Ley Hunter - 1974 no 56-57

Magazine Overview

Title: THE LEY HUNTER
Issue: Nos. 56/57
Date: June/July 1974
Editor/Publisher: Paul Screeton, 5, Egton Drive, Seaton Carew, Hartlepool, Cleveland, TS25 2AT.

This issue of "The Ley Hunter" is a bi-monthly publication, a change from its previous monthly schedule due to increased postal charges, paper costs, and the publisher's other commitments. The publisher, Paul Screeton, apologizes for the lateness and comparative shortness of this double issue, attributing it to a fractured wrist. The magazine aims to publish around 16 pages per issue and promises the usual features, plus material on leys computer projects, metrology, and book reviews in the next issue, scheduled for September.

John Fuller M.P. and Brightling

Mike Collier's article highlights Sussex as a region rich in folklore, often overlooked by ley hunters. It focuses on Brightling, near Eastbourne, where "The Obelisk" or "Brightling Needle" stands. This 40-foot stone structure was erected by John Fuller M.P. (1801-1812), known as "Honest Jack" and "Mad Jack." Fuller built the obelisk to provide work for the poor and also constructed a stone wall. He was known for his passionate debates, once being escorted from the House of Commons for insulting the Speaker. His estate, Rose Hill (later Brightling Park), featured an observatory with a Camera Obscura, a Grecian temple, and a folly called the Sugar Loaf. Fuller was a patron of J.M.W. Turner and donated £10,000 to the Royal Institution of Great Britain, which funded the Fullerian Professorship, later taken up by Michael Faraday. He also donated nine bassoons to the local church and purchased Bodiam Castle, presenting it to the nation. His mausoleum in Brightling churchyard, designed by Sir Robert Smirke, is described as a dominating structure where he was interred sitting in a chair, surrounded by bottles of claret and sprinkled with broken glass to deter the Devil.

Snakes on the Grid

Under the pseudonym "Circumlibra," this section explores ley lines and their potential connection to UFO sightings. The author discusses G.R. Phillips' findings of parallel leys inclined at a 4° west angle of magnetic north and suggests tracing leys at similar angles east of magnetic north. The author's own location is on a ley inclined at 31° east of magnetic north, with parallel leys to the west. The article posits that leys form diamond patterns, and that their crossings, termed "Etheric Centres," are fountains of energy. The author also mentions the "Tides of the Day" and the difficulty in detecting energy flows, suggesting that those closer to nature might be more aware of them. A personal anecdote describes almost treading on a serpent, linking its movement to the undulating flow of ley energies.

Miscellany

This section touches on the concept of "serpent power" as an energy that travels along the Earth's surface, potentially harnessed by ancient peoples. It suggests that mankind has a habit of perverting things, leading to civilizational peaks and declines. The author expresses hope for "The New Age" and the potential for creative thoughts to lead to better ways. The section also includes a brief mention of a "DEVIL CULT" warning from the Bishop of Derby and information about "THE AQUARIAN CENTRE" in Glastonbury offering lectures and events.

The Lay of the Land

Mollie Carey writes about the challenges of finding ley lines and ancient sites, noting that maps don't always reveal everything and that sites are vanishing due to development. She emphasizes that the absence of visible sites on maps doesn't mean nothing is there for ley hunters. Carey discusses how field or hill names and old folk tales can provide clues, citing a Barrow Hill near Dorchester. She suggests studying the terrain of Neolithic and Bronze Age times, as these periods saw construction on suitable land, not marshes. The article mentions "Coldharbours" as potential shelters for travellers, often found near prehistoric sites. Carey notes that churches can sometimes form lines, even without visible ancient markers, and that museums can offer information. She recounts a personal experience of feeling a prehistoric trackway and discovering a round barrow, suggesting it was a marker for the track. She also mentions a church built within circular banks, possibly a "henge."

Churches and Ley Lines

This section discusses the importance of noting church dedications when researching leys. The author suspects a connection between St Michael, Apollo, and Mithras, and suggests St Nicholas might be Noden. The article notes that St Michael churches are often found on hilltops, while St Andrew churches are at the foot of hills. It highlights the difficulty in finding church dedications but recommends resources like Shell guides and the "Buildings of England" series. The author mentions that when land became enclosed, roads and tracks were sometimes diverted, and ley lines can be seen to go up to an estate, vanish, and re-emerge. The author claims no expertise but hopes the article points others in useful directions.

Silbury Hill

N.P. Courtnadge contributes an article about Silbury Hill, referencing Mollie Carey's previous mention of it. A researcher from the Paraphysical Laboratory, Downton, described Silbury Hill as a "NOTHING, NOTHING, STEPPED PYRAMID" and suggested it was connected to science, possibly with a "pearly light on a post." Excavations in 1968-9 confirmed this. A strange hieroglyphic found in Egypt, interpreted as an obelisk atop a truncated pyramid with a solar disk, is reproduced and noted to resemble a diagram in Mollie Carey's article. Moses B. Cotsworth sent the hieroglyphic, finding similarity to Maeshowe, Silbury Hill maypoles, and unfinished pyramids. Cotsworth suggests Silbury Hill's truncated cone enabled ancient astronomers to measure seasons and the year by the shadow of a pine maypole, acting as an obelisk. The hill's height (130') and the maypole (95') would create a total height of 225', providing shadow length equivalent to the 480' Pyramid of Cheops, allowing for accurate measurement of the year (365.2422 days).

The Secrets of the Orkneys

This article details a visit to the Orkney Islands, famous for megalithic antiquities like Skara Brae, Maes Howe, the Stones of Stenness, and the Ring of Brogar. Work on an O.S. Orkney map revealed over 60 possible leys. Chris Lee describes finding a ley pattern or geometric symbol made up of several ley lines, superimposed on a sketch map of the islands. The symbol, consisting of two intertwined triangles, is 11 miles wide and 12 miles high. It is identified as a fertility symbol of Egyptian culture. The article notes that the symbol is sideways on, unlike the typical portrayal. The two mounds at C (Knowe of Cura Mounds) are suggested as guiding mounds for sailors. The Maes Howe burial mound is also discussed, with its stone chamber aligned to the cardinal points. A line projected from the entrance tunnel runs to the summit of Ward Hill on Hoy Island. The custom of lighting a fire on Ward Hill on Midsummer's Eve is mentioned, linking it to "Beltane" or "Baal Fire," a fire god associated with fertility rites.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores the intersection of ancient sites, folklore, and mysterious phenomena, particularly ley lines. There's a strong emphasis on personal research and observation, encouraging readers to contribute their findings. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into unexplained phenomena, historical mysteries, and alternative interpretations of ancient landscapes and symbols, often drawing connections between disparate cultures and time periods. The publisher, Paul Screeton, is actively involved in this research, sharing his own findings and inviting collaboration.

This issue of 'DIVINING' magazine, identified as issue number 10, features articles on dowsing, UFO sightings, and ancient sites. The main article, 'AN UNOBTRUSIVE DIVINING ROD' by Sid Birchby, introduces a new design for a divining rod that can be used discreetly in public places.

An Unobtrusive Divining Rod

Sid Birchby's article addresses the challenge of using divining rods, particularly in sensitive locations like churches, without attracting unwanted attention. He references Guy Underwood's book "The Pattern of the Past" (1972), which described Underwood's claim to have plotted earth current lines in various churches. Birchby notes that Underwood's described 'Geodetic Rod,' consisting of a wire link connecting a flexible wire rod and a stiff handle, was somewhat noticeable and had practical construction issues.

To overcome these drawbacks, Birchby proposes the 'GDR2' (Geodetic Rod 2). This modified rod is designed to be concealed behind a notebook, a common item for visitors to carry. The rod itself is made from a plastic ballpoint pen: the ink tube serves as the flexible wire rod, and the pen barrel acts as the stiff handle. A short wire link connects the two. Birchby emphasizes the importance of finding the correct rigidity for the wire link, suggesting materials like fuse wire or tying wire, and notes that the rigidity varies with the individual. He explains that the GDR2 maintains a state of unstable equilibrium, crucial for dowsing, by varying the pressure on the plastic tube. He also mentions that synthetic resins, like those in pens, can temporarily affect a dowser's perception of lines, but this modification is within Underwood's design criteria.

Birchby encourages readers to try the GDR2 and share their comments, hoping that a less conspicuous method will encourage more people to explore dowsing and its potential to reveal 'currents of something under our leys, cathedrals, stone circles, and so forth.' He likens the current perception of dowsing to that of caving in his youth.

UFO "BUZZED" ICBM, SAY EXPERTS

This section reports on an incident where experts at an army missile base in Huntsville, Alabama, were puzzled by strange "ghost ships" detected by powerful radar scanners in the Pacific during a tracking exercise. Major Dallas van Hoose confirmed that "some unexplained phenomena" were observed. Radar experts tracked a UFO next to a Minuteman missile's nose cone, describing it as an 'inverted saucer-shaped object.' The fact that two separate radar systems detected it simultaneously suggests it was not a malfunction.

UFO Sightings from Around the UK

Several other UFO sightings are reported:

• Canadian scientists are investigating UFOs and have contacted the British UFO Research Association. Mr A.R. Pace, the association's research director, stated that UFOs have not received the recognition they deserve from the scientific community.
• Two 13-year-old girls in Hartburn, Stockton, reported seeing a brilliant white object shaped like a rugby ball topped by a bubble, with grey dots.
• Teesside airport reported no such object on its radar. Mr Michael Batty of Norton also reported seeing a UFO moving east from Norton Green towards Hartlepool.
• Mrs Pat Ferguson and her daughter Helen in Hartlepool observed a "large spinning light" over the West Park area for about two minutes.

Letters

Paul Devereux writes, referencing John Michell's book "The Old Stones of Land's End," to suggest that Chysauster may have been a scientific community rather than a normal village, similar to his idea about Dartmoor hut circles. He quotes Baring-Gould's "A Book of Dartmoor" (1923) which describes large huts with no traces of fire, evidence of games played with pebbles, and the discovery of clear quartz prisms used for divination by Australian natives. Baring-Gould also noted the peaceful nature of the inhabitants and the presence of flint chips at Whit Tor.

Robert Wood discusses his interest in leys, acupuncture, and dowsing, and the related fields of Kirlian photography and body potential measurement. He is contemplating building his own equipment and is seeking people who have experience with these experimental areas. He notes that scientists who have worked with Kirlian photography have treated it as a novelty.

Philip Heselton corrects an article from "The Yorkshire Post" titled "Long Walk Settles Churches Alignment." He points out spelling mistakes in the names of seven churches and states that they do not align, even approximately. He offers two alternative alignments in the area and mentions a genuine 7-church alignment that may have been overlooked. Heselton urges accuracy and cautions against forcing alignments that do not exist, as it does not help the field.

Miscellany

• 'ORE No. 18' is out, featuring articles on round towers, poems, and reviews on the first settlers of Britain.
• A quote from Geoffrey Ashe's book "The Finger & the Moon" (1973) is included, where the character Geoffrey states that legends should be taken seriously but not literally, as they point to a deeper truth.
• The British and Overseas Optical Mission refurbishes old spectacles for donation.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores the intersection of ancient mysteries, esoteric practices, and unexplained phenomena. There is a clear editorial stance favoring the investigation of these subjects with a degree of scientific rigor, even when dealing with topics like dowsing and UFOs. The publication encourages practical experimentation (as seen with the GDR2 design) and critical analysis of existing theories and reports (as demonstrated in the letters section). The theme of uncovering hidden knowledge, whether through ancient sites, earth energies, or aerial phenomena, is prevalent throughout the issue.