By Alfred C. Pass. 247 



ridge of chalk rock was allowed to remain, when all the rest was 

 removed. This formed a causeway, and appears to have been the 

 only way of approach to the hill from the adjacent high ground. 

 Even between tire end of this causeway and the hill, there was a 

 great gap of some depth. 



The bottom of the deep trench, to the south of the mound, has 

 been considerably raised by infilling of earth washed from the 

 turnpike road, which runs alongside it. This land belongs to 

 another owner, so that I could not dig here ; but I would suggest 

 to the Wiltshire Archaeological Society the desirability of sinking 

 two or three shafts through the wash, down to the chalk, and thus 

 to find the original depth of the trench here ; and also to ascertain, 

 by digging, whether the eastern causeway or projection forms any 

 part of the original structure. I am inclined to think this may 

 simply be composed of material deposited here, when the level of the 

 turnpike road was lowered in the last century. This could easily 

 be proved by ascertaining whether this projection is composed of 

 solid chalk rock, or of loose material which has been brought here. 



A little below the top of the hill, and nearly surrounding it, is 

 a ledge or terrace. This may be either a part of the original design, 

 and may have formed the base of a stockade or defence of some kind; 

 or it may have been formed by the slipping down of the outside 

 materials of the hill. This point deserves examination. Fer- 

 gusson, in "Rude Stone Monuments," says " Nothing would 

 surprise me less than if five or six entombments were found arranged 

 around the upper plateau, at a small depth below the surface." 



The mystery of its origin; Who built it? For what purpose? 

 When? were questions which vividly presented themselves tome 

 the first time I visited Silbury Hill, some years ago, on a lovely 

 brilliant day in June. When looking down from the summit of 

 this great mound, I was struck by the well-defined line, plainly 

 marking out the limit of the space, from whence the materials had 

 been excavated for making the hill. This area is below the level of 

 the adjacent ground, and the grass grows there of a brighter green, 

 perhaps owing to a greater amount of moisture in the soil. Since 

 then it occurred to me that an excavation in this meadow at the 



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