Giant's Cave

In the edge of this Shire [Wiltshire] between Luckinton, great Badminton (the seat of my noble Lord and Master, the Lord Herbert) is a place called the Caves; and by some the Giants caves, according to the language of ignorance, fear, and superstition. They are upon the top of a rising hill, a number about [??]. And some of them are (or were formerly) cemented with lime. Some of them are deeper and some shallower; some broader and longer than others. They lye altogether in a row. The manner of them is two long stones, set upon the sides, and broad stones upon the top to cover them. The least of these Caves is four foot broad, and some of them are nine or ten foot long.

This is the account, which I have received from some neighbour Gentlemen touching them with which I was fain to content my self, because the Earth and Rubbish is now so fallen in, that (without digging) nothing almost can be seen, but the place where they are the cavities being all filled up, and bushes over growing them. I presume these [??] are nothing else but the tombes of so many Saxon or Danish Heroes, (or it may be Romans) slain in a battle fought not far from the place.

The curiosity of some ingenious men (as it is reported) within these 40 years, tempted them to dig into it, and make a search for some Antick remains, but they found nothing, but an old Spur, and some few other things not worth the mentioning. The broadness of the stones is not at all strange, since the whole Country hereabout is slatty, and in many places affords stones altogether as large as these.