Mr. Aubury, in his manuscript notes printed with Camden’s Britannia, mentions it, “a double circle of stones, four or five feet high, tho’ many are now fallen down. The diameter of the outer circle 40 yards, and of the inner 15. He speaks of the avenue coming up to it, as likewise of our before-describ’d avenue, from Abury to West-Kennet, set with large stones. One side, he says, is very nearly entire, the other side wants a great many.” He did not see that ’tis but one avenue from Abury to Overton-hill, having no apprehension of the double curve it makes. And he erred in saying there was a circular ditch on Overton-hill.
The view here is extensive and beautiful. Down the river eastward we see Marlborough, and the whole course of the Roman road hence going along Clatford-bottom. We see a good way in the road to Ambresbury, and the gap of the Wansdike, where we pass thro’. Thence the Wansdike skims the edge of all the hill tops to Runway-hill. There we enter upon the view presented in [plate XXI]. The Roman road runs upon the edge of the hill, on the right hand of that plate, between the barrows there. It descends the hill, and runs to the left hand of Silbury, and close by it; and then up Runway-hill. Next we see Oldbury camp, over West-Kennet village. Then we may view the whole length of the avenue hence to Abury, and observe the two great curves it makes, to imitate the figure of a snake, as drawn in the ancient hieroglyphics. Coming from Abury town it curves to the right-hand or eastward, then winds as much to the west, till it ascends this Overton-hill, full east.
TAB. XVII.
P. 32.
A View of the South Temple July 15 1723.
I observed the breadth of the avenue here is narrower than elsewhere, as being the neck of the snake. ’Tis 45 feet or 26 cubits, equal to the diameter of the inner circle here. And as it is narrower than elsewhere, they made the side-distance between stone and stone proportional, being two thirds of that in breadth. Mr. Smith, living here, informed me, that when he was a school-boy, the Kennet avenue was entire, from end to end. Silbury-hill answers the avenue directly, as it enters this temple, being full west hence. Here is a great number of barrows in sight from this place, two close by; and a little north-eastward that chain of barrows design’d in [plate XXIX.] the lower part, looking toward Marlborough. Human bones found in digging a little ditch by the temple, across some small barrows there, and where there were no barrows. Mr. Aubury says, sharp and form’d flints were found among them; arguments of great antiquity. They were of the lower class of Britons, that were not at the charge of a tumulus.
Thus we have conducted one half, the forepart of the snake, in this mighty work, up to Overton-hill, where it reposed its bulky head, and not long ago made a most beautiful appearance. I happen’d to frequent this place in the very point of time, when there was a possibility just left, of preserving the memory of it. In order to do it, I have laid down the groundplot thereof in [plate XX.] just as I found it for three years together, before it was demolish’d. I found that a line drawn between Overton-mill and the entrance of Kennet avenue in Abury town,is the ground-line of this avenue, from which it makes two vast curves contrary ways, to imitate the winding of a snake, and the hieroglyphic figures we see on Egyptian and other monuments. From Overton-mill is a most glorious prospect, overlooking the whole extent of Abury temple, and the sacred field it stands in, and beyond that, into Gloucestershire and Somersetshire.
Explicat hinc tellus campos effusa patentes,
Vix oculo prendente modum—— Lucan IV.
As we descend [Overton-hill] by the neck of the snake, we discern the main part of the track of this avenue between here and [Abury town], and may observe its huge curves both ways. And when we are near entring Abury town again, upon mounting the hill by the hedge-corner, at about eighteen intervals of stones from the vallum, you see a most advantageous prospect or approach to the temple, partly represented in [plate XVIII.] Windmill-hill, with its easy acclivity, fronting you directly, the northern end of Hakpen on the right and Cherill-hill on the left closing the horizon like scenes at a theater.