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"S. J. Long, 1689, near Wanborough, between 1600 and 2000 coins found in one earthen vessel.

"The Dike rampart at Vernditch (Wilts), is made of gravel. "At Farley Castle, 1683, a pavement dug up, opus tessellatum, now at Oxford in Ashmol. Mus.

"In Weekfield in the parish of Hedington for a mile together, Foundations, Walls, Coins, Coales.

"At Chippenham, at Derry hill, Coyns found 1680.

"At Wanborough, at Winterbourn Monkton, at Old Sarum, at Shereston.

"In Sherston fields coyns plowed up-one silver, on the head a chaplet of laurell, Constantin; on the reverse an angel with a palm branch; in the left hand stretcht out a snake in a ring, under the genius TS E.

"West of Abury is another entrenchment sett with stones, one whereof makes the end of a barn.

"My L. Pembroke says the stones are of 200 Tun weight each at Abury. (90 tons would be more nearly correct.-ED.)

"It would cost 60,000 to raise such a Mount as Silbury, Wilts, 'Facit ingens multe sub alto Regis Dercenum terrene ex aggere bustum.'-Virgil."

Annual Meeting and Report.

1868.

HE General Meeting of the Society for receiving the Report, electing officers for the ensuing year, and other formal business, was held at the Saving's Bank, Devizes, on Friday, Nov. 6th, 1868, at 11 o'clock, the Rev. E. Wilton in the chair.

The Rev. A. C. Smith, one of the Honorary Secretaries, read the following Report:

"The Council of the Wiltshire Archæological and Natural

History Society has once more the pleasure of recording the continued well-being of the Society, which has pursued its investigations a-field, as well as by its publications, since the last Annual Meeting. The number of Members on the Society's books somewhat exceeds the general average, and amounts to 313.

"As regards its more active operations the Society has prosecuted its researches by explorations on the site of the Roman road near Silbury, as well as by excavation at the foot of that famous earthwork, to which it was urged by discussions in the Athenæum between Mr. Fergusson on the one side, and Sir John Lubbock and Professor Tyndal on the other. The details of these investigations and their results have already been published by the Society, and need not be repeated. In reference to the General Meeting, it was fully intended, and preliminary steps had already been taken, to hold a three days congress at Chippenham in September of the present year; but the unexpected announcement that one of the parent societies, viz., the British Archæological Association, intended to hold its annual meeting at Cirencester, on the northern borders of the county at the same time, appeared to your Council sufficient cause to render it advisable to postpone our local gathering till next year, inasmuch as the presence in the same neighbourhood of the larger and more influential body must have had the effect of diminishing the interest, and thinning the attendance of members at our more local meeting.

"During the past year two more numbers of the magazine have been published, and another, forming the 33rd number and completing the eleventh volume, will (it is confidently expected) be in the hands of members before the close of the present year. Moreover, in addition to its regular journal, the Society has undertaken, and is now busily engaged in the publication of a record of the opening of the Blackmore Museum at Salisbury, and a general account of that most valuable collection. This is a separate work; and, while it does not supersede the magazine, which is in progress at the same time, will be presented to the members of the Society as soon as it shall be completed.

"In regard to finance, the Council is enabled to make the

gratifying statement, that while the operations of the Society specified above are necessarily employing the bulk of its annual income, there is at this moment a balance in hand of about £250, the balance this time last year, amounting to about £200.

"The museum and library have, during the past year been enriched by many additions, the details of which have appeared in the two last numbers of the magazine. The Council desires to express its cordial thanks to the donors, more especially to the Executors of the late Mr. Merriman, for many miscellaneous specimens and to the Rev. E. H. Sladen for his most welcome donations from time to time of many very valuable books. The Council has now under serious consideration the great and growing want of a more commodious museum wherein to deposit and exhibit its increasing collections; and in conclusion begs leave to bespeak the support and assistance of its members to the scheme which (it is hoped) will shortly be laid before them, for supplying this great want, and providing a building suitable for the purpose."

The report was unanimously adopted and ordered to be printed in the Society's Magazine.

The president (Sir John Awdry) whose three years term of office had expired, was requested to retain office during one more year, in order to preside over the Annual Meeting of 1869, intended to be held at Chippenham.

The general secretaries, local secretaries, treasurer and council were re-elected.

BIBLIOTHECA WILTONENSIS

THE Council of the Wiltshire Archæological and Natural History Society are desirous of collecting materials for a complete List of all Books, Tracts, or Manuscript Documents, relating to or published in Wiltshire, or written by natives of the county; and they would feel obliged if members or others would supply them with the following particulars of any they may know.

Title in full,-Name of the Author and Publisher, -Date and Size,-Public or Private library where a copy exists.

347

Stonehenge Notes.

HE Society has received the Proceedings of the Bath Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club, No. 2, 1868. At p. 73 occurs the following note relating to Stonehenge :—

"June the 25th, 1867. Four of our party left Amesbury between two and three a.m., bent on the important errand of ascertaining whether the sun did actually rise over the Friar's Heel at the summer solstice. With admirable patience, as the long looked for moment arrived, one stationed himself at the outer circle, the others at the altar stone,' and with note-book and compass in hand awaited with an ardour, perhaps a little chilled by the heavy dew, the first indication of its rising. Just as hopes were beginning to fail and the minutes dragged wearily along, an exclamation of surprise burst forth from all as the sun gradually rose, a globe of fire, immediately behind the 'Friar's Heel,' and no sooner had its first beams touched the top of the gnomen than they fell right athwart the altar-stone,'-a glorious and long to be remembered sight! The inclination of the sun slightly to the south of the stone, was just what might have been expected after the lapse of the few days since the summer solstice. The modern sun-worshippers left gratified but awed at the grandeur of the surrounding scene, which words fail to describe; and having ascertained an undoubted fact, leave it to others to build thereon their theories."

During a visit to Stonehenge in the summer of last year, Mr. Henry Cunnington found in rabbits' holes round the edge of the altar stone, and at the edge of the large stone E 2 in Hoare's plan, several flint flakes and a fragment of pottery. The latter is of rude make, slightly burnt, and though evidently very ancient is not sufficiently distinct to be of much importance. Most of the flakes are decidedly artificial. "The circular piece," says Mr. Evans, "is of a rarer form and belongs to the class to which the name of sling stones has been applied." One flake is undoubtedly

ancient, and bears evidence of having been well used; but the general appearance of the specimens, with this one exception, is so fresh that suspicions must be entertained as to their authenticity. The skill to which "Flint-Jack" attained in the manufacture of such implements, has led antiquarians to be extremely cautious in their examination of specimens before accepting them as ancient relics.

On the same occasion attention was directed to the sarsen stone which forms an impost of the outer circle, (the only one remaining in situ towards the north-west,) near the trilithon which fell in 1797. It was ascertained that the upper portion of it, to the depth of a few inches, consists of a conglomerate of flints and sand. This fact has not, we believe, been previously noted. Masses of sarsen made up entirely of a similar conglomerate of chalk flints frequently occur in the neighbourhood of Standen, near Hungerford, but they are not found in the middle or southern districts of Wilts.

We are informed that a few months ago Captain commenced digging at the foot of the largest trilithon, "for the purpose of finding how deep the stone was inserted in the ground." He was remonstrated with, but refused to desist till the police opportunely interfered and took him before a Magistrate, from whom he learnt a wholesome lesson.

Depredations are still perpetrated on Stonehenge by excursionists and other visitors. About two years ago, a mass, which must have weighed nearly fifty-six pounds was broken, apparently by means of a sledge hammer, from the hard schist, marked No. 9 in Hoare's plan. The softer stones are frequently much chipped. On the 17th July last a party of goths lighted a fire against one of the stones on the south-east side of the outer circle, by which it was much damaged and disfigured, and several fragments were broken off by the heat. Surely some steps should be taken to prevent the recurrence of these outrages.

It is well known to visitors that Mr. J. Brown has been for many years the resident custodian and illustrator of Stonehenge. On many occasions he has succeeded in arresting the ravages, (worse than those of time), which ruthless hands would have

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