16 



The Eleventh General Meeting. 



Mr. Cunninoton F.G.S. next road a paper on " the Geology of 

 the Stones of Stonehcngc," in which ho first pointed out the 

 many erroneous statements which had been made on this subject, 

 some having described the stones as foreign marble resembling that 

 -of Carrara; others as formed of artificial matter, moulded to the ori- 

 ginal forms ; and others again as a species of coarse freestone. These 

 various statements having been satisfactorily refuted, he proceeded 

 to explain that the outer circle and the large Trilithons at Stone- 

 henge as well as the whole of the circles at Avebury, were composed 

 of sarsen stones : the sarsens found so abundantly in Wiltshire, 

 more especially in the Clatford valley of North Wilts, being the 

 remains of sandy strata once lying above the chalk, the softer por- 

 tions of which have been washed away, leaving these rocky masses 

 on the surface. He then referred to the smaller circle and inner 

 oval, and pronounced all these stones to be primary igneous 

 rocks and of foreign origin, the altar stone is a fine-grained 

 micaceous sandstone. From the facts adduced, Mr. Cunnington 

 argued that Stonehenge was not originally erected either as a 

 sepulchral monument, or as an astronomical calendar. This paper 

 will however be found in extenso in the Magazine, and need not 

 therefore be anticipated here. 



The Rev. H. T. Armfield then read a paper on " The Druids," 

 written by Dr. Bushnan of Laverstock : wherein that gentleman, 

 though he recognized in the feelings and habits of the Druids 

 some traces of solemn truth, at the same time adopted the view 

 that they sometimes offered human sacrifices : and that this was no 

 uncommon practice in early times, he referred to the example of 

 the Phoenicians, Gauls, and others. Dr. Bushnan also contended 

 that the statements of ancient authors regarding the pre-Eoman 

 inhabitants of Britain, are not to be hastily rejected as wholly 

 unworthy of credit, but at any rate deserve careful attention and 

 study. 



Earl Nelson now thanked all the gentlemen for their instructive 

 and interesting papers ; and also paid a graceful tribute of grati- 

 tude to the amateurs who had so materially contributed to the 

 harmony of the evening, and then taking leave of the kind and 



