Old England: A Pictorial Museum (page 8/52)

43.—Harold’s Stones, Trelech, Monmouthshire

“It is stated by Rowland, the author of ‘Mona Antiqua,’ that wherever there are heaps of stones of great apparent antiquity, stone pillars are also found near them. This is probably too strong an assertion; but the existence of such memorials, which King says, “are, like the pyramids of Egypt, records of the highest antiquity in a dead language,” compared with the clear descriptions of them in the sacred writings, leaves little doubt of the universality of the principle which led to their erection. A heap of stones and a single pillar was not, however, the only form of these stones of memorial. At Trelech, in Monmouthshire, are three remarkable stones, one of which is fourteen feet above the ground, and which evidently formed no part of any Druidical circle. [more...] [$]

44.—hare Stone, Cornwall

“In the parish of Sancred, in Cornwall, is a remarkable stone called the Hare Stone (hare or hoar meaning literally border or boundary), with a heap of stones lying around it (Fig. 44). It is held that these stones are precisely similar to the heap and the pillar which were collected and set up at the covenant between Jacob and Laban, recorded in the scriptures with such interesting minuteness. It is stated by Rowland, the author of ‘Mona Antiqua,’ [...] [more...] [$]

45.—Coronation Chair

“The celebrated stone which now forms the seat of the coronation chair of the sovereigns of England is a flat stone, nearly square. It formerly stood in Argyleshire, according to Buchanan; who also says that King Kenneth, in the ninth century, transferred it to Scone, and enclosed it in a wooden chair. The monkish tradition was, that it was the identical [...] [more...] [$]

46.—Kilmarth Rocks, as seen from the South East.

“But there are some remains which have the appearance of works of art, which are, probably, nothing but irregular products of nature,—masses of stone thrown on a plane surface by some great convulsion, and wrought into fantastic shapes by agencies of dripping water and driving wind, which in the course of ages work as effectually in the changes of [...]sic] stones. Such is also a remarkable pile upon a lofty range called the Kilmarth Rocks, which is twenty-eight feet in height, and overhangs more than twelve feet towards the north (Fig. 46).” (p. 18) [more...] [$]

47.—The Cheesewring, as seen from the North-west.

“But there are some remains which have the appearance of works of art, which are, probably, nothing but irregular products of nature,—masses of stone thrown on a plane surface by some great convulsion, and wrought into fantastic shapes by agencies of dripping water and driving wind, which in the course of ages work as effectually in the changes of [...]sic] stones.” (p. 18) [more...] [$]

48.—Hugh Lloyd’s Pulpit

“The group of stones at Festiniog in Merionethshire, called Hugh Lloyd’s pulpit (Fig. 48), is also a natural production.” (p. 18) [more...] [$]

49.—Huts in a Cingalese Village.

The Cingalese people are the natives of Ceylon, now called Sri Lanka.

“Of the domestic buildings of the early Britons there are no remains, if we except some circular stone [more...] [$]

50.—Gaulish Huts.

“In the neighbourhood of Llandaff were, in King’s time, several modern pig-sties, of a peculiar construction; and he held that the form of these was derived from the dwellings of the ancient Britons. (Fig. 55.) This form certainly agrees with the description which Strabo gives of the houses of the Gauls, which he says were constructed of poles and wattled work, of a circular form, and with a lofty tapering roof. On the Antonine column we have representations of the Gauls and the Gaulish houses, but here the roofs are for the most part with domes (Fig. 50). Strabo further says, “The forests of the Britons are their cities; for, when they have enclosed a very large circuit with felled trees, they build within it houses for themselves and hovels for their cattle. These buildings are very slight, and not designed for long duration.” Cæsar says, “What the Britons call a town is a tract of woody country, surrounded by a vallum and a ditch, for the security of themselves and cattle against the incursions of their enemies.” The towns within woods were thus fortresses; and here the Druidical worship in the broad glades, surrounded by mighty oaks which were their natural antiquities, was cultivated amidst knots of men, held together by common wants as regarded the present life, and common hopes with reference to the future (Fig. 56). [more...] [$]