on the Marlborough Downs. 51 



which, in a more or less dilapidated condition, remain in this district 

 of North Wilts. Thoug-h I speak of three kistvaens, I must hasten 

 to confess that for a long- period of time, they have not all presented 

 the same perfect appearance to the visitor. One having been for 

 many years much mutilated, partly broken up and carried away, 

 and the remnant of it having long been hidden by an accumulation 

 of stones from the surrounding fields, of which it has been made the 

 depository : we will call this the " Mutilated Kistvaen." Another 

 having long since fallen, and so lost its distinctive character : we 

 will call this the " Fallen Kistvaen." While the third alone stands 

 up in its original position, only denuded of the mound of earth, 

 which, I venture to say (on the authority of Mr. Lukis and others best 

 acquainted with these remains) at one time invariably covered them j 

 and this massive erection of ponderous stones is known as the 

 " Devil's Ben" and offers an exceedingly fine specimen of the 

 kistvaeu to those who have not made the acquaintance of these 

 ancient sepulchres in other counties. Let me now introduce my 

 readers to each of them separately. The " Mutilated Kistvaen " 

 lies in the centre of the valley known as Temple Bottom, and south- 

 east of Temple Farm, conjectured to be so called from the preceptory 

 of Knights Templars established there in the reign of Henry II. 

 It occupies the corner of a field, very near some detached farm 

 buildings on the estate of Rockley. Sir Richard Hoare spoke of it 

 in his time as " the mutilated remains of a stone barrow, having a 

 kistvaen at the end of it ; " and said " it is the finest example we 

 have yet found of this species of interment, excepting the one in 

 Clatford Bottom." ^ I fear Sir Richard would not say the same of 

 it now. When I first saw it some twenty years ago, it presented 

 little more than the appearance of a heap of stones : indeed a great 

 many loose stones were scattered round the large and more prominent 

 ones, and it was choked with briars and brambles. Unpromising 

 however as was its exterior, I had a great desire to examine its in- 

 terior, and having received the ready permission of the owner of 

 the property (the same liberal gentleman who so kindly allows 



1 North Wilts, page 42. 



E a 



