2 



Recent Excavations at Stonehenge. 



Edmund accepted the offer, declined any pecuniary aid, and in- 

 vited the Society to form, together with the Wiltshire Archaeological 

 Society, and the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, a 

 small committee to advise him as to the work required for the 

 conservation of the monument and the order in which it should be 

 carried out. 



The committee met at the Society of Antiquaries on the 26th 



March, 1901, and again at Stonehenge on the 12th April, under 



the presidency of Lord Dillon, and of the Bishop of Bristol. 0 n 



the latter occasion a very careful examination was made of the 



monument, special attention being given to the stones which were 



in the most critical condition and to those which had fallen in 



recent times. As the result of their deliberations, the following 



resolutions were passed and communicated to Sir Edmund Antrobus 



with a recommendation that the leaning stone, No. 56 on Professor 



Flinders Petrie's plan of 1880, be first dealt with : — 



BESOLUTIONS. 



(1) That this committee approves of the suggested protection of Stonehenge 

 by a wire fence not less than 4 feet high, following on two sides the existing 

 roads and crossing on the west from the 331-foot level on the north road to 

 the 332-foot level on the south road shown on the O.S. Map (1-2,500). Wilts, 

 Sheet LIV. 14. 



(2) That the committee recommends, without prejudice to any legal question, 

 that the local authorities be requested to agree to divert the existing track-way 

 or ridge-way from Netheravon, now passing through the earth circle so as to 

 pass from the 302-foot level to the 331 and 332-foot levels in the O.S. map 

 immediately west of Stonehenge. 



(3) That stones 6 and 7 with their lintel, and stone 56 (according to the 

 numbering on Mr. Petrie's plan) be first examined, with a view of maintaining 

 them in a position of safety. 



(4) That, in the opinion of this committee, stone 22 should be replaced, 

 stone 21 be made safe, and the lintel of 21 and 22 be replaced in the most 

 safe and conservative manner. The committee also recommends the re- 

 erection of stones 57 and 58 and their lintel 158. 



(5) That the instructions to custodians already in force be approved, with 

 a few suggested alterations. 



(6) That this "committee feels that it is impossible to overstate the value of 

 the assistance which the county council, the district council, and the parish 

 council of Amesbury can give to the efforts made to preserve this unique 

 monument. 



(7) That these resolutions be sent to Sir Edmund Antrobus, with the earnest 

 thanks of the committee for the part he is proposing to take in the preservation 

 of Stonehenge, and that it be left to him to communicate them to the Press. 



