Stonehenge and Other British Stone Monuments Astronomically Considered

by Sir Norman Lockyer

	Alignments.	Azimuth.						Elevation.
1.	Apex of Carn	N.	12	°	8	′	E.	4	′	0	′
2.	Barrow 800′ distant	N.	20		8		E.	3		50
3.	Two barrows 900′ distant	N.	50		8		E.	1		50
4.	Holed stones	N.	53		20		E.	1		15
5.	Longstone	N.	66		38		E.	2		10
6.	Stone	N.	76		13		E.

The carn referred to in the above table is Carn Kenidjack, called “the hooting cairn.” The rocks on the summit, in which there is a remarkable depression, are still by local superstition supposed to emit evil sounds by night.

Photo. by Lady Lockyer.

Fig. 54.—The Eastern Circle at Tregaseal.

Of the sight-lines studied so far, those to and from the Longstone and the holed stones seem the most important. The Longstone,[117] 1¹⁄₂ miles to the N.E., is a monolith 10 feet high on the western side of a hill; it is visible from the circle though furze has grown round and partly hidden it.

The meanings of the various alignments seem to be as follows:—

		Decl. N.						Star.		Date.
1.	Apex of Carn	42	°	33	′	0	″	Arcturus		2330	B.C.
2.	Barrow 800′ distant	40		29		0		„		1970	„
3.	Two barrows 900′ distant	25		20		21		?	Solstitial
4.	Holed stones	23		2		20		?	„
5.	Longstone	16		2		0		May sun
6.	Stone	9		15		0		Pleiades		1270	B.C.

Regarding the possible solstitial alignments, the declinations obtained may be neglected until the azimuths and angular heights of the hills have been determined with a good theodolite. A change of -10′ in the angular elevation, and hence about that in the resulting declination, would bring the date given by the barrows to about 2000 B.C.

The position of the Longstone is well worthy of attention. Several very fine monuments which mark the surrounding horizon are visible from it in azimuths with which other monuments have made us familiar. They are as follows:—