96 SOME ANCIENT BEITISH EEMAINS. 



Devonshire, the slab, which is raised aloft, is 15 ft. long, 

 10 ft. wide, and 2 ft. thick. The large stones at Druid 

 Stoke are believed to be the remains of a cromlech ; as are. 

 also those which form the group called the "Cove" at 

 Stanton Drew. 



(3) Beehive Huts. — These are dome-shaped dwellings, 

 built of layers of loose stones, which gradually converge 

 towards the centre. They are generally small in size, often 

 not more than 5 or feet in diameter, and 4 or 5 feet high. 

 The low entrance is frequently bounded on either side by 

 small stone posts or slabs, and generally faces south or south- 

 east. The more perfect the building, the more likely it is to 

 be comparatively recent ; for even in modern times similar 

 rude structures have been put up and inhabited. Some are, 

 however, very ancient. 



The more usual form of artificial dwelling in early times 

 consisted of a low circular wall of uncemented stones sur- 

 mounted by a series of arching boughs over which were 

 spread the skins of animals, forming a protection from the 

 weather. Such structures are now represented by rings of 

 stones only, forming what are called — * 



(4) Hut-circles. — In this neighbourhood the centre of 

 the space was often excavated to the depth of a few feet. 

 Such pits when disused tend, of course, to become gradually 

 filled up ; and so, now, often all that is to be seen is a 

 shallow circular depression marking what was once a per- 

 fect Pit-dwelling. The diameter of hut-circles varies from 

 8 or 10 feet to 30 feet, and, rarely, even more. Another 

 kind of stone-circle is the — 



(5) Tdmulus-ring. — This, at one time, formed the outer 

 boundary of a " barrow" or '' earthen tumulus." The stones 

 are usually flattish, and are fixed upright in the ground edge 

 to edge. There mnj^ or may not, have been a kistvaen origi- 



