Lantern - No 16

Magazine Overview

This issue of LANTERN, Number 16, dated Winter 1976, is published by the BSIG and features an 'introduction' section that apologizes for a necessary price increase to 15p due to inflation. New UK subscription rates are 85p per year, with overseas rates remaining the same. The magazine relies on subscriptions for its existence and encourages readers to share it with interested individuals. The BSIG has also launched a new publishing venture, the 'PROCEEDINGS' of the Group, detailing their investigations in psychical research, with Volume I, Nos 1 & 2 already published, covering investigations at Borley Church.

Articles and Features

Thoughts on the "Puddingstone Track"

Authored by M.W. Burgess, this article critically examines Nigel Pennick's theory about the "Puddingstone Track" in East Anglia. Burgess questions the evidence for alignments between puddingstones and suggests that many stones identified as puddingstones are not, including the "Cowell Stone" which is identified as sandstone. He argues that the track's proposed route deviates significantly and does not consistently follow high ground. Furthermore, he points out that the dating of the track to the Mesolithic Tardenoisian people by Dr. Rudge predates the known working of flint mines like Grimes Graves (3000-2500 BC) and Church Hill (4300 BC), suggesting that flint could have been obtained more easily from southern areas. Burgess proposes that if the track exists, it is likely a later route that coalesced with the older Icknield Way. He also touches upon ley line theories as a potential justification for Rudge's claims, though he finds this hypothesis tenuous. The article notes that ley lines involving stones of the track are minimal, and the track itself may be a series of short routes misinterpreted as a continuous whole.

Local Curiosities

This section compiles several local folklore and ghost stories. It includes a booklet titled 'LOCAL CURIOSITIES' by M.W. Burgess, detailing ghosts and legends from the Lowestoft area. It mentions a booklet on 'Ancient Dunwich' which discusses hauntings and a strange presence reported by divers. A story about an old oak tree in Wangford churchyard, where the Devil is said to appear if one runs around it three times at midnight, is included. Fairies are said to dance in the graveyard of St. Michael's church in Oulton, and a "woman in white" haunts the same graveyard. A barrow at Gazely is believed to hide "Silver Bells." Finally, a "phantom leper" with burning eyes and a two-dimensional face is reported to haunt Thetford Warren.

UFO Report 1: Hainford, Norfolk

This report details an alleged landing of a dark, silent object in Hainford, Norfolk, on January 7th, 1975. The witness described an elliptical object with approximately twelve lights that descended and flashed orange lights before disappearing behind trees. Two investigations were conducted, the first nearly five months after the sighting and the second fourteen months later. The witness's account remained consistent, with only minor discrepancies in sketches. A significant finding during the second investigation was a large circular patch of ground where crops did not grow, attributed by the farmer to a pile of salt. The report notes that no one else is known to have seen the object and references similar reports and previous UFO investigations in the area.

UFO Report 3: North Sea Mystery Flares

This report covers several instances of unexplained flares observed off the coast of Norfolk and Suffolk in recent months. Reports from local newspapers detail sightings of red and green flares, leading to searches by lifeboats and coastguards. While some flares were initially thought to be from land, others, particularly green flares seen in April 1976, were eventually attributed to a meteor shower. The report also includes a postscript about an "Undersea Object Mystery" where a dredger 'Deepstone' struck a submerged object off the coast of Gorleston, causing slight damage, but no trace of the object was detected.

UFO Report 2: North Walsham "Batmobile"

This report details an encounter by Miss Bertha Humphries of North Walsham, Norfolk, on a moonlit winter night. She described a dull, red glowing object moving from side to side, initially mistaken for car reversing lights or snow spots. The object, described as a jet-black oblong shape, dark and bat-like with a central red circle, emerged from a narrow road and appeared to flounder before rising into the air. It was observed to be dragging a smaller, similar object behind it. The object ascended to housetop level, then shot up higher and disappeared into the clouds, making no noise.

UFO Don't Exist!

Written by Keith Williamson, this article analyzes the conclusions of the U.S. Air Force's Project Blue Book regarding UFOs. Williamson argues that the USAF's public statements, while factually correct in their wording, were designed to mislead the public into believing UFOs were not extraterrestrial. He explains how the USAF's conclusions, such as "There has been no evidence that sightings categorised as UNIDENTIFIED are extraterrestrial vehicles," could be technically true but interpreted as a dismissal of UFOs altogether. The article suggests that the USAF's emphasis on the lack of evidence for the extraterrestrial hypothesis (ETH) minimized public belief in UFOs, and that statements about national security and technological principles were also open to misleading interpretations.

Book Reviews

• Several book reviews are included:
• 'Southwold: The Fortified Anchorage of Sole Bay' and 'Ancient Dunwich' by Jean I. Carter and Stuart R. Bacon: These booklets contain ghost-lore and local legends, including stories of haunted guns and a strange presence in Dunwich.
• 'Ghost Hunting - A Practical Guide' by Andrew Green: Reviewed by I.A.W. Bunn, this paperback is described as an invaluable guide to ghost hunting and psychical research, covering practical advice and theoretical subjects.

News Round-Up

• This section provides updates on the BSIG's activities:
• BSIG's First President: Andrew Green, author and psychical researcher, has accepted the role of Honorary President of the BSIG.
• Success at Borley!: Two investigations were conducted at Borley Church, Essex. The first involved setting up a stereo tape-recorder, but extraneous noise made definitive conclusions difficult. The second visit, with fewer investigators, recorded a significant loud noise at 8:06 pm, described as a door being unlocked and opened, for which no explanation has been found. A third visit is planned for the spring.
• Return Visit to the Hall Inn, Sea Palling: A follow-up visit to the Hall Inn, where a phantom "grey lady" was reported, involved a medium. While the results were not as dramatic as the first visit, some statements are still being checked.
• Other News: Updates on the 'LEY HUNTER' magazine, the 'JOURNAL of the ESSEX UFO STUDY GROUP', and apologies from the editor for any missed submissions due to space limitations.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of Lantern are UFO sightings and investigations, local folklore and ghost stories, and psychical research. The magazine appears to maintain an open but critical stance, presenting reports and theories while also questioning their validity and interpretation, as seen in the articles on the Puddingstone Track and the analysis of Project Blue Book. The editorial stance is one of encouraging reader engagement and the sharing of information within the field of borderline science and paranormal phenomena. The issue concludes with seasonal greetings from the editor and the BSIG.