H6 



The Th'wty -Fifth General Meeting. 



excavations, under competent direction, might be carried out at no 

 distant day, when this very interesting question might, perhaps, be 

 satisfactorily disposed of. 



From Shepherd's Shore the archaeologists drove to Avebury, 

 halting only at the Roman road, where Mr. Smith called special 

 attention to the conspicuous fragment of that road, pointing direct 

 for Silbury, a matter of no small importance in reference to the 

 controversy so often carried on in regard to the date of that great 

 tumulus. 



Arrived at Avebury, luncheon was the first attraction, after the 

 long morning's walk in the appetising down air. This bad been 

 prepared in the fine old barn which Mr. Kemm, with his usual 

 kindness, placed at the disposal of the Society, and which on many 

 previous occasions of a similar character has done similar good service, 

 and well deserves to be dubbed the " archaeologists' Avebury dining- 

 room." After luncheon the party adjourned to the very interesting 

 old Church, where the Vicar (the Rev. Bryan King) gave some 

 account of its history and restoration, and more especially called 

 attention to some very early remains, for which he claimed a Saxon 

 origin. Then the stone circles and vallum were visited, under the 

 guidance of the Rev. A. C. Smith, who pointed out the original 

 position of the stones and speculated on their intention, and 

 especially descanted on the immense size of the area, and the 

 dimensions of the circles, so very much exceeding in this respect 

 the sister circle at Stonehenge. On leaving Abury the route taken 

 was by West Kennet, where the remains of the avenue of stones 

 were noted, and so on to Silbury, which was soon covered with 

 archaeologists, who spent some time on this, the largest artificial 

 tumulus, not only in Great Britain, but in all probability in Europe. 

 Then the party drove to the top of Cherhill Hill, and leaving the 

 carriages to proceed to Cherhill, went on foot to Oldborough Camp, 

 and the White Horse immediately below it, and the Monument on 

 its north-western corner. Descending to Cherhill they were most 

 hospitably entertained at tea in the rectory garden, by the Rev. 

 W. C. and Mrs. Plenderleath ; then they visited the Church and 

 the famous barn, and finally drove back to Calne, which they 



