Stonehenge, Today and Yesterday

The interest that has always attached itself to Stonehenge has, without doubt, been in a great measure due to the mystery as to the origin of this unique monument of bygone time. But the careful investigations carried out by the modern school of archaeologists, as instanced in the work of General Pitt Rivers, Mr. Gowland, and others, every excavation being carried out with great care and scientific accuracy, have had good results; little by little the history of Stonehenge has been unravelled; a fact that Mr. Stevens has clearly demonstrated in the present volume. We now know how, when, and who, built this remarkable temple. One point, however, still remains a mystery, viz. whence the so-called foreign stones were obtained? Clearly, as geology shows, from no spot in Wiltshire.

Amongst the many rude stone circles scattered over Great Britain, Stonehenge is unique, in the fact of having its sarsen stones carefully though roughly worked; and also in the introduction of the horseshoe within the circles, in the design or plan of the building. As in the present day, our churches, in their design, symbolise the Cross, so we may fairly infer that the horseshoe at Stonehenge had its own special meaning, as it still has in the East.

I would advise all interested in the subject, after reading Mr. Stevens' lucid and comprehensive account, to visit this weird monument and judge for themselves; take Omar's sound advice, "To-day" view the "Dead Yesterday," wait not for the "Unborn To-morrow."

H.P. BLACKMORE. SALISBURY. March 1, 1916.

CONTENTS

PAGE FOREWORD v

STONEHENGE SUMMARISED FOR VISITORS 1

SALISBURY PLAIN 8

STONEHENGE 12

THE LITHOLOGY OF STONEHENGE 15 1. The Story of the Sarsens 17 2. The Foreign Stones 20

THE STONES WITHOUT THE CIRCLE 27 1. The Hele Stone or Friar's Heel 28 2. The Legend of the Friar's Heel 29 3. The "Slaughtering Stone" 31 4. The Earthwork 34

THE BUILDING OF STONEHENGE 36 1. Dressing the Stones 40 2. Tenons and Mortices 42 3. The Process of Erection 45 4. Raising the Foreign Stones 49

WHEN WAS STONEHENGE ERECTED? 51

WHAT WAS STONEHENGE? 57

THE DRUID QUESTION 67

THE BARROWS OF SALISBURY PLAIN 70 1. The Round Barrows 73 2. The Men of the Barrows 87

VALEDICTORY 92

[Illustration: Stonehenge, Today--Looking West.]

STONEHENGE: TO-DAY AND YESTERDAY

STONEHENGE SUMMARISED

USEFUL FACTS, FOR THE ATTENTION OF VISITORS

Each statement is furnished with a reference to the particular pages in this book, where fuller information and arguments "for and against" may be found.

I. WHEN AND BY WHOM STONEHENGE WAS BUILT

(a) Stonehenge was erected about the year 1700 B.C. (See page 51.)

(b) It was built by a race or men who had only a slight knowledge of the use of bronze, and no knowledge of iron. (See pages 40-49.)

II. STONEHENGE CONSISTS OF

(a) A circular earthwork, 300 feet in diameter. (See page 34.)

(b) An avenue bounded by earthworks approaching it on the north-east. (See page 34.)

(c) One large unworked Sarsen Stone, called the "Hele Stone," or "Friar's Heel." (See page 28.)

(d) A recumbent slab within the earthwork called the "Slaughtering Stone." (See page 31.)

(e) Two small unhewn Sarsens lying north-west and south-east of the Circle of Stones. (See page 27.)

(f) A ring of hewn Sarsen stones with "imposts" or lintels mortised to them. The lintels are fitted together with toggle joints. Sixteen out of the original thirty uprights of these "Trilithons" are now standing.

The diameter of this circle is about 108 feet, or that of the dome of St. Paul's. (See page 12.)