By William Long, Esq. 91 



bottom of the valley, it divides into two branches. The eastern 

 branch goes a long way hence, directly east, pointing to an ancient 

 ford of the river Avon. The western branch from this termination 

 at the bottom of the hill lOUO cubits from the work at Stonehenge, 

 goes off with a similar sweep at first, but then it does not throw 

 itself into a strait line immediately, as the former, but continues 

 curving along the bottom of the hill, till it meets, what I call, the 

 cursus." 



This interesting portion of the Stonehenge system deserves to have 

 the additional light thrown upon it which comes from the careful 

 survey of the Wiltshire baronet, and Mr. Crocker : " The avenue is 

 a narrow strip of land, bounded on each side by a slight agger of 

 earth. On referring to the map of the environs of Stonehenge, 

 where its situation and form will be best seen, you will perceive that 

 it issues from the N.E. entrance of the temple i ; then crossing the 

 " turnpike road, proceeds in a straight line towards a valley, where it 

 divides into two branches, the one leading in a gentle curve towards 

 the circus ; the other directing its course in a direct line up the hill 

 between the two rows of barrows, planted with fir trees. The most 

 northern group has been called by Stukeley, the old King Barrows; 

 the opposite group, the New King Barrows, and under these titles 

 I have distinguished them in my map. The former are lower and 

 flatter in their construction than the latter, which increase in height 

 with the ground towards the south. In the eye of the antiquary, 

 they are much disfigured by the clumps of Scotch firs planted upon 

 them, though at the same time secured from the researches of his 

 spade. More than an usual regularity is preserved in the disposal 

 of these tumuli ; and I must here call attention to the map, where 



* The writer's valued friend and pastor, the Rev. Prebendary Scarth, in an 

 address made by him to the members of the British Association for the ad- 

 vancement of Science, when ihey visited Stonehenge, from Bath, in 1864, said 

 that " an avenue of stones bad led up to these circles," but there are certainly no 

 indications, as far as the writer can judge, of any stones having flanked the 

 present avenue. Aubrey, referring to the pricked lines on his plan from a to a>, 

 says that they *' signifie the Imaginnrie Walk of stones which was there hereto- 

 fore " (p. 33). 



