In a close on the left hand of the avenue, or east of it, not far from Abury town, is a pentagonal stone laid flat on the ground, in the middle of which is a bason cut, always full of water, and never overflowing. The country people have a great regard to it: it proceeds from a spring underneath, and for ought I know, it may have been here from the foundation of our temple. Coming out of Abury, you observe the line of the [avenue] regards Overton-hill before you, but soon you find it leaves it, and curves to the right hand a little. At the number of 65 stones on each side, you come to a hedge belonging to the inclosures of West-Kennet. In the year 1720 I saw several stones just taken up there, and broke for building; fragments still remaining and their places fresh turf’d over, for the sake of pasturage. Where the corn-fields or pasturage have infring’d upon the sacred ground, our work generally goes to wreck. Where the heath remains, ’tis still perfect enough; of which we say with the great poet,
Nec nulla interea est inaratæ gratia terræ.
so that the covetous farmer and grazier have conspired to abolish this most magnificent monument; and that just about the time I was there. Charles Tucker Esq; late of East-Kennet a gentleman of sense, us’d to be very angry at the ruin of these stones, and prevented it as much as he could.
As to the stones that compos’d this avenue, they were of all shapes, sizes, and height that happen’d, altogether rude. Some we measur’d 6 feet thick, 16 in circumference. If of a flattish make, the broadest dimension was set in the line of the avenue, and the most sightly side of the stone inward. The founders were sensible, all the effect desired in the case, was their bulk and regular station. All the hill tops, especially the Hakpen, are adorn’d with barrows as we go along. When the avenue comes to the inclosures aforementioned of West-Kennet, it passes through three of them, crosses a little field lane, and the common road from Marlborough to Bath, just after the road makes a right angle descending from Overton-hill. We must note that we have been a good while ascending again. In this angle the Roman-road from Marlborough coming down the hill, enters the common road. This is the via Badonica aforementioned.
John Fowler, who kept the alehouse hard by, demolish’d many of these stones by burning. The alehouse (the white hart) and the walls about it, were built out of one stone.
TAB. XVI.
P. 30.
Part of the South Temple from the Central Obelisk 10 July 1723
As before, the avenue coming out of Abury town bended itself to the right, now ’tis easily enough discernible, that it makes a mighty curve to the left, the better to imitate the creature it’s intended for.
Fit lapis, & servat serpentis imagine saxum. Ovid. Met. XII.