206 



Druidic Antiquities. 



[No. 12, NEW SETIIES. 



Men would even now be afraid to undertake such a work, not- 

 withstanding all the assistance of the mechanic powers which in 

 those times they wanted. "What redoubles the astonishment is, 

 that stones of that size are rarely to be seen throughout the island, 

 and that they must have been brought from a great distance. 



In Scotland so far as can be gathered from the vestiges of such 

 of these sacred enclosures as remain least defaced, they seem in 

 their perfect state to have generally consisted of the circular row 

 or double row of stones in the central open space (the proper 

 lucits or place of light) and beyond these, of a wood surrounded 

 by a ditch and a mound. A holy fountain or rivulet appears also 

 to have usually watered the grove. Near to the temple frequent- 

 ly rose a sacred mount, from which it is conjectured the priests 

 were wont to address the people. 



At Trer Dryw in Anglesey are also the relics of a circle of 

 stones, with the Cromlech in the midst ; but all extremely imper- 

 fect, Two of the stones are very large ; one, which serves at pre- 

 sent as part of the end of a house, is twelve feet seven inches 

 high, and eight broad ; another eleven feet high, and twenty-three 

 feet in girth. Some lesser stones yet remain. This circle, when 

 complete, was one of the temples of the Druids, in which their 

 religious rites were performed. 



The shape of the supporting stones of the Cromlech at Palicon- 

 dah is very like the configuration of those of a Druidical altar or 

 Cromlech found by Mr. Borrow in Spain. 



" Whilst toiling along these wild wastes" he says, " I observ- 

 ed, a little way to my left, a pile of stones of rather a singular 

 appearance, and rode up to it. It was a Druidical altar, and the 

 most perfect and beautiful one of the kind which I had ever seen. 

 It was circular, and consisted of stones immensely large and heavy 

 at the bottom, which towards the top became thinner and thinner, 

 having been fashioned by the hand of art to something of the 

 shape of scollop shells. These were surmounted by a very large 

 flat stone, which slanted down towards the south, where was a 

 door. Three or four individuals might have taken shelter within 

 the interior, in which was growing a small thorn tree."* 4 



* Vide Borrow's Bible in Spain Volume I. Chapter vii. 



