In 1771, Dr. John Smith, in a work entitled “Choir Gawr, the Grand Orrery of the Ancient Druids, called Stonehenge, Astronomically Explained, and proved to be a Temple for Observing the Motions of the Heavenly Bodies,” wrote as follows:-- “From many and repeated visits, I conceived it to be an astronomical temple; and from what I could recollect to have read of it, no author had as yet investigated its uses. Without an instrument or any assistance whatever, but White’s ‘Ephemeris,’ I began my survey. I suspected the stone called _The Friar’s Heel_ to be the index that would disclose the uses of this structure; nor was I deceived. This stone stands in a right line with the centre of the temple, pointing to the north-east. I first drew a circle round the vallum of the ditch and divided it into 360 equal parts; and then a right line through the body of the temple to the Friar’s Heel; at the intersection of these lines I reckoned the sun’s greatest amplitude at the summer solstice, in this latitude, to be about 60 degrees, and fixed the eastern points accordingly. Pursuing this plan, I soon discovered the uses of all the detached stones, as well as those that formed the body of the temple.” With regard to this “Choir Gawr,” translated Chorea Gigantum, Leland’s opinion is quoted (Long, p. 51) that we should read Choir vawr, the equivalent of which is Chorea nobilis or magna.[10] In spite of Inigo Jones’s (1600) dictum that Stonehenge was of Roman origin, Stukeley came to the conclusion in 1723 that the Druids were responsible for its building; and Halley, who visited it in 1720--probably with Stukeley--concluded from the weathering of the stones that it was at least 3000 years old; if he only had taken his theodolite with him, how much his interest in the monument would have been increased! [5] See especially _Nature_, July 2, 1891 p. 201. [6] Gardner, Paisley and London. [7] “The Prehistoric Stone Monuments of the British Isles--Cornwall.” [8] “The French Stonehenge: An Account of the Principal Megalithic Remains in the Morbihan Archipelago.” By T. Cato Worsfold, F. R. Hist. S., F.R.S.I. (London: Bemrose and Sons, Ltd.) [9] _The Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine_: “Stonehenge and its Barrows.” By William Long, M.A., F.S.A. 1876. _The Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine_: “Stonehenge Bibliography Number.” By W. Jerome Harrison. 1902. [10] Mr. Morien Morgan informs me that Cor y Gawres is correct, and means Choir of the Giantess Cariadwen, the Welsh Neith, Nyth (Nydd). CHAPTER VI GENERAL ARCHITECTURE OF STONEHENGE Although I have before hinted that the astronomical use of the Egyptian temples and British circles was the same, there is at first sight a vast difference in the general plan of structure.