_June_, 1900.
APPENDIX.
THE RECENT WORK AT STONEHENGE. {43}
AT a meeting held last March at Stonehenge, and attended by
representatives of the Society of Antiquaries, of the Society for the
Protection of Ancient Monuments, and the Wiltshire Archæological Society,
various plans and measures were discussed and suggested for the better
preservation of Stonehenge. The whole state of the surrounding
neighbourhood being changed from its former quietude by the introduction
of new elements, such as the military camps at Bulford, &c., the making
of the new branch line of the South-Western Railway (from Grateley to
Amesbury), it became necessary to meet the altered circumstances by the
exercise of greater precautions for the care of the beautiful old Sun
Temple standing in the midst of the grass-clothed downs—a thing of wonder
and mystery to behold. The advice given to Sir Edmund Antrobus by the
representatives of these societies was as follows, published in the
_Times_ of April 3:—
_Resolutions_.
(1) That this Committee approves of the suggested protection of
Stonehenge by a wire fence not less than 4 ft. high, following on two
sides the existing roads and crossing on the west from the 331-foot level
on the north road to the 332-foot level on the south road shown on the
O.S. map (1-2, 500), Wilts sheet liv. 14.
(2) That the Committee recommends, without prejudice to any legal
question, that the local authorities be requested to agree to divert the
existing track-way or ridge-way from Netheravon now passing through the
earth circle so as to pass from the 302-foot levels in the O.S. map
immediately west of Stonehenge.
(3) That stones 6 and 7 with their lintel, and stone 56 (according to
the numbering on Mr. Petrie’s plan) be first examined, with a view of
maintaining them in a position of safety.
(4) That, in the opinion of this Committee, stone 22 should be replaced,
stone 21 be made safe, and the lintel of 21 and 22 be replaced in the
most safe and conservative manner. The Committee also recommends the
re-erection of stones 57 and 58, and their lintel 158.
(5) That the instructions to custodians already in force be approved
with a few suggested alterations.
(6) That this Committee feels that it is impossible to overstate the
value of the assistance which the County Council of Amesbury can give to
the efforts made to preserve this unique monument.
(7) That these resolutions be sent to Sir Edmund Antrobus with the
earnest thanks of the Committee, for the part he is proposing to take in
the preservation of Stonehenge, also that it be left to him to
communicate with the Press.
* * * * *
The fence was erected by Whitsuntide, and is 1700 yards in circumference,
and composed of lightest barbed wire of a neutral tint, and absolutely
invisible at a distance, so that the traveller gets the whole effect of
Stonehenge in its full grandeur instead of, as in former days, the view
of the stones mingled with two or three flys, a cart, an old waggonette,
and photographer’s van, &c., to say nothing of picnic luncheons, spread
out within the sacred circle. This fence encloses as large an area as
possible, being well outside the vallum, except on the west side, where a
right of way interferes with the true circle. The next work
undertaken—the most difficult and important of the whole—was the raising
of the “leaning stone”—the largest monolith in England except Cleopatra’s
needle—to an upright position. This stone formed one of the uprights of
the trilithon, the fall of which was said to have been caused by the
digging and researches of the Duke of Buckingham in 1620. The horizontal
and the other upright (the latter broken in two pieces) now lie prostrate
across the altar stone.
[Picture: The work at Stonehenge. Raising the Leaning Stone]
The great stone leaned considerably towards the N.E. and appeared to rest
upon (actually touching at one point) a beautiful little pillar stone of
syenite, the danger being that in some storm, especially after a heavy
fall of snow and sudden thaw, the great stone would break in three pieces
(having three veins) in falling, and also crush the smaller stone beneath
it.
That a forward movement was continually taking place is shown by
observations taken by Mr. Flinders Petrie some years ago. It then leaned
at an angle of 66, which has been increased to one of 60.5 degrees
lately. The work of the raising of the stone was begun on August 18th
and finished September 25th, and was under the direct supervision of Mr.
Gowland, Mr. Detmar Blow, architect, and his assistant Mr. Stallybrass,
and Mr. Carruthers, engineer. The first thing done was to make a fitting
to the stone of a strong timber cradle, so as to protect it from injury
by the immense iron chains and ropes placed round it, these being
attached to winches worked by men, so that the stone was actually “wound
up,” so to speak, into an upright position. Hydraulic jacks were also
used. The whole thing was most carefully and slowly done, and devotedly
watched over by the workers. A rectangular excavation was made in front
of the stone, a square excavation at the back. A frame of wood with
numbers at equal distances apart was placed over the ground, which was
excavated in sections, and the earth was most carefully sifted in layers
through four grades of sieves in such a manner that the position of every
object found could be recorded. The excavations round the base of the
stone are now filled with concrete, and the large struts which uphold it
will remain in their positions for six months, until the concrete be
thoroughly set.
The objects found were one Roman coin and one George III. penny at a
shallow depth, and many chippings of both the blue and sarsen stones.
Numerous flint axe-heads and large stone hammers were also found at a
depth of from two feet to four feet six inches underground; all tending
to prove the great antiquity of Stonehenge—at least Neolithic. But all
this will be discussed scientifically later on.