The four parts which make up this monument, as we said, are the cove, two single circles, and a quincuple circle. The cove, as most commonly, consists of three stones, set in a half-moon figure, or, to be more exact, upon the end of an ellipsis, whose focus, I suppose, would be in a line upon the foremost edges of the two wings. This is situate in the south-west part of the oval knoll of ground that contains the whole; at present in an orchard south of the church, and west of the nunnery before mentioned. The wings are standing, but much diminished by age or violence; some great pieces being broke off: the stone on the back is fallen down, being a larger one: it is 13 foot long, and 8 broad; therefore of the same dimensions with Hautvil’s Coyt, before spoken of. This cove opens to the south-east. Four hundred foot from this, going eastward, and with an angle of 20 degrees southward, in another orchard east of the dove-cote, is a lesser single circle, which is 120 foot diameter: this stands upon the southern side of the knoll, and consists of 12 stones, consequently set at the interval of 30 foot, the same as those of the circles at Abury. Here are all the stones left upon the spot, but prostrate, half being within the hedge, half without. This I call the Lunar Temple. This circle is the same diameter and number of stones with the inner circles of the two temples in the work at Abury. Five hundred foot distant from this, going north-easterly, viz. with an angle of 20 degrees northerly from the east, and across the orchard, and a pasture, is the circumference of the greater single circle: the centre of it is in the next pasture to the north-east: it is 300 foot in diameter, and composed of 30 stones, set at the distance of 30 foot, as before: about 20 of the stones are remaining, but of that number only three standing. The whole circle is contained in three pastures: the plain on which it stands descends gently toward the river, and keeps it constantly dry. But 30 foot from this circle is the circumference of the outer circle of the quincuple one, or five concentric circles, the centre whereof is in an angle of 20 degrees more southerly from the line that connects the centres of the two single circles; so that it bears a little northerly of the east from the solar circle. The manner of thus conjoining five circles in one is very extraordinary, and what I have no where else met withal; and its primitive aspect must have had as remarkable an effect, by the crebrity of the stones, as their intervals: and, upon moving towards them, or sideways, they must have created the same beautiful and surprising appearance to the eye, as the more learned architects have endeavoured by the multiplicity of columns in their portico’s, forums, and the like, of which Vitruvius speaks: yet I think, in my judgement, this circular work must needs vastly have exceeded, in this particular, those most celebrated works of the Greeks and Romans; because in a strait walk there is but always the same variety (if we may talk so) presented to the eye; whereas in ours, the circles not being exactly at the same distance from one another as the stones are, and therefore not confining themselves to so strict a regularity, it must have heightened that agreeable diversification. It is very obvious, that the compilers used art and consideration in adjusting the diameters with the number of the stones, and that one circle should not be vastly disproportionate to another: thus the outermost circle is 310 foot in diameter; therefore it receives 32 stones at 30 foot interval: the next is 250 in diameter, with 28 stones: the next, 230; consequently requires 22 stones to complete it: the next is 150 foot in diameter, consisting of 16 stones: the innermost is 90, therefore has 9 stones; but then two of them are crowded together, and set at an angle a little obtuse, so that they form a sort of niche, or cove, of a different manner from any other. Several of these stones are fallen, several stand; which may be better understood by surveying the drawings, than by a tedious recapitulation: therefore I took different views of the work hereabouts, where it is most intire, that in after-times, by comparing the prints with the life, the difference may appear, if any shall be; but I hope they ever will be useless to those that view the place itself, and that the owners of the estate will preserve the monument for the glory of their country.
78·2d. The Cove at Stanton Drew
Stukeley del.
83·2d. Celtic Temples
Biscaw wn in Cornwal
Meineir gwyr Carmardynshire.
Maen yu daus In Maddern Parish in Cornwall