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Gathering speed again they swept through Beckhampton village, where the Bath road falls off to the left, and breasting the high downs towards Yatesbury, they trotted on to Cheril. Here on the hills the sky hung low overhead, and the wind sweeping chill and drear across the upland was full of a melancholy soughing.
No country is willing to attribute its ruin to its own baseness, but if you tamely submit to have a man thrust down your throats, to be a representative for this county, by the Beckhampton or the Deptford Club, or any other party of men whatever, without your considering whether he be a proper independent character, and capable of executing such an important trust, at this eventful period; if you basely and tamely submit to this worst of degradation whether it be from indolence, or whether it be from the worst of all human dependence, the fear of offending Mr.
Perform'd by R. MESSETER, at the Crown, at Thatcham, and J. HITCHCOCK, at the Catherine Wheel, Beckhampton. "N.B. No Jewels, Plate, Money, Writings, or other things of Value, will be paid for if lost, unless enter'd as such, and paid for accordingly."
Charles G. Harper has solved the knotty point in his valuable book The Old Inns of Old England. He comes to the conclusion, by a process of elimination, that the "Waggon and Horses" at Beckhampton, which exists to-day, nearly realises the description of the inn given in the story. "It is," he says, "just the house a needy bagman such as Tom Smart would have selected.
The circle at Abury, the forepart of the snake leading toward Kennet, which I call Kennet Avenue; the hinder part of the snake leading toward Beckhampton, which I call Beckhampton Avenue; for they may be well looked on as avenues to the great temple at Abury, which part must be most eminently called the Temple.
"This chap had it from his nevvy, who married the sister of a housemaid at Beckhampton." Dale whistled. Here was news, indeed. Beckhampton! the home of "good things." "Is that where it comes from?" "Yes. Something real hot over a mile." "Can't you think? Let's look again at the entries." "Wait a bit," cried Simmonds. "I've got it now.
The village is a mile from Beckhampton, and a short distance up the by-road the first glimpse of our goal may be had on the left in the two "Long Stones" just visible across a field. A little farther one gets the best distant view of Silbury Hill one which shows its artificial character and true shape to great advantage.
The two megaliths seen from the Beckhampton road may be a remnant of it. The purpose of all this intricate and elaborate work is a puzzling problem and, like the mystery of Stonehenge, will probably remain a secret to the end. The literature of Avebury, not quite so copious as that of the stones of the Plain, is also more diffident in its guessing.
It was in coaching days a homely yet comfortable inn, that received those travellers who did not relish either the state or the expense of the great Beckhampton Inn opposite, where post-horses were kept, and where the very elite of the roads resorted."
Seven miles from Devizes we reach the Bath road at Beckhampton, first crossing the track of the old Roman Bath-Silchester way about three-quarters of a mile before it joins the modern road.
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