Gents Mag 1843 part 2 p.362

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	Gentleman's Magazine 1843 part 2 p.362 the parish of Millum, in the same county, there did exist the remains of a Druidical temple, which the country people called sunken kirk, i.e. a church sunk into the earth. It is nearly a circle of very large stones, pretty entire, only a few fallen upon sloping ground in a swampy meadow. At the entrance there are four large stones, two on each side, at the distance of six feet. Through these you enter into a circular area, twenty-nine yards by thirty. The entrance is nearly south-east. It seems probable that the altar stood in the middle, as there are some stones still to be seen there, though sunk deep in the earth. The situation and aspect of the Druidical temple near Keswick is in every respect similar to this, except the rectangular recess, formed by ten large stones, which is peculiar to Keswick. And I am informed that there are other remains of stone circles in these northern districts, where there yet exist so many popular superstitions and customs. Indeed, we find in Camden's account of Westmoreland allusion made to the ruins of one ancient round structure, which has always been considered to have been a temple dedicated to Diana, but which is now known by the name of Kirkshead. Many such instances will be found in the ancient monuments of Scotland. Sometimes there are two circles of stones, at others three circles, having the same common centre. From the general arrangement of the stones, one of the largest having a cavity, at the bottom of which there is a passage for any liquid sacrifice to run down the side of it, nothing can be more evident than that the triple circle of stones was intended as an heathen temple, where Pagan priests performed their idolatrous ceremonies; and what is most remarkable is, that most of these singular structures are still known by the name of chapels or temple stones; and one of them, we are told, in the parish of Enesallen, is full of groves, and was formerly an ordinary place of burial, and continues to be so, for children who die without baptism and for strangers. There is mention made of one* in the shire of Inverness, which consists of two circles of stones, and was formerly known by the name of Chapel Piglag, from a lady of that name who used to repair thither for the exercise of her devotion, before a church was built in that part of the country. What adds to the interest of this account, which I have extracted from Camden, is the extraordinary sanctity in which a neighbouring grove of trees was held. So sacred indeed was it reputed, that no one would cut a branch out of it, and the women who dwelt near it, when they recovered out of childbed, were wont to repair thither, to return their thanks to God, as in other places of the kingdom they attend churches for the same purpose. In the midst of this grove there is a well or fountain, called the well of the chapel, which is also held sacred; and Dr. Jamieson, in his Historical Accountof the Culdees, relates a singular instance of an old man in the North of Scotland, who, though very regular in his devotions, never addressed the Supreme Being by any other title than that of arch druid, accounting every other derogatory to the divine Majesty. It is clear that, for many ages after the introduction of Christianity into Britain, the firm hold which Druidism had upon the mind of her inhabitants was a source of much annoyance to the first missionaries to this country. Some pagan monuments were overthrown, but others were maintained inviolable for ages. But, in order to render the transition from a false to a true worship less difficult, it was no uncommon practice with the early missionaries, not merely in Britain but in other parts of the world, to convert the temples dedicated to idolatrous uses into Christian churches. This circumstance will account for the situation of many of our churches, which actually occupy the ancient sites of Druid temples. It is probable that in many instances stone circles existed on the site of some of these churches, and were the scene of religious worship of the first converts to Christianity: of all figures the Druids most affected the circular. The druidical Kir-rock, or circle of stones, gradually was contracted into kirk, which is now pronounced church. A kirk, church, or place of worship in dru-
	* Vide Camden's Britannia.
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	gazetteer links
	-- Castlerigg Stone Circle
	-- "Kirkshead" -- Kirk Stead
	-- Swinside Stone Circle

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