When I abode here for some time on purpose, for several summers together; I was very careful in tracing it out, knew the distinct number of each stone remaining, and where every one stood that was wanting; which often surpriz’d the country people, who remembred them left on the ground or standing, and told me who carried them away. Many of the farmers made deep holes and buried them in the ground: they knew where they lay. Lord _Winchelsea_ with me counted the number of the stones left, 72, _anno_ 1722. I laid it all down in the nature of a survey, on large imperial sheets of paper, and wrote a detail of every stone present, or absent. But it would be very irksome to load the press with it. I shall recite no more of it, than what I think most useful and necessary. Standing at the southern entrance of _Abury_, one stone the first, lies on the eastern side or left hand, close by the ditch: its opposite stood where at present a sycamore tree is planted. The next stone on the right hand is standing, by the turning of the _Bath_-road. Twenty four stones on both sides, next following, are carried off. At about 20 intervals going along the road to _Kennet_, which is the same as the avenue, we descend a gentle valley, and then lose sight of _Abury_. There you discern the curving of the avenue, many stones being left together on both sides. Here two stones are standing opposite to each other. I measur’d them near 60 feet asunder, which is 34 cubits. Then we ascend again a little hillock, where a good number of stones remain on both sides. In a close on the left hand of the avenue, or east of it, not far from _Abury_ town, is a pentagonal stone laid flat on the ground, in the middle of which is a bason cut, always full of water, and never overflowing. The country people have a great regard to it: it proceeds from a spring underneath, and for ought I know, it may have been here from the foundation of our temple. Coming out of _Abury_, you observe the line of the avenue regards _Overton-hill_ before you, but soon you find it leaves it, and curves to the right hand a little. At the number of 65 stones on each side, you come to a hedge belonging to the inclosures of _West-Kennet_. In the year 1720 I saw several stones just taken up there, and broke for building; fragments still remaining and their places fresh turf’d over, for the sake of pasturage. Where the corn-fields or pasturage have infring’d upon the sacred ground, our work generally goes to wreck. Where the heath remains, ’tis still perfect enough; of which we say with the great poet, _Nec nulla interea est inaratæ gratia terræ._ so that the covetous farmer and grazier have conspired to abolish this most magnificent monument; and that just about the time I was there. _Charles Tucker_ Esq; late of _East-Kennet_ a gentleman of sense, us’d to be very angry at the ruin of these stones, and prevented it as much as he could.