EARLY MAN
EARLY MAN them, moreover, are more than 2 or 3 inches above the surface, whilst some are buried as deep under it.' He notes their occurrence also in a bye-road through fields between the villages of Shrivenham and Compton. Although Barrington failed to notice it, there might be some regular arrangement of these stones, corresponding to the align- ments at Carnac and other places ; but, as Mr. Lewis was not very confident of tracing such an arrangement, perhaps the question might for the present be left open. 1 Berkshire contains an extremely interesting specimen of a chambered long-barrow which, under the name of Wayland Smith's Cave, or Wayland's Smithy, has been popularized in the pages of Sir Walter Scott's Kenilwortb. The remains, still known locally by these names, are situated in a wild and lonely place away from any dwelling and within a few yards of the remarkable ancient road known as the Ridgeway, a broad, grassy road which leads up over the hill to Uffing- ton Castle, and forms indeed an important feature in the primitive road-system of Berkshire. Wayland's Cave is situated under a group of lofty beeches which throw a gloomy and romantic shade over a spot of great archaeological interest. The continual breeze passing through the trees produces a low mournful murmur which greatly adds to the impressiveness and solemnity of the place. Upon entering the group of shady trees, one descends into a slight trench or fosse. The actual stones of which the ' cave ' is composed are in a somewhat confused condition, but it is still possible to make out an arrangement which will be best understood from the accompanying illustration. Mr. Wise, in a pamphlet published in 1738,' gives the following note about Wayland Smith's Cave, which is interesting as showing the views of the country people in the first half of the eighteenth century as to the meaning of the remains : ' Whether this remarkable piece of antiquity ever bore the name of the person here buried, is not now to be learned ; the true meaning of it being long since lost in ignorance and fable. All the account which the country people are able to give of it is. At this place lived formerly an invisible Smith ; and if a traveller's Horse had lost a Shoe upon the road he had no more to do than to bring the Horse to this place, with a piece of money, and leaving both there for some little time, he might come again and find the money gone, but the Horse new shod. The stones standing upon the Rudee-way, as it is called (which WAYLAND'S SMITHY : GROUND , , J r . . . ^ PLAN OF PROBABLE ORIGINAL was the situation they chose tor burial monu- ARRAN GEMENT. ments), I suppose, gave occasion to the whole being called Wayland Smith, which is the name it was always known by to the country people. . . . Leaving therefore the story of the in- 1 Fergusson conjectures that they may be the memorial of the battle of Ashdown fought between the Saxons and the Danes in 871. Barrington suggests an earthquake. It is not made dear that any one of these stones is standing upright. 2 ' A letter to Dr. Mead concerning some antiquities in Berkshire.' 79
