324 



Examination of Barrows on 



13. The long barrow, of moderate size, ranges almost clue east 

 and west, has the usual slight trench on the north and south sides, 

 not continued round the west or east end, which last is the highest 

 and widest part of the mound. There were marks of former dig- 

 gings at the east end, near which a large opening was made down 

 to the natural soil. Here, were the scattered bones of four human 

 skeletons, two adult males, and two apparently young persons. 

 The teeth were much worn, the erosion being most marked on the 

 outer edges of the lower, and inner edges of the upper, teeth. 

 There were also a few chippings and fragments of Sarsen stones. 



14. On Horton Down, about half a mile further east, is a single 

 barrow of low elevation, in which, at a depth of two feet, was a 

 simple deposit of burnt bones. 



Still further east, on St. Anne's, or as it is commonly called, 

 Tan Hill, 1 to the south of Wansdyke and overlooking the villages 

 of Allington and All Cannings, are four barrows, all of the bowl 

 form, surrounded by shallow trenches. 



15. In the first of these, to the west, at a depth of three feet 

 and a half, were the burnt bones, apparently of a female or young 



1 The vulgar name of Tan Hill has almost supplanted its proper designation 

 of St. Anne's Hill, by which it is still known on the Maps. The great annual 

 fair held here on old St. Anne's day, (Aug. 6th) is sufficient proof of the etymo- 

 logy, and of the unsatisfactory nature of the speculations of the late Canon Bowles 

 and others, by whom its name was connected with that of the Celtic Jupiter, Tar- 

 anis. — (Bremhill, 1828, p. 35 ; Hermes Brit. p. 14.) Stronger testimony may be 

 derivable from Anglo-Saxon charters of the 10th century, of Edward the elder, 

 Edwy and Edgar, in which, if Fosbroke's reading is to be accepted, mention is 

 made, in describing the boundaries of the adjoining parish of Stanton, of "Anne's 

 Thorn" and "Anne's Stone," probably on this very hill, (Hoare's Regist. Wil- 

 tun, p. 6; Cod. Dip. Nos. 335, 467, and 482). In^the 17th century, Aubrey 

 writes of "St. Anne's Hill" as "vulgarly called Tann Hill, where every yeare on 

 St. Anne's day (26 July) is kept a great fair, within an old camp." (Nat. Hist, 

 of Wilts, p. 114). Mr. Duke, 'who thought the fair of St. Anne may have suc- 

 ceeded to the ferice of Diana, observes "the corruption of St. Anne's Hill to 

 Tan Hill is obviously thus, St. Anne's Hill— S'tan Hill— Tan Hill." (Druidical 

 Temples of Wilts, 1846, p. 95.) There can be little doubt that this hill has 

 been the site of pagan rites, but to what deity these were paid, there is, we 

 think, no proof. The Beltein may likely enough have been here celebrated ; 

 but these midsummer fires were especially in honour of the solar god, Belin. 

 The hill, it seems clear, derives its name from that of the patron saint of the 

 parish church (All Cannings) viz. St. Anne. 



