Grave-mounds and Their Contents: A Manual of Archæology, as Exemplified in the Burials of the Celtic, the Romano-British, and the Anglo-Saxon PeriodsJewitt, Llewellynn Frederick William
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Grave-mounds and Their Contents: A Manual of Archæology, as Exemplified in the Burials of the Celtic, the Romano-British, and the Anglo-Saxon Periods
Jewitt, Llewellynn Frederick William
Great Britain -- Antiquities; Megalithic monuments -- Great Britain; Mounds -- Great Britain
Both of these examples, if denuded of their mounds, would form striking
and very perfect stone circles, and would be among the best remaining
examples of small “Druidical circles,” as they are commonly called.
[Illustration: Fig. 68.]
Where the circles have been formed of upright stones, they have not,
certainly, always been covered with the mound, but have formed a kind
of ring fence, a sort of sacred enclosure, around the barrow. A great
number of examples of this kind exist in different districts, and will
easily be recognised by the zealous archæologist. The circle next
shown, on figs. 68 and 69, is that on Stanton Moor, known by the name
of the “Nine Ladies.” This circle, of which a plan is here given, is
formed of a circular mound of earth, on which the upright stones are
placed. It is about thirty-six feet in diameter. It has formerly
consisted of a larger number of stones; those that are now remaining
being at irregular distances, varying from eight to nineteen feet
apart. In the centre are the remains of a rifled sepulchral mound.
[Illustration: Fig. 69.]
Another circle, bearing the same name, “The Nine Ladies,” is on
Hartle Moor, but of this only four stones are now remaining. It has
undoubtedly been a sepulchral mound, encircled by upright stones. On
other parts of these moors other circles have existed, or still exist,
which have, by excavations, been proved to have enclosed sepulchral
deposits.
On Brassington Moor, near a fine chambered tumulus, now unfortunately
destroyed, existed two similar circles, the one thirty-nine, and the
other twenty-two, feet in diameter. On Leam Moor, too, circles are
known to have existed, surrounding interments. On Eyam Moor circles of
this kind, encircling sepulchral mounds, exist. One of these is about
a hundred feet in diameter, and is, like the “Nine Ladies” on Stanton
Moor, formed of a circular mound of earth, on which the stones are
placed. Only ten of the stones remain _in situ_. In the centre a cist
was discovered many years ago. Other circles occur in the same county,
on Abney Moor, on Froggat Edge, on the East Moor, on Hathersage Moor,
and in other localities.
[Illustration: Fig. 70.]
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