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A BURIED STONE IN" THE KENNET AVENUE. 

 By Mrs. M. E. Cunnington. 



A large sarsen, probably one of tbe stones of tbe Kennet avenue 

 was recently (February, 1913) exposed in a trench cut for the 

 purpose of laying down water pipes. The trench was cut from 

 the top of the hill South of Avebury, sometimes called Windmill 

 Hill, or Windmill Ball, 1 across the Kennet-Avebury road, and 

 therefore across the line of the Kennet avenue, to a pumping 

 station in the valley south-east of Avebury vallum. 2 



As one end of the stone projected into the trench, and so was in 

 the way of the pipes, these were laid under it; and in clearing 

 away the rubble from under the stone for this purpose the lower 

 end of a human tibia and some other fragments of bones were 

 found. As so many burials have been found under sarsens in this 

 neighbourhood it seemed worth while to make some examination 

 of this one, especially as from its position it must have been either 

 in, or close to, the Kennet avenue. Therefore, with the permission 

 of Captain Jenner, the owner of the land, and of his tenant, a 

 section was cut at right angles to the trench, exposing the side of 

 the stone furthest from the road. This digging revealed the fact 

 that the stone was, as at first feared, much too large to lift without 

 considerable labour and expense, and the aid of special appliances. 



In digging down to the stone, fragments of human bones were 

 found over it, and generally scattered in the chalky rubble filling 

 the hole in which the stone had been buried. The exposed side of 

 the stone was undercut as much as possible, and as far as could be 

 seen, it appeared to be lying on undisturbed chalk, the loose rubble 

 and fragments of bones being only under the shelving side (or edge) 



1 This hill should not be confused with the Windmill Hill north of 

 Avebury. See Smith's Antiquities of North Wilts, p. 145, d. 



2 The pond dug a few years ago on the top of this hill is utilised as a 

 reservoir to which the water is pumped. The barrow marked "d "on 

 Smith's Map (Section XL, G. V.) must have been on the site of, or very 

 near, this pond. No trace of the barrow can now be found. 



