Druidical CIRCLES, in British topography, a name given to certain ancient inclosures formed by rude stones circularly arranged, in the manner represented on Plate CXLV. These, it is now generally agreed, were temples, and many writers think, also places of solemn assemblies for councils or elections, and seats of judgment. Mr Borlase is of this opinion. "Instead, therefore (says he), of detaining the reader with a dispute, whether they were places of worship or council, it may with great probability be asserted, that they were used for both purposes; and having for the most part been first dedicated to religion, naturally became afterwards the curiae and fora of the same community." These temples, though generally circular, occasionally differ as well in figure as magnitude: with relation to the first, the most simple were composed of one circle: Stonehenge consisted of two circles and two ovals, respectively concentric, whilst that at Bottalch near St Just in Cornwall is formed by four intersecting circles. And the great temple at Avebury in Wiltshire, it is said, described the figure of a seraph or fiery flying serpent, represented by circles and right lines. Some besides circles have avenues of stone pillars. Most, if not all of them, have pillars or altars within their penetralia or centre. In the article of magnitude and number of stones, there is the greatest variety, some circles being only twelve feet diameter, and formed only of twelve stones, whilst others, such as Stonehenge and Avebury, contained, the first 140, the second 652, and occupied many acres of ground. All these different numbers, measures, and arrangements had their pretended reference; either to the astronomical divisions of the year, or some mysteries of the druidical religion. Mr Borlase, however, supposes, that those very small circles, sometimes formed of a low bank of earth, sometimes of stones erect, and frequently of loose small stones thrown together in a circular form, inclosing an area of about three yards diameter, without any larger circle round them, were originally places of burial.