or Cromleh, in Antiquity, a rude kind of monument consisting of a large flat stone raised upon other stones set upright for the purpose. These monuments are spoken of by Rowland, by Borlase, and by Wormius, under the appellation of Arcæ, or altars. It is generally supposed that they may have served a double purpose; namely that they were originally tombs, upon which, in after times, sacrifices were performed to the heroes deposited within. An account of King Harold having been interred beneath a tomb of this kind in Denmark is still preserved: and a skeleton deposited under a cromlech was discovered in Ireland. The very great similarity of the monuments throughout the north evinces that the same religion had with some slight variations been spread in Cromwell every part. Many of these monuments are both British and Danish, for they are found in Britain in places where the Danes never penetrated.

The cromlech, or cromlech, differs from the kist-vaen, in not being closed up at the end and sides, that is, in not partaking so much of the chest-like figure; it is also generally of larger dimensions, and sometimes consists of a greater number of stones. The terms cromlech and kist-vaen have been, however, indiscriminately used for the same monument. The word cromlech is by some derived from the Armoric crion, crooked or bowing, and leh, stone; alluding to the reverence which persons paid to them by bowing. Rowland derives it from the Hebrew words carem-baach, signifying a devoted or consecrated stone. They are called by the vulgar coeine Arthur, or Arthur's quota, it being a custom in Wales as well as in Cornwall to ascribe all great or wonderful objects to Prince Arthur, the hero of those countries.—(See Worsae's Scandinavian Antiquities.)