THIS Antiquity (call’d by Henry Huntingdon, The second: by Poly-olbion
——First wonder of the land)
because the Architraves are set upon the heads of the upright stones, and hang (as it were) in the air, is generally known by the name of Stone-heng. It is sited upon the Plain in the County of Wiltshire in England, not far from Ambresbury (the foundations of whose ancient buildings, frequently digged up, render it to have been in times past a Town of no small fame) six miles at least from new Salisbury northwards.
The whole work, in generall, being of a circular form, is one hundred and ten foot diameter, double winged about without a roof, anciently environed with a deep Trench, still appearing about thirty foot broad. So that, betwixt it, and the work it self, a large and void space of ground being left, it had, from the Plain, three open entrances, the most conspicuous thereof lying North-east. At each of which, was raised, on the outside of the Trench aforesaid, two huge stones gate-wise, parallel whereunto, on the inside two others of lesse proportion. The inner part of the work, consisting of an Exagonall figure, was raised, by due symmetry, upon the bases of four equilaterall triangles, (which formed the whole structure) this inner part likewise was double, having, within it also, another Exagon raised, and all that part within the Trench sited upon a commanding ground, eminent, and higher by much, then any of the Plain lying without, and, in the midst thereof, upon a foundation of hard chalk, the work it self was placed. Insomuch, from what part soever they came unto it, they rose by an easie ascending hill.
Which, that it may be the more clearly demonstrated, (being by me, with no little pains, and charge measured, and the foundations thereof diligently searched) I have reduced into Design, not onely as the ruine thereof now appears, but as (in my judgement) it was in its pristine perfection. And that the groundplot, with the uprights, and profyle of the whole work may the more distinctly be understood, I have purposely countersigned each Design of them with Numbers, and the particular parts thereof with Letters.
Nu. 1
Signifies the Plant of the whole work in generall, with the Trench round about it, drawn by a small scale, that it may be seen all at one view.
A
The Trench.
B
The Intervall betwixt the Trench and Work.