347 



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f^R'E Society has received the Proceedings of the Bath Natural 

 History and Antiquarian Field Club, No. 2, 1868. At 

 ^*73^occurs the following note relating to Stonehenge :— 



'« June the 25th, 1 867. Four of our party left Amesbury between 

 two and three a.m., bent on the important errand of ascertaining 

 whether the sun did actually rise over the Friar's Heel at the sum- 

 mer solstice. With admirable patience, as the long looked for 

 moment arrived, one stationed himself at the outer circle, the others 

 at the 'altar stone,' and with note-book and compass in hand 

 awaited with an ardour, perhaps a little chilled by the heavy dew, 

 the first indication of its rising. Just as hopes were beginning to 

 fail and the minutes dragged wearily along, an exclamation of 

 surprise burst forth from all as the sun gradually rose, a globe of 

 fire, immediately behind the 'Friar's Heel,' and no sooner had its 

 first beams touched the top of the gnomen than they fell right 

 athwart the ' altar-stone,'— a glorious and long to be remembered 

 sight ! The inclination of the sun slightly to the south of the 

 stone, was just what might have been expected after the lapse of 

 the few days since the summer solstice. The modern sun-worship- 

 pers left gratified but awed at the grandeur of the surrounding 

 scene, which words fail to describe ; and having ascertained an 

 undoubted fact, leave it to others to build thereon their theories." 



During a visit to Stonehenge in the summer of last year, Mr. 

 Henry Cunnington found in rabbits' holes round the edge of the 

 altar stone, and at the edge of the large stone E 2 in Hoare's plan, 

 several flint flakes and a fragment of pottery. The latter is of 

 rude make, slightly burnt, and though evidently very ancient is 

 not sufficiently distinct to be of much importance. Most of the 

 flakes are decidedly artificial. "The circular piece," says Mr. 

 Evans, " is of a rarer form and belongs to the class to which the 

 name of sling stones has been applied." One flake is undoubtedly 



