118 Professor T. Rupert Jones — History of Sarsens. 



.hand, made when he grasped the stone, may yet be distinctly 

 seen. This corroborates the writer of the account in the Gent. Mag» 

 of 1760. 



Last year, on going over the Lambourn Downs, I was struck by 

 seeing a huge Sarsen Stone, evidently roughly squared, about 5 feet 

 out of the ground, by the side of the road. It has every appearance 

 of a milestone of the last century ; and on examining its face next 

 to the road, I found that a flat face or panel had been cut as if to 

 receive a plate or letters ; but neither Mr. Barnes, who was with 

 me, nor myself could trace any letters at all. There is little doubt 

 that this is a Eoman milestone, as this ancient road leads direct to 

 TJffington Castle and White-horse Hill. This stone is called 

 ' Hangman's Stone,' the same story being told about it as of the 

 Haugmanstone near Chaddleworth, and about similar stones else- 

 where in England. The stone (4' 6" long, V wide, and 1' 6" high 

 at each end) in Hangmanstone Lane is lying down, but the Lambourn 

 stone is vertical as with ordinary milestones. It is not known as 

 a boundary stone. 



There are a great number of Sarsen Stones in the neighbourhood 

 of Ashbury, at the western extremity of Berks, on the northern 

 slope of the Downs, where they enter this county from Wiltshire ; 

 and it is singular that hamlets in this parish have the names of 

 Id-stone, Od-stone, and King - stone Winslow, and just beyond is 

 the parish of Bishop-stone (Wilts). Possibly the boundaries of 

 these places were indicated by stones, presumably Sarsens, from 

 their being so abundant at hand. 



At Lambourn the boundary wall of the churchyard is built of 

 Sarsens ; some of them are 5 feet in height. Others are used as 

 stepping-stones and for margins in the Bourn at Upper Lambourn. 



Large Sarsens are still visible close to some old churches, as at 

 Compton Beauchamp, East Shefford, and Merlstone, a tithing of 

 Bucklebury ; and they may be remains of material accumulated 

 for pagan temples, at places now occupied by Christian churches. 



" There was, and probably is, a row or avenue of Sarsen Stones 

 in Whiteknights Park, Eeading, leading to the Wilderness, which 

 were said to have been supplied by the Kennet Eiver Navigation, 

 in early times, from the neighbourhood of Hungerford and 

 Marlborough."— W. M. 



1887. J. E. Hedges. There are many Sarsen Stones collected 

 by Mr. Hedges for grotto-work at Wallingford Castle. Some are 

 perforated by rootlet marks. 



1887. Numei'ous Sarsens, small and of irregular shape (probabl}' 

 from the gravel in the neighbourhood), are arranged around a flower- 

 bed at Theale Eailway Station. — T. E. J. 



Dr. Silas Palmer noted several large Sarsens observable at Hill 

 Green, about 1 mile west of Leckhampstead Street, which is 6 miles 

 nearly north of Winterbourne, 1 mile south-west of Peasemore, 

 and about 2 miles north-east of Poughley in Welford Wood, and 

 2 miles north-east of the Hangmanstone in Hangmanstone Lane. 

 These are cared for by Mr. Harold Peake, of Westbrook House,. 



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