-hill_, south of it, and upon the bank of the _Kennet_. It
stands east and west, pointing to the dragon’s head on _Overton-hill_.
A very operose _congeries_ of huge stones upon the east end, and upon
part of its back or ridge; pil’d one upon another, with no little
labour: doubtless in order to form a sufficient chamber, for the
remains of the person there buried; not easily to be disturbed. The
whole _tumulus_ is an excessively large mound of earth 180 cubits
long, ridg’d up like a house. And we must needs conclude, the people
that made these durable _mausolea_, had a very strong hope of the
resurrection of their bodies, as well as souls who thus provided
against their being disturbed.
Upon the heath south of _Silbury-hill_, was a very large oblong work,
like a long barrow, made only of stones pitch’d in the ground, no
_tumulus_. Mr. _Smith_ beforemention’d told me, his cousin took the
stones away (then) 14 years ago, to make mere stones withal. I take it
to have been an archdruid’s, tho’ humble, yet magnificent; being 350
feet or 200 cubits long.