SALISBURY PLAIN 8 STONEHENGE 12 THE LITHOLOGY OF STONEHENGE 15 1. The Story of the Sarsens 17 2. The Foreign Stones 20 THE STONES WITHOUT THE CIRCLE 27 1. The Hele Stone or Friar's Heel 28 2. The Legend of the Friar's Heel 29 3. The "Slaughtering Stone" 31 4. The Earthwork 34 THE BUILDING OF STONEHENGE 36 1. Dressing the Stones 40 2. Tenons and Mortices 42 3. The Process of Erection 45 4. Raising the Foreign Stones 49 WHEN WAS STONEHENGE ERECTED? 51 WHAT WAS STONEHENGE? 57 THE DRUID QUESTION 67 THE BARROWS OF SALISBURY PLAIN 70 1. The Round Barrows 73 2. The Men of the Barrows 87 VALEDICTORY 92 [Illustration: Stonehenge, Today--Looking West.] STONEHENGE: TO-DAY AND YESTERDAY STONEHENGE SUMMARISED USEFUL FACTS, FOR THE ATTENTION OF VISITORS Each statement is furnished with a reference to the particular pages in this book, where fuller information and arguments "for and against" may be found. I. WHEN AND BY WHOM STONEHENGE WAS BUILT (_a_) Stonehenge was erected about the year 1700 B.C. (See page 51.) (_b_) It was built by a race or men who had only a slight knowledge of the use of bronze, and no knowledge of iron. (See pages 40-49.) II. STONEHENGE CONSISTS OF (_a_) A circular earthwork, 300 feet in diameter. (See page 34.) (_b_) An avenue bounded by earthworks approaching it on the north-east. (See page 34.) (_c_) One large unworked Sarsen Stone, called the "Hele Stone," or "Friar's Heel." (See page 28.) (_d_) A recumbent slab within the earthwork called the "Slaughtering Stone." (See page 31.) (_e_) Two small unhewn Sarsens lying north-west and south-east of the Circle of Stones. (See page 27.) (_f_) A ring of hewn Sarsen stones with "imposts" or lintels mortised to them. The lintels are fitted together with toggle joints. Sixteen out of the original thirty uprights of these "Trilithons" are now standing. The diameter of this circle is about 108 feet, or that of the dome of St. Paul's. (See page 12.) (_g_) A ring of less perfectly hewn "Foreign Stones" (_i.e._ stones not to be found in Wiltshire at the present day).