Mr. Tate on Yevering Bell, &c. 453 



circles within, nor any pavement or internal arrangements. 

 We are assured by Caesar, that the Celts had a religion, and 

 that the Druids were its ministers. What more probable, 

 than that this circle of unhewn stones, placed in a wild region 

 which would tend to nurse and strengthen superstitious feel- 

 ings, was the temple wherein the Ancient Britons of the dis- 

 trict assembled to join in the religious rites performed by 

 their Druid priests ? The very defencelessness of the place 

 favours the idea ; for as Druidism was the common religion 

 of the people, its temple, being held sacred everywhere by all 

 the native tribes, would need no external defence. The laws 

 made against the superstitious use of stones in Saxon times 

 prove, that rude stone erections were associated with religion ; 

 and in Scotland, as Dr. Wilson notices, the common Gaelic 

 phrase — Am Cheil tliu dol do'n clachan, — are you going to 

 the stones, when inquiry is made whether a person is going to 

 the church, '' seems in itself no doubtful tradition of ancient 

 worship within the monolithic ring." Probably enough 

 these circles were used also as courts of justice ; for we learn 

 from Caesar, that assemblies were held in a consecrated place, 

 where the Druids decided controversies. 



* Csesar, Lib. VI. cxiii. 



PLATE XV. 



Map of Yevering Bell and the neighbourhood, shewing the Ancient British 

 Fort, Fortlets, Hut circles, Barrows and roads. 



PLATE XVI. 



Relics from Yevering and the neighbourhood : — 



Fig. 1. Flint knife, Yevering. 



,, 2. Copper, part of a Fibula, Yevering. 



,, 3. Pottery, Yevering. 



,, 4. Oak ring, ,, 



,, 5. „ „ 



„ 6. „ „ 



,, 7. Flint javelin head, Fortlet near Yevering. 



,, 8. Stone relic, ,, ,, 



,, 9. Pottery with rounded rim, Fortlet near Yevering. 



,, 10. ,, ornamented, ,, ,, 



„ 11. Glass armlet. Hut circle, Swint law. 



,, 12. Iron weapon, ,, ,, ,, 



,, 13. Flint saw, Worm law Barrow. 



,, 14. „ knife, Three Stone Burn stone circle. 



