Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of London Volume 1 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1849 Excerpt: ... half west of the famous White Horse cut in the chalk of the downs at Uffington, and within a hundred yards of an ancient road called the " Ridgeway." The stones once composing the cave of this invisible smith are called sarsens or " grey wethers;" they are lying in disorder about the spot, and are of the same quality as those at Abury and Stonehenge. The vault or cave was formed as usual in these sepulchres by upright stones covered by large slabs at the top. Of the latter but one remains; a large quantity of stone having been taken from this place some time since for the purpose of building a barn. " It will be observed," says Mr. Akerman, " in this cromlech that there are two lateral chambers, or transepts, giving to the entire ground plan the form of a cross. These chambers would alone ho sufficient to negative the absurd idea of these stones having been raised as altars for human sacrifices--a supposition indulged in by the speculative antiquaries of this and other countries." The explanation offered of these gigantic monuments is, that the several chambers held the remains of great men; and that in the earth heaped over them to form the tumulus inferior people were interred. The description was accompanied by drawings of Wayland Smith's Cave, and one of the Cromlech du Tus, in Guernsey. B. Williams, Esq. F.S.A. communicated to the Society a description of the literary curiosities in the public library of Rouen; accompanied by an early Calendar, and an initial portrait, presumed to be of our Archbishop Anselm. The Calendar was written between A.d. 978 and A.d. 1097, a date ascertained by the saints which it enumerates, and by a comparison with other calendars. It is from an elegant Anglo-Saxon Missal of the eleve...