Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club. GOLDEN VALLEY MEETING. MAY 25TH, 1882. ARTHUR'S STONE, DORSTONE, By Mr. GEORGE H. PIPER, F.G.S., President. THE very fine, and tolerably well-preserved Cromlech (Welsh, from crom, bent, arched or covering; llec a flat stone) on Merbage Hill, in the parish of Dorstone, known by the name of "Arthur's Stone," is one of the most perfect Druidic structures in our Island. Cromlechs in British antiquities, are huge, broad, flat stones, raised upon other stones set up on end for that purpose. Rowland partly inclines to the opinion of their having been altars, and partly to their having been sepulchres. He supposes them to have been originally tombs, but that in after times sacrifices were performed upon them to the heroes deposited within. Skeletons have been discovered under them. The Cromlech chiefly differs from the Kist-faen in not being closed up at the ends and sides, that is, in not so much partaking of the chest-like figure. It is generally of larger dimensions and sometimes consists of a greater number of stones. The terms, Cromlech and Kist-faen, are however indiscriminately used for the same monument. Although we would gladly associate Arthur's Stone closely with the great British Hero, whose name it bears, and enrich it with some of the glorious traditions of his prowess and knightly worth, we are compelled to assign its erection to a period prior to the Roman invasion, and certainly more than 500 years before the era of the Great Pendragon, who was born at Tintagel, about the year 501. He established the first Military Order that was ever instituted in Britain, and by its means raised a glow of ingenuous heroism-the first spirit of chivalry that ever appeared in Europe-that manly and honourable gallantry of soul, which has made him and his worthies the subjects of romantic histories over all the world. Beyond the assertion that it is pre-Roman its age is a question of mere conjecture. The generally received opinion is that the name, Arthur's Stone, is simply a corruption of Thor-Stein, the Stone of Thor, or Thor's Altar, from which it is suggested the parish takes its name, Thorstein, Dorstein or Dorstone; but this is not wholly satisfactory or conclusive; if it be so the Saxon invaders must have adopted for their ceremonial rites, an ancient Keltic structure, which is improbable. The name "Stone," whether preceded by "Thor" or "Arthur, " must be English-an English suffix given to an ill-understood relic of antiquity. It would seem more likely that the original British name was lost, and at some later period the name of "Arthur " was given to the Cromlech as a vague memorial of a shadowy but celebrated hero, whose name was so well known throughout Britain, and one of whose residences was not far distant. The title page of Duncumb's "History and Antiquities of the County of Hereford," published in 1804, has a fine woodcut of the Cromlech, as it then appeared, and although not signed with Bewick's name, there can be little doubt that it is his work. We have it on the authority of that eminent geologist, the Rev. W. S. Symonds, F.G.S., that "the large incumbent stone was no doubt hewn from the rock close by." The adjacent quarry was exposed which enabled a correct opinion to be formed. The other stones, some of which have fallen from their originally upright position, belong, Mr. Symonds says, for the most part, to the hard limestone of the cornstones, and are not in situ on the horizon of the Cromlech, but lie scattered about as boulders upon the land. All the stones belong to the Old Red Sandstone of the Country. On the south western side the Cromlech is close to an ancient road, probably British (as most of the British roads ran along the summits of the hills), in the angle, formed by another ancient road that comes up the hill to Dorstone, and is now used only for agricultural purposes, and as a bridle road. The Cromlech stands fifteen iniles due north of the Skirred-fawr. A line drawn from the Skirred-fawr, near Abergavenny, northwards to Arthur's Stone, would pass over the Camp on the southernmost point of the Hatterill Hill, Old Castle, Longtown Castle, and Urishay and Snodhill Castles. It consists of several stones, about 18 may be counted now, besides fragments. The chief feature is the large incumbent stone broken into three parts, and resting upon about ten smaller upright stones of various dimensions. In form it is nearly oval, the sides, east and west, being straight; with two irregular sides north and south, the north somewhat curved, pointed at the extremity, and eroded considerably. An evident fracture of the stone has shortened the south end, which is about four feet in width. The long axis is due north and south, measuring about nineteen feet. The short axis, east and west, is twelve feet. The straight side, on the west, is fifteen feet, and on the eastern side thirteen feet. The thickness varies, and probably nowhere exceeds two feet. Between the under-surface of the stone and the ground is a space of about four feet; formerly the distance was greater as the hollow has been partially filled up by worm casts and other means. At a distance of eight feet from the south end of the large stone is an upright one, five feet high, and five feet six inches broad, standing with its edges east and west. A similar, but smaller stone may be seen further on, and several fragments lie around. A small Avenue occurs at the north end of the large stone, leading from it to the old road, and formed by |