Background
He was born at Holbeach, Lincolnshire, on the 7th of November 1687; the son of a lawyer.
(Book Description: "Like Lockyer's Stonehenge and Other ...)
Book Description: "Like Lockyer's Stonehenge and Other British Stone Monuments Astronomically Considered, William Stukeley's 1740 study of Stonehenge stands out among the huge number of books on the subject. Stukeley was a pioneer preservationist. He lamented the callous treatment of the majestic ruins both by tourists and landholders. He coined the term 'trilithon' for the doorway-like arrangement of three stones, now common in the literature about megalithic architecture. Stukeley was one of the first to make accurate drawings of the site. The three dozen illustrations to this book, which show Stonehenge from every angle and document its context in the 18th century landscape, are still used today by scholars. He also did some rudimentary archeology, and describes opening the grave of a warrior princess. Stukeley's Stonehenge was intended to be the first volume in a comprehensive study of universal history, which he never completed. He believed a pure form of Christianity was the original religion of mankind, which had been subverted by idolatry, and finally restored by Jesus. Stonehenge was a temple of this primordial patriarchial religion, built by immigrants from the Near East, possibly Phoenicians. They became the progenitors of the Celts, founded the Druid religion and built the mysterious standing stones. (Today scholars believe that Stonehenge was constructed by an indigenous, pre-Celtic, pre-Druid culture). It is remarkable that two centuries later Lockyer also propounded a theory that Stonehenge was built by immigrants from the Near East. Also of note is Stukeley's discovery of vast linear features in the vicinity of Stonehenge. This of course anticipated Watkins' ley lines. He points out one case where these lines have Roman roads constructed over them, indicating that they could not be Roman in origin. He describes a huge oval track in the landscape, which he hypothesized was an ancient horse race course! Stukeley also proposed that the builders of Stonehenge used a standard measurement, anticipating the 'Megalithic yard' which was suggested in 1955 by Alexander Thom. Stukeley was adamant that Stonehenge was pre-Roman (a view held by some at the time). He believed that it was constructed about 460 B.C. (currently it is believed that it dates back as far as 3000 B.C.) He arrived at this date by assuming that the builders had a knowledge of the compass, and by extrapolating variations in magnetic north, which he incorrectly assumed occillated in a regular pattern (today we know that the magnetic North pole moves somewhat at random). However, this was one of the first attempts to associate the alignment of the monument with some natural phenomena, and to use it to date the structure." (Quote from sacred-texts.com) Table of Contents: Publisher's Preface; Dedication; Preface; Chapter I.; Chapter ii.; Chapter iii.; Chapter iv.; Chapter V.; Chapter vi.; Chapter vii.; Chapter viii.; Chapter ix.; Chapter X.; Chapter xi.; Chapter xii. About the Publisher: Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, Esoteric and Mythology. www.forgottenbooks.org Forgotten Books is about sharing information, not about making money. All books are priced at wholesale prices. We are also the only publisher we know of to print in large sans-serif font, which is proven to make the text easier to read and put less strain on your eyes.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1605064270/?tag=2022091-20
(This historic book may have numerous typos and missing te...)
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1887. Excerpt: ... 270. Stukeley's design for strengthening weak arch of West minster Bridge, 30 Aug., 1750. 271. Lady ElwilTs House at Langley, Kent, 1718. 272. Stukeley's House at Boston, Nov. 3, 1714. 273. The new building, Staple Inn, Garden Court, built 1699. INDEX OF NAMES. The letter n after the number of the page refers to the note. A Abraham, 162. Abruger, Sir Thomas, 222. Acquitani, the, 225 n. Adam, 88. Addinall, John, 242 n. Addison, Mr. Secretary, 322, 327. Aelius, Hadrian, 136; Maximus, 136. A.emilian, family, 184. Aethelbald, King, 159. 159 n. Aethilwald, King, 159 n. Agatha, mother of Ulfus, 457. Agricola, 212, 215, 216, 417, 422, 425. Agripina, 229, 321, 322, 440. Agrippa, 269. Ailesbury, Earl of, 336. Ailwin, Alderman, 505. Ainsworth, Mr., 189. Aislaby, John, Esq., M.P., 337. Alan, Earl, 366, 367, 457. Albemarle, William, Earl of, 331, 332. Aldborough, ancient family of, 278 n. Aldwin, 280 n. Alfred, King, 83, 83 n, 304, 329, 330. Algar, Count, 169; Duke, 457. Alectus, coin of, 30, 145, 148, 359. Alkfrid, Prince, 48; King, 382, 383. Alexander, Severus, 61; Bishop of Lincoln, 160 n, 220. Alia, 298, 361 n. Alphred, of Beverley, 296, 298. Alsagar, arms of, 52 n. Altingius, 438. Amandus, architect, 350, 396, 396 n, 398. Ambiliati, 214 n. Amelia, Fielding's Novel, 136, 136 n. Americans, the, 266. Amherst, 478 n. Aminadab, 162. Amminianus, Marcellinus, 43, 62, 396, 397, 398, 399. Ammonius, M., 136. Anastatius, Emperor, 221. Ancaster, Duke of, 10, 237 n, 501. Ancaster, Duchess Jane, 478. Andrew, Abbot, 47, 48, 48 n. Anglois, Mrs. Esther, 125. Anne, Queen, 22, 319 w, 340 n, 485 n. Antoninus, coin of, 60, 229, 400. Antoninus Pius, 85 n, 99, 99 n, 107, 129, 230, 244 n, 400, 411, 413. Antoninus, Philosophus, 146. Antoninus, Iters of, 74, 75, 78, 78 n, 79, 80 n, 81 n,...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002T05WWU/?tag=2022091-20
clergyman physician antiquarian
He was born at Holbeach, Lincolnshire, on the 7th of November 1687; the son of a lawyer.
After taking his M. B. degree at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, Stukeley went to London and studied medicine at St Thomas' Hospital. In 1719 Stukeley took his M. D. degree.
In 1710, he started in practice in Boston, Lincolnshire.
Stukeley's principal works, elaborate accounts of Stonehenge and Avebury, appeared in 1740 and 1743. These were supposed to be the first of a multi-volume universal history. Stukeley's work on Stonehenge was one of the first to attempt to date the monument. Working with the renowned astronomer Edmund Halley, he proposed that the builders of Stonehenge knew about magnetism, and had aligned the monument with magnetic north. Stukeley used some incomplete data about the variation of the North Magnetic Pole; he extrapolated that it oscillated in a regular pattern. Today it is known that the North Magnetic Pole wanders in an irregular fashion. However, Stukeley inferred that Stonehenge was completed in 460 B. C. , which as we now know is several thousand years too late.
In 1729 he took Holy Orders. He became a priest in the Church of England. He went on to hold two livings in Lincolnshire, including that of the parish of All Saints, Stamford (1730–1747), where he did a considerable amount of further research, not least on the town's lost Eleanor Cross. In 1742 he visited the Royston Cave at Royston, Hertfordshire and a year later he published his Palaeographia Britannica or discourses on Antiquities in Britain no. I, Origines Roystonianae, or an account of the Oratory of lady Roisia, Foundress of Royston discovered in Royston in August 1742. Following a response by the Reverend Charles Parkin he penned the sequel: Palaeographia Britannica or discourses on Antiquities in Britain no. II, or defence of Lady de Vere, Foundress of Roiston, against the Calumny of Mr. Parkin, rector of Oxburgh wherein his pretended answer is fully refuted: the former opinion further confirm'd and illustrated. To which are occasionally added, many curios matters in antiquity.
In 1746, Stukeley drew up a very careful account of the King Charles I's journey from Oxford to the Scottish camp at Newark in 1646.
He was subsequently appointed rector, in 1747, of St George the Martyr, Queen Square, a parish in Bloomsbury, London (1747–1765). While there, he carried on a correspondence with Charles Bertram, which ultimately led to the acceptance of the forged Description of Britain as a leading source on Roman Britain for over a century.
(Book Description: "Like Lockyer's Stonehenge and Other ...)
(This historic book may have numerous typos and missing te...)
("Memoirs of Sir Isaac Newton's life" from William Stukele...)
("Of the Gout" from William Stukeley. Antiquary, ed at Cam...)
Stukeley proposed that an ancient patriarchial religion was the original religion of mankind. This had subsequently degenerated as idol-worship had emerged. Stukeley believed that the Druids and the early Christians were examples of this religion. He wrote copiously on other supposed Druid remains, becoming familiarly known as the "Arch-Druid. "
Quotations:
"Our predecessors, the Druids of Britain, tho' left in the extremest west to the improvement of their own thoughts, yet advanc'd their inquiries, under all disadvantages, to such heights, as should make our moderns asham'd, to wink in the sunshine of learning and religion. "
"This mighty wall of four score miles in length is only exceeded by the Chinese wall, which makes a considerable figure upon the terrestrial globe, and may be discerned at the moon. "
He was a member of Spalding Gentlemen's Society (founded by his friend Maurice Johnson II). He also became a Fellow of the Royal Society and, in 1718, joined in the establishment of the Society of Antiquaries. In 1720 became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, publishing in the same year his first contribution to antiquarian literature.
Stukeley was a friend of Isaac Newton.
Stukeley was one of the first learned gentlemen to be attracted to speculative Freemasonry, newly fashionable after the appointment of the first noble Grand Master. His Diary and Commonplace Book of 6 June 1721 says "I was made a Freemason at the Salutation Tav. , Tavistock Street, with Mr. Collins, Capt. Rowe, who made the famous diving Engine. " The same entry says he was the first person for many years who had been so made in London; there was great difficulty in finding sufficient members to perform the Ceremony; and immediately thereafter "Freemasonry took a run and ran itself out of breath through the folly of its members. " His diary and papers are among the earliest sources on the subject of the new Grand Lodge.