ON A CROMLECH FORMERLY STANDING ON RIBER HILL. 41 



set out below. In the section relating specially to Derbyshire in 

 "The Beauties of England and Wales" (London, 1803), there 

 occurs the following passage : — 



"On the eminence above the [parish] church, called Riber hill, 

 are the remains of what has been supposed a Druidical altar, but 

 which has more resemblance to a Cromlech ; tho' it may probably 

 have only been intended as a point for the transmittal of signals. 

 It is called Hirst Stones, and consists of four rude masses of grit- 

 stone, one of which, apparently the smallest, is placed on the 

 others, and is computed to weigh about two tons. On the upper 

 stone is a circular hole, six inches deep and nine in diameter, 

 wherein 50 years ago stood a stone pillar" (p. 505). 



I must confess to having grave doubts as to the accuracy of 

 this " pillar " story. The fact that the earlier records make no 

 mention of such a thing as a pillar goes a long way towards dis- 

 crediting any such supposition as that one ever existed. The 

 name of " the Hirst Stones," it may also be remarked, appears 

 here for the first time. 



I do not profess to have exhausted all the authorities, but I have 

 taken note of what appeared to be the chief. I come now to 

 " Rhodes's Peak Scenery" (London, 1822). At page 116, Part 

 III. of this elegant work, I find the following observations : — 



" In our walk to Matlock \yid Starkholmes] we passed along 

 the side of a hill to Riber Top, where there is a singular collec- 

 tion of stones, supposed to have been originally a Druidical 

 altar ; some antiquaries say a Cromlech, which appears more 

 probable ; they are called Hirst Stones, and are not unworthy of 

 a visit, since those who feel no interest in these ancient relics will 

 be amply repaid for the toil and trouble of ascending this eminence 

 by the prospect it commands." 



My next authority is my last. The following quotation is ex- 

 tremely useful, inasmuch as it indicates with considerable exactitude 

 the precise situation which was occupied by these remarkable stones 

 when perfect. It is from "The Matlock Companion," printed at 

 Duffield, in 1835, by A. Jewitt, who was also, I believe, its most 

 intelligent author. Mr. Jewitt writes as follows : — 



