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ABURY-nDESCRIPTION or PLATES. ,-xgri
1400 feet in diameter; which, on the edge nearest the ditch, wasiset round with a row of rough,
unhewn stones, and, in the centre, was ornamented with two circular temples, composed of the
same native stones. These, from their relative situations, have been distinguished by the titles of
the Northern and Southern Temples. The space of ground included within the vallum, has been
estimated by the Doctor at twenty-two acres, and the outward circumvallation, as measured by
him and the celebrated antiquary Room: GALE, was computed at 4800 feet. ‘The number of stones
that formed this outward circle or przecinctus was one hundred originally, of which,i‘in the year
1722, when Dr. Stukeley wrote his account of Abury, there were eighteen standing, and twenty-
seven thrown down or recliningili ' ' '
Two concentric circles formed the northern and southern temples: the outward circle in each
consisted of.thirty stones; the inward circle of twelve. .The centres of these two temples were
three hundred cubits,1- or five hundred and eighteen feet, ,nine inches asunder, and their circumfer-
ence or outside circle fiftycubits, or eighty-six feet, five inches and a half asunder in the nearest part,
The only difference which the Doctor could discover in these two temples, was, that the one
towards the south had a central obelisk, which was the kibla, towards which the faces were turned
during the performance of religious ofiices; and the onetowards the north, a cove, consisting of
three large stones placed with an obtuse angle towards each other. One of these fell down in 1713,
and was said to measure seven yards in length. No signs remain of the altar which is supposed to
have lain upon the ground before the superb niche; but it appears that the central obelisk of the
southern temple existed in Stulreley’s time, for he states f‘ its being of a circular form at the base,
of a vast bulk, twenty‘-one feet long, and eight feet, nine inches in diameter, and, when standing,
higher than the rest.” He further adds, that “ exactly in the southern end of the line that con-
nects the two centres of these temples, is an old stone standing,,not of great bulk. It has a hole
wrought in it, and probably was designed to fasten the victim in order for slaying it.” This Dr.
Stukeley calls the “ Ring Stone.” The original work when perfect was thus composed :
Outward circle within the vallum . . . . . 100 stones.
Northern temple, outward circle . . . . . 30
Ditto, inward circle . . . . . . . 12
Cove or cell . . . . . . . . . 3
Southern temple, outward circle . . . . . 30
Ditto, inward ditto . . . . . . . 12
Central obelisk . . . . . . . . 1
Ring stone . . . . . . . . . 1
.---
Total 189 stones.
In Mr. Aubrey’s time, in the year 1663, the following number of stones is recorded as then
existing:
‘ When Aubrey wrote his description, about the year 1663, there were thirty-one stones remaining of this outward
circle in their upright position, but he does not notice those that had fallen. N
1- I have reduced the cubit to English feet, according to Dr. Stukeley’s statement, p’. 19, where he says ‘f A ready way
of having the analogism between our feet and the cubit is this: 3 foot, 5 inches and a half, makes two cubits; a staff of
10 foot, 4 inches, and a little-more than half an inch, becomes the measuring reed of these ancient philosophers, being
six cublts, when they laid out the ground,-plot of these temples. . . ’ I