Table of Contents.

PREFACE.

THE intent of this Treatise is to oblige the curious in the Antiquities of Britain: it is an account of places and things from inspection, not compiled from others’ labours, or travels in one’s study. I own it is a work crude and hasty, like the notes of a traveller that stays not long in a place; and such it was in reality. Many matters I threw in only as hints for further scrutiny, and memorandums for myself or others: above all, I avoided prejudice, never carrying any author along with me, but taking things in the natural order and manner they presented themselves: and if my sentiments of Roman stations, and other matters, happen not to coincide with what has been wrote before me; it was not that I differ from them, but things did not so appear to me. The prints, beside their use in illustrating the discourses, are ranged in such a manner as to become an index of inquiries for those that travel, or for a British Antiquary. I shall probably continue this method at reasonable intervals. The whole is to invite Gentlemen and others in the country, to make researches of this nature, and to acquaint the world with them: they may be assured, that whatever accounts of this sort they please to communicate to me, they shall be applied to proper use, and all due honour paid to the names of those that favour me with a correspondence so much to the glory and benefit of our country, which is my sole aim therein.

It is evident how proper engravings are to preserve the memory of things, and how much better an idea they convey to the mind than written descriptions, which often not at all, oftener not sufficiently, explain them: beside, they present us with the pleasure of observing the various changes in the face of nature, of countries, and the like, through the current of time and vicissitude of things. These embellishments are the chief desiderata of the excellent Mr. Camden’s Britannia, and other writers of this sort, whose pens were not so ready to deliver their sentiments in lines as letters: and how hard it is for common artificers to draw from mere description, or to express well what they understand not, is obvious from our engravings in all sciences. I am sensible enough, that large allowances must be made for my own performances in this kind, and some for the artificers parts therein, who, for want of more practice in such works, cannot equal others abroad. I know not whether it will be an excuse, or a fault, if I should plead the expedition I used in the drawing part; but I may urge, that a private person, and a moderate fortune, may want many useful assistants and conveniences for that purpose. It is enough for me to point them out; to show things that are fine in themselves, and want little art to render them more agreeable, or that deserve to be better done; or any way to contribute toward retrieving the noble monuments of our ancestors; in which case only, we are behind other the learned nations in Europe. It is not that we have a less fund of curiosities than they, were the description of them attempted by an abler hand, and more adequate experience.

Two or three of the plates are inserted only as heads, being not referred to in the discourse, as Tab. VIII. the ground-plot of the ruins of Whitehall. I myself never saw the palace, but was pleased that I chanced to take this draught of its ruinous ichnography, but the very week before totally destroyed. Thus much I thought owing to the venerable memory of that name, which is ever the word at sea with British ships, and which makes the whole world tremble. Tab. X. is an ancient seal of the bishops of Norwich.[1] This plate the learned and curious Mr. le Neve, Norroy king at arms, lent me out of his good will to promote the work: the seal is remarkable for having letters upon the edge, represented in the empty ringlet; the manner of it is like our milled money; but how it was performed in wax, is not easy to say. Tab. XV. was likewise lent me by Mr. Norroy abovesaid. I design always, in these collections of mine, to insert one plate in a hundred, of some person’s effigies that has deserved well of the antiquities of Britain: it is but a just piece of gratitude to their memory. Tab. XL. (the Greek view at Athens) I took from an original drawing in Mr. Talman’s collection. I have some more of that sort: though they relate not to Britain, I do not fear the reader will be displeased with me on that account. How much rather ought we to lament the scarcity of such! What noble monuments of Greece are sunk into eternal oblivion, through want of Drawing in travellers that have been there in great numbers, or for want of encouragement to those that are able! With what regret do I mention that most beautiful temple of Minerva in the citadel of Athens, without dispute the finest building upon the globe, anno 1694! that year it was casually blown up with gunpowder, and not a drawing of it preserved.

The last plate, of the great conjunction of the five planets, I added as an æra of my book. This memorable appearance, because it affected not the vulgar like a solar eclipse, was almost neglected by the learned. I had a mind to do it justice by printing the type of it from the diagram sent me by the great Dr. Halley. For my part, I congratulate myself for living in an age fruitful of these grand phænomena of the celestial bodies, and am pleased, that beside the total eclipse 1715, we have in the space of two years this great conjunction, a transit of Mercury across the sun, a comet, the last eclipse of the sun, and in March next another great conjunction.

The numerous plates I have given the reader, of ground-plots and prospects of Roman cities, I thought contributed much towards fixing their site, and preserving their memory: they may be useful to curious inhabitants, in marking the places where antiquities are found from time to time, and in other respects. There are some few errors of the press escaped me, notwithstanding all my care; but none, I think, of any consequence. I have taken care to make the Index as instructing as I could. The title of Roman roads belongs to such as are anonymous, or not commonly taken notice of: that of Roman coins points to such places as are not Roman towns, or particularly described. Etymology includes only such words as are scattered casually in the work, or matters that are not comprehended under any other head; and so of the rest.

One general observation I have made within the short space of time my travels were limited to, that husbandry, grazing, cultivation of waste lands, all sorts of trades and manufactures, towns and cities, are hugely improved; and especially the multitude of inhabitants is increased to a high proportion: the reason of it is not difficult to be guessed at.

What I shall next trouble the reader withall, will be my intended work, of the history of the ancient Celts, particularly the first inhabitants of Great Britain, which for the most part is now finished. By what I can judge at present, it will consist of four books in folio. I. The history of the origin and passage of the Celts from Asia into the west of Europe, particularly into Britain; of their manners, language, &c. II. Of the religion, deities, priests, temples, and sacred rites, of the Celts. III. Of the great Celtic temple at Abury in Wiltshire, and others of that sort. IV. Of the celebrated Stonehenge. There will be above 300 copper plates of a folio size, many of which are already engraven; and many will be of much larger dimensions. Upon account, therefore, of the vast expence attending this work, I shall print no more than are subscribed for; the money to be paid to me only. Thus much I thought fit to advertise the friendly reader.

Ormond-street, 26 Dec. 1724.

GULIELMO STUKELEY, M. D.
Amicus Amico, &c.

I. S.

GEOR. LYNN, Interior. Templ. Soc.

In Itinerarium Curiosum amici sui charissima viri doctissimi & Cl. Domini Gulielmi Stukeleii M. D. CML. SRS. & Antiquar. Secretar.

MAUR. JOHNSON, J. C.
Interioris Templi Soc. MDCCXXIV.

JAMES HILL, J. C.
Middle-Temple, London, Dec. 1. 1724.