HAMDON HILL. 85 



by the euphoniuus appellation of the " frying-pan," to 

 which, by the vvay it bears no small resemblance on a bot 

 summer's day ; in which many a gay dance and scene of" 

 joUification are held : and some of" my fair hearers may 

 there have "tripped on the light fantastic toe." In front 

 of its outlet (or the stem of the pan) is a level space of 

 considerable length, probably a circus, where public gamea 

 or courses were exhibited. Near this are some parallel 

 rows of stones, extending to a considerable distance, the 

 design of which is rather mysterious, and not easily to be 

 accouuted for ; each of them projecting some few inches 

 above the surface (which is here on a considerable declivity), 

 is perforated with an aperture of about two inches in a 

 Square or mortice shape. The rows and the distances of 

 the stones which are in rather irregulär lines, seven or 

 eight in uumbei", are about twenty feet asunder. Sir ß. 

 Hoare, in bis paper in the Archteologia*, dismissed this sub- 

 ject too hastily, and very unsatisfactorily, jumping to the 

 conclusion that they were used to tie up the cavalry. This I 

 consider quite improbable. The Situation, exposed to the 

 cold N.E. wind, would render it dangerous to the health 

 of the horses ; and the ground, sloping in some parts as 

 much as at an angle of thirty degrees, would be inconvenient 

 for that pui'pose ; also the distances between the rows of 

 stones, are much more than would be required. It is also 

 well known that in the Roman mode of encampment, the 

 cavalry were generaUy in the centi-e of the camp, sur- 

 rounded by other troops. Another Suggestion is, that 

 these stones were for barriers or seats for spectators to view 

 the games or contests in the ampitheatre. This is open to 

 the objection that several of the rows are so far distant, 

 that the circus itself could not be perfectly seen by persona 



* Archjeologia, vol. xxi. 



