92 Stonehenge and its Barrows. 



they will be seen ranged in a semi-circular line, and a passage de- 

 cidedly left for the avenue, of which traces are still evident as far as 

 this spot; but it has afterwards been obliterated by tillage in its 

 passage through Amesbury Park. 



''Here again we have another proof of Stonehenge and its avenue 

 having been formed prior to the surrounding barrows, and we see a 

 rude attempt at symmetry in the seven barrows arranged in two 

 separate lines, which flank the avenue (like wings) on its ascending 

 the summit of the hill. . , , The length of the avenue from 

 the ditch round Stonehenge to the spot where it branches off is 594 

 yards; and from thence it is visible about 814 yards up the hill. 

 The northern branch appears undoubtedly to lead towards the cursus, 

 though its traces become very faint soon after it has quitted the 

 eastern line up the hill : it seems to have pursued a bending course 

 towards the cursus, but I could not perceive that it pointed to any 

 decided opening in that work. 



" The cursus, according to Mr. Crocker's measurement, is in length 

 1 mile, 5 furlongs, and 176 yards: its breadth 110 yards. At the 

 distance of 55 yards from the eastern end, which is terminated (as 

 described by Stukeley), you perceive the termination of the course 

 rounded off", as if the horses or chariots made a turn at this spot. At 

 the distance of 638 yards from this end, are two entrances into the 

 area of the cursus, opposite to each other; and 825 yards further on, 

 the vallum has been much broken doT\Ti by the continual track of 

 waggons ; and to this spot Dr. Stukeley supposes the northern branch 

 of the avenue from Stonehenge pointed.'' Sir R. Hoare considered 

 that the slight bank running across the cursus at the west end formed 

 a part of the general plan of these places of amusement, as he found 

 a similar one in the smaller adjoining circus. The barrows he did 

 not think had been "metse," as Stukeley supposed, but that they had 

 stood on that ground long before the formation of this course, and 

 that, being between the bank and the end, they could not have im- 

 peded the races. From the similarity of the plan both of the large 

 and small circus to that of a Roman circus. Sir R. Hoare felt inclined 

 to think that they were not of British origin, but that they had been 

 formed after the settlement of the Romans in our island. 



