When the lord Stowell, who own’d the manor of Abury, levell’d the vallum on that side of the town next the church, where the barn now stands, the workmen came to the original surface of the ground, which was easily discernible by a black stratum of mold upon the chalk. Here they found large quantities of bucks’ horns, bones, oyster-shells, and wood coals. The old man who was employ’d in the work says, there was the quantity of a cart-load of the horns, that they were very rotten, that there were very many burnt bones among them.
They were remains of the sacrifices that had been perform’d here; probably before the temple was quite finish’d, and the ditch made. These are all the antiquities I could learn to have been found in and about the town of Abury.
CHAP. VII.
A description of the great avenue from West-Kennet, a mile off, which is the forepart of the snake proceeding from the circle. Observations on the vallum and ditch. On the proportion between the breadth of the avenue and the side interval of the stones. The avenue broader in that part, which is the belly of the snake, than the neck. Its whole length ten stadia of the ancients; 4000 cubits, an eastern mile. The Hakpen an oriental word, signifying the snake’s head. The temple on Overton-hill. Such another temple described by Pausanias in Bœotia, called the snake’s head.
THE Druids, by throwing outwards the earth dug out of the huge circular ditch environing the town, demonstrated to all comers at first sight, that this was a place of religion, not a camp or castle of defence. They prevented its ever being us’d as such, which must have ruin’d their sacred design. Moreover it adds to the solemnity of the place; it gives an opportunity for a greater number of people to assist at the offices of religion.
This further great convenience attends the disposition of ditch and vallum, that the water falls off the area every way, and keeps it dry, which provides for the stability of their work, and convenience of the priests in their ministry. I observ’d the earth that composes the vallum was laid a small distance from the verge of the ditch, so as to leave a parapet or narrow walk between. This was as the podium of an amphitheater, for the lower tire of spectators. The ditch and rampart are each 60 feet, or 35 cubits broad. And now the whole is an agreeable terrace-walk round the town, with a pleasant view upon sometimes corn-fields, sometimes heath; the hill-tops every where cover’d with barrows; and that amazing artificial heap of earth call’d Silbury-hill in sight. The great belgic rampart, the Wansdike, licks all the southern horizon, as far as you can see it, crowning the upper edge of that range of hills parting north and south Wiltshire. Part of this pleasant prospect I have given in [plate XXIII], as seen from Abury church-steeple.
Let us then walk out of the confines of the temple properly, by the southern entrance of the town. Passing the vallum, the road straight forwards leads to Kennet and Overton, that on the right hand to the Bath. But our present way lies straight forwards, which is south-eastward, and may properly enough be call’d Via sacra, as being an avenue up to the temple; besides, it forms one half of the body of the snake, issuing out of the circle. There were but two gates or entrances into the temple originally; this was one. And this way I call [Kennet-avenue].
TAB. XV.
P. 28.
View of the Cell of the Celtic Temple at Abury. Augst: 16. 1721.