166 Danish Cromlechs and Burial Customs, fyc. 



cromlechs, as visible stone structures, is easily accounted for. 



Mr. Kemble adds : "I am nevertheless perfectly satisfied that 

 they do refer to them here and there under the well known title of 

 ' se haran stan, 3a haran stanas,' the hoary or grey or ancient 

 stones, for which we do also find ' 3a grsegean ' or grey stones. 

 The Anglo-Saxon boundaries do very frequently run to the old 

 grey stone or hoary stone or stones, and among them it is reasonable 

 to believe that sometimes cromlechs or stone rings were intended." 

 This is begging the question, and with all due respect for Mr. 

 Kemble, improbable in the highest degree as regards cromlechs. 

 Because, in order that stones should be entitled to the distinction 

 of grey or hoary, they must have been exposed to the elements for 

 a long series of years. But cromlechs were most certainly not 

 exposed during the Anglo-Saxon period, or if the upper parts of 

 their cap-stones were in any degree then uncovered, they could 

 only have been so for a short time. At all events so very little of 

 the entire structure must have been visible that those portions 

 which were seen would not have presented such a remarkable 

 appearance as Mr. Kemble implies. It is unfortunate too for his 

 statement that he should have specified an instance, for it happens 

 to be one which strongly opposes it. " There is," he says, " as far 

 as I know, only one very definite allusion to a cromlech, or rather 

 to a stone kist, which as it stands in a boundary was of course (?) 

 above ground, and probably resembled the magnificent structure 

 at Coldburn in Kent, which is planted upon a hill overlooking the 

 country far and wide. The allusion occurs in the boundary of 

 Ceoselden (Chiselden) in Wilts ; — of " 3am 3orne on 3a stancysten 

 on Holancumbe," (Cod. Dip. 730) — i.e. from the thorn to the stone 

 kist on Holcumbe, from the stone kist to the Blackman's barrow. 

 Now as Holancumbe means literally " the hollow hill, the hill with 

 a cavity or chamber in it," it is clear that the allusion is not to a 

 visible stone structure, but to a chambered tumulus, a tumulus which 

 was known to contain a stone cist. Mr. Kemble also assumes that 

 "the magnificent structure at Coldburn" was always above ground. 1 



1 It is also an assumption to suppose that the chamber of the long barrow 

 near ■Ashdown, Berks, was exposed in the year A.D. 955, because in a charter of 

 Eadred the tumulus is named as " Welandes SmrSftan." 



