324 On Wayland's Smithy, and on 



the stones, whicli he says were " 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 foote." ^ The plan 

 itself was clearly not laid down from measurements, and can have 

 no pretensions to minute accuracy. We cannot, however, but 

 conclude from it, that the " continuous embankment opposite the 

 north end" of the cave, to which Professor Donaldson refers, and 

 where he would place an ^'alley of stones " leading to "an opening 

 in the outer ring," consists, of the remains of the northern end of 

 this oblong tumulus. 



Although Aubrey is our best witness, we do not depend entirely 

 on him for the fact that this monument formed part of a long bar- 

 row. Wise, who followed Aubrey about seventy years later, 

 described it in 1738, whilst in much the same condition as when 

 seen by his predecessor, and long before the trees which now cover 

 it had been planted, or many of the outlying stones removed, which 

 was done towards the close of the last century, "for the purpose of 

 building a barn." ^ Wise says expressly that "the stones that are left 

 enclose a piece of ground of an irregular figure at present, but which 



above grouad. Some are sunk deep and some fallen flat, which are almost over- 

 grown with earth and grasse. They are called Y Lleche (i.e. The Stones.) They 

 stand upon a hillock, in the parish of Caer-Gybi." There is no notice of this 

 monument either in Pennant or Rowland ; though part of the preceding account 

 was copied in Gibson's Camden, (1695, p. 679.) They are clearly the stones 

 " above Holy-head " referred to by Aubrey in his description of Avebury 

 Wiltshire Archseol. Mag., vol iv., p. 317.) 



> Aubrey's inserted notice of Wayland Smyth contains in almost every line 

 some ill founded assertion or crude hypothesis ; it is as follows : — 



" Md"". On the top of White-Horse-hill is a Barrow called by the name of 

 dragon-Hill This rich and pleasant Vale of White Horse, Hengist or Horsa (a 

 Saxon king — vide in Drayton's Polyolbion) tooke into his possession. Hengist 

 signifies a horse, as also Horsa. The White — Horse was their Standard at the 

 Conquest of Britaine, which is the origine of the White Horse cutt out in this 

 chalkie hill, which is seen many miles from thence ; by the several barrows here- 

 about one may perceive here how many (?) battels fought. That Uter Pen- 

 dra'i-on fought against the Saxons is certayne : perhaps was here slayne, from 

 whence Dragon-hill may take its denomination. And this great sepulchre called 

 Wayland Smyth is not unlikely to be a great and rude monument of Hengist 

 or Horsa, for in their countrey remaine many monuments like it. Vide Olai 

 Wormii Monumenta Danica, v. p. 16." 



Then follows the sketch of the monument, as in our anastatic plate, headed 

 " Wayland Smyth, about half-a-mile west from the White Horse in Berks." 



^ J. Y, Akerman, Archseologia, vol. xxxii., p. 312. 



