344 



Ahury. 



fig 



This too has been renioved 



1. and Stukeley's plate xxxvii.) 

 within a few years. 



In the district of the Sarsen Stones, which extends several milos 

 to the south and east of Abury, is situated the fine cromlech, called 

 the "Devil's Den." It stands in Clatford Bottom at the termination 

 of a stone- valley, which is the most extensive, (as that opposite to 

 it, Lockeridge Dean, is the most picturesque,) of these remarkable 

 combes. Within the memory of living men this cromlech formed 

 a part of the valley of stones, but it is now grazed by the plough- 

 share, year by year. Stukeley has given three, and Sir R. Iloare two, 

 engravings of it. Both appear to have regarded it as sepulchral.^ 



Aubrey gives a sketch of an ob- 

 long stone lying across the top of 

 two others, and at right angles 

 with them. He says, "This mon- 

 ument is in the parish of Kynnet, 

 where one Mr. Kinsman digging 

 underneath, about 16-43, found the 

 skeleton of a man and a sword 

 and dagger, as they report. In 

 these parts are five or six such 

 monuments. The stones are of a 

 great length, at least ten or twelve 

 foot, as I remember."- 



" Monument, Kynnel Piirish." (Aubrey, 1643.) 



" At "NVinterbourne Basset, (about tliree miles) north of Abury, in 

 a field north west of the church, upon elevated ground, is a double cir- 

 cle of stones, concentric, 60 cubits diameter. The two circles are near 



had been au interment on the spot. It would be more correctly termed a Cromlech. 

 It is shown in the foreground of the plate of Abury restored, given by Mr. 

 Britton, 'Beauties of Wilts', vol. iii. 1825, p. 280; see p. 276, note 



' There were probably two forms of the cromlech, the sepulchral and sacrificial. 

 "Whether this and the " Shelving stone" at Monkton were ever employed for 

 the dreadful rites of sacriliee and augury from human victims, as practised by 

 the Druids, caunot be asserted, thougli it is possible. "Nam cruore caiitivo 

 adolere aras, et hominum tibris cousulere decs, las habcbant," — says the histo- 

 rian, of the British Druids. Tacitus, Ann. lib. siv. c. 30. 



' Monumenta Britaunica. (I'his MS. was purchased by the Rev. Dr. Btjidi- 

 nel, for the Bodleian Library, of Colonel Grtjville, iu 1836.) 



