John Toland

Antiquarian and Druidic Revivalist.

Originally a member of the Druidic revival, John Toland was one of the early antiquarians who claimed that Stonehenge was a Druidic temple. In 1694, he met John Aubrey, the proto-archaeologist, and from him gathered the idea that the megaliths of the British Isles may have been used by Druids. In 1717, he claimed that he met with Druidic and Bardic representatives from various parts of the British Isles, and proceded to form the Universal Druid Bond (which may or may not still exist), and became their chief.

However, in 1723, he does a strange about-face, publishing his History of the Druids, which depicts the Druids as frauds and tyrants.

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