By the Rev. A. C. Smith. 



189 



notice of it by remarking that "it is 250 feet longer than Silbury bar- 

 row in Wiltshire," I am disposed to regard it as of less actual bulk, 

 its oblong form and very inferior elevation being considered. There 

 is also another barrow of considerable size in the same County, near 

 Studland in the Isle of Purbeck, called " Agglestone Barrow ; " on 

 the top of which stands an enormous stone. The dimensions of 

 this mound, as given by Hutchins, are, perpendicular height 90 

 feet : slope of side 300 feet : and the area it covers half an acre 

 and 14 perch. 



And now I come back to Wiltshire, and mention the mound 

 at Marlborough, alike mysterious in its origin, its purpose, and its 

 date, though I cannot agree with the present Bishop of Calcutta 

 in his statement that it was at any period of equal size with 

 Silbury, mutilated and changed by its successive occupants 

 though it undoubtedly has been. 1 For though in Norman days 

 it was used as a fortress, and in later times has been turned 

 to account as a fitting site for the spiral walks and formal 

 pleasure grounds wherein our ancestors two centuries ago delighted, 

 yet we must not forget that it was thrown up by none of these, but 

 bears as venerable an appearance, and as plain marks of Celtic 

 origin as Silbury itself: and I doubt not that if thoroughly examined 

 it would be found to contain the ashes of some man of renown in an 

 age of which few traces now remain : for whether or no the British 

 Merlin was buried here, and whether or no " Merlin's Barrow " 

 gave a name to the town, (as has been asserted, 2 



' 1 Merlini tumulus tibi Merlebrigia, nomen 

 Fecit, testis erit Anglica liugua mihi ; ") 



certain it is, that Merleberg was the original mode of spelling 

 Marlborough (in Doomsday Book for instance, and in King John's 



1 " Antiquities of Marlborough College," by Dr. Gr. E. Cotton, p. 9. Hickman 

 says " The area covered by this mount is about an acre and a quarter." 

 [Archceologia, vol. xxviii, p. 414.] Sir R. C. Hoare in describing it says, " It 

 is inferior in proportions only to Silbury Hill : " (North Wilts, page 15). He 

 gives its dimensions as 1000 feet in circumference of base, and 110 feet for 

 diameter of top. 



2 Gough's Camden. Antiquities of Marlborough College, p. 7. Waylen's 

 History of Marlborough, p. 19. 



