Selkley Hundred, Wiltshire, South-West England, British Isles

Wiltshire Archaeological Magazine 1913 V38 Pages 379-414. Preshute. 1.¹ [Preshute aka Rockley Long Barrow [Map]] On Manton Down, S.W. of Rockley, and N.W. of Manton House. Length 57ft.; S.E. and N.W. Chambered. The chamber seems to have been uncovered, and probably rifled at some unknown period. Hoare speaks of the barrow as "a small long barrow, covered with heath and furze, having a fallen kistvaen at the east end. The mound appears to have been set round with stones." The Rev. A. C. Smith also describes it as being so covered with heath and furze as "to be not easily discovered." This growth has now disappeared, the mound is grass-grown, and the partially-ruined chamber, or "kistvaen," as Hoare calls it, is quite clear. Most, if not all, the stones that once formed the chamber are still in situ, but several have fallen down. It was oblong in shape, with one large stone, that still stands, forming its back, or westernmost wall; the side walls were formed by two stones, one on each side, and it was no doubt the collapse inwards of the one on the northern side that let down the large covering stone into the leaning position in which it now lies. Immediately in front of the two stones forming the side walls, i.e., to the eastward of them, are two fallen stones, so much buried in the ground, that it is not possible to see their size or shape; it seems not improbable that these formed portals to the chamber. Of the stones that once stood round the mound three, or perhaps four, may still be seen lying partially buried. There is now what looks like a wide crack in the covering stone, and the stone is actually in two pieces. The Rev. A. 0. Smith states that this stone was split by workmen preparatory to breaking it up into building stone, but that fortunately he arrived on the scene in time to prevent further damage. O.M. 28 NE.; A. W. II. 43; Arch. xlii. 203; Smith p. 198, xiv. K. iv. a; Proc. Soc. Ant. 2nd S. II. 309.

Note 1. This barrow was referred to by Thurnam as " Rockley."

Avebury by William Stukeley. THERE is still another of these long archdruids' tumuli at Abury, which leads me to describe a kind of ancient monuments which I meet with here, and near Stonehenge and elsewhere; which I take to be houses of the Druids, or their courts of judicature, or both. The principal of them here, is a remarkable thing, upon the Hakpen-hill east of Abury, near a mile, between it and Rockley. That part of the downs thereabouts is called Temple-downs, and the thing is called old Chapel [Map]. Lord Winchelsea [aged 76], Lord [aged 39] and Lady Hertford [aged 24] and myself were curious in observing it, July 6, 1723. 'Tis a large square, intrenched, 110 druid cubits by 130, like a little Roman camp, with one entrance on the south-west side, towards Abury: for it is posited with accuracy, (as all these works are) from north-east to south-west. The situation of the place is high, and has a descent, quite round three of its sides; the verge of the descent inclosing it like a horseshoe. The entrance is on the side next Abury, on the isthmus of the peninsula (as it were,) on the shortest side of the square, the south-west. It is made of a vallum and ditch; beyond that, a row of flat stones set quite round and pretty close to one another, like a wall. Beyond that, another lesser ditch. There are stones too set on each side the entrance. On the north-west side is a large long barrow 50 cubits in length, with two great stone works upon it. One on the end next the great inclosed place, we have been describing: another stonework towards the other end; which seems to have been a semicircular cove, or demi-ellipsis consisting of five great stones; a Stonehenge cell in miniature, but now in ruins. This probably gave the name of old Chapel [Map] to the place; the barrow likewise has been set quite round with great stones.

In the second stone-work, one stone lies flat on the ground, along the middle line of the barrow. On each side a flat stone stands upright, and two flat stones stand upright at right angles, as wings to 'em. Upon them I suppose other stones were piled as a kist-vaen. Here probably lies the body of the interred. The stones are generally very large, about ten feet long.

The whole I take to have been the palace and interment of an arch-druid, and his tribunal or seat of justice. 'Tis posited exactly enough south-east and north-west. The learned Mr. Rowland, who wrote the history of the Isle of Mona, describes just such works as this in that place, and calls them houses of the Druids.