"The sacred places and settlements throughout the country are founded on an esoteric pattern of 'leys' or accurately aligned monuments, stretching far across the landscape and laid down by the astronomer-priests of prehistoric Britain. The existence of an advanced stone age science was first recognized by Sir Norman Lockyer at the begging of this century. Alfred Watkins's Manual shows the nature and extent of its relics and how to discover them."--Page 4 of cover

Alfred Watkins' 3rd edition of The Old Straight Track had its beginning with a small booklet titled Early British Trackways, itself an expanded verion of a lecture. After many months of fieldwork, The Old Straight Track emerged with the 1st edtion in1925, the 2ns in 1933, and this editio in 1945, which provides an indepth investigation of Leys and Mounds in Britain.

The author provides a hypothetical chronological framework for the circles and considers their origins and purpose, examining in particular their possible astronomical function. He then discusses each regional grouping of circles, describing their architectural types and the finds from excavations. Special attention is paid to Stonehenge and Avebury, the two best known and most spectacular rings.