210 ANCIENT REMAINS IN ARRAN. 



his expense. His Grace also placed me in communication 

 with his agent in Arran, Mr. Paterson of Whitehouse, Lam- 

 lash, whose judicious arrangements mainly contributed to 

 the success and rapid conduct of the operations. But 

 before giving an account of the excavations, it will be 

 necessary to describe the circles in their present state. Mr. 

 Paterson was so good as to have an actual survey made of 

 them, by which their relative positions are accurately laid 

 down by the compass, and the respective distances apart, to 

 a scale. These are shewn in the annexed plan, on which 

 also I have indicated the kind of circle, whether of pillared 

 stones or blocks. 



The more eastern circle of the group (No. 1) is a single 

 circle of granite blocks, having a diameter of 14 yards; two of 

 the stones are entire, and stand about 5 feet high ; the others 

 merely protrude from the surface of the moor. The second 

 (No. 2) is a single circle of tall sandstone slabs, of which 

 three ("W. to N.E.) are perfect and upright; but the rest of 

 the circumference is defined by the bases of other stones 

 remaining in the soil the number being, in all, seven or 

 eight. The pillars are from 12 to 14 feet in height, 3 to 4 

 feet broad, and 11 to 22 inches thick. Two circular slabs, 

 4^ feet in diameter, and 1 1 inches thick, plainly cut from a 

 fallen pillar in modern times, and intended for millstones, lie 

 inside the circle one of them is pierced by a grooved 

 perforation, as if for the admission of a shaft. The next 

 circle (No. 3) is 13 yards in diameter; in the circumference 

 nine stones are distinctly seen, but one only is upright and 

 entire; its height is about 14 feet, and other dimensions 

 about the same as in the pillars of No. 2. Near the centre 

 there is a large square stone, crossed by five deep grooves. 

 The circle No. 4 is formed of four blocks of coarse granite, 

 standing nearly on the cardinal points, and about 3 feet high. 

 The figure is not a perfect circle, but rather an ellipsis whose 

 greater axis, directed north and south, is 7 yards long. The 

 circles now described are on that part of the moor which is 



