it formerly ended in another double circle. Between them rises Silbury Hill, the largest artificial mound in Great Britain, no less than 130 feet in height. This group of remains was at one time second to none, "but unfortunately for us the pretty little village of Avebury, like some beautiful parasite, has grown up at the expense and in the midst of the ancient temple, and out of 650 great stones, not above twenty are still standing."[1] In spite of this it is still to be classed among the finest ruins in Europe.
Fig. 142.—Avebury, restored by Mr. Fergusson. a, Silbury Hill; b, Waden Hill.
The famous temple of Stonehenge[2] on Salisbury Plain is probably of a later date than Avebury, since not only are some of the stones used in its construction worked, but the surrounding barrows are more elaborate than those in the neighbourhood of the latter.[3] It consisted of a circle (Fig. 143), 100 feet in diameter, of large upright
