Meyn Mamvro - No 064 - Autumn 2007

Magazine Overview

Meyn Mamvro, Issue No. 64, Autumn 2007, is a magazine dedicated to "ancient stones and sacred sites in Cornwall." The cover features a striking pink and black illustration of a stone circle, with the headline announcing features on "WINDOWS TO THE TORS," "CORNISH CELTS," "TIME TEAM ON BODMIN MOOR," "LUGHNASA," "CASPN & CEMG," and "DOWSING NEWS." A notable announcement is that "ALL PHOTOS NOW IN FULL COLOUR."

Editorial and Publisher Information

The magazine is published by Meyn Mamvro, with an address at 51 Carn Bosavern, St.Just, Penzance, Cornwall TR19 7QX. Contact phone number is 01736-787612, and the website is www.meynmamvro.co.uk. The editor's email is [email protected]. The cover price is £2.50, and the annual subscription is £7.50, which includes free postage.

Contents

The issue includes an editorial, news from the Cornish Earth Mysteries Group, Dowsing News, CASPN News, Penwith Pagan Moot, and general news. Feature articles cover "Time Team come to Bodmin Moor," "Sightlines to the Tors & Stars: 2" by Roger Farnworth, "Remote & Ancient Places in W.Penwith: 2" by Raymond Cox, "Bodmin Moor View Frames," "Pathways to the Past: The Mên-an-Tol Circular," and "Lughnasa in Cornwall" by Cheryl Straffon. There is also an article titled "How Celtic is Cornwall?" and a CD review of "The Piper's Tune."

Editorial - Welcome to the new all-colour issue

The editorial welcomes readers to the first all-colour issue of Meyn Mamvro, noting that this was once considered an impossibility for a small magazine. The transition to colour printing is attributed to their printer, Paul at Brighid Design, and follows the lead of their sister magazine, Goddess Alive!. The cover price has been increased by 10p to cover costs, but the annual subscription remains £7.50. The editorial highlights a summer of mixed fortunes for ancient sites in Cornwall, mentioning instances of vandalism and disrespect, such as damage to the Merry Maidens stone circle and the erection of a bench at Boscawen-ûn. However, it also notes the positive work of CASPN in monitoring and maintaining sites, and the successful FOCAS weekend in May. The activities of CEMG and various Dowsing Groups in researching sites are also mentioned, concluding that Cornwall is fortunate to have both amazing sites and dedicated people to care for them.

News Page - Cornish Earth Mysteries Group

The Summer activities for 2007 began with the 19th annual Maypole Dance on Carn Bosavern on April 30th, which was attended by 25-30 people. The following days included the 19th annual Three Wells Walk, which involved visiting Chapel Euny, Sancreed, and Madron wells. The article details a visit to the Lizard on June 3rd, where the group explored Dry Tree menhir and the Three Brothers of Grugith stone setting, discovering cup marks and a fallen standing stone. The visit concluded at Tidal Rock, a stone with a pool near St Keverne Beacon. The Mên-an-Tol Circular walk is referenced on pages 14-17.

Dowsing News

This section details recent activities of the West Cornwall Dowsers and the Tamar Dowsers. The West Cornwall Dowsers visited the Lizard, exploring the Tremenheere stone and finding potential burial chamber remains. They also investigated Higher Boden Fogou, noting its shape and alignment. The Tamar Dowsers met at the Arthurian centre at Slaughterbridge, exploring the site of the battle of Camlan and Arthur's Stone. They also visited Lady Falmouth's Garden. On May 22nd, dowsers returned to Carn Brea, searching for greenstone axe factories and identifying various alignments with local landmarks and astronomical events.

C.A.S.P.N NEWS ROUND-UP

The Cornish Ancient Sites Protection Network (CASPN) installed new granite signs at major sites like Merry Maidens and Boscawen-ûn, replacing faded wooden ones. These signs include contact numbers for reporting vandalism. The CASPN Adopt-a-Site Monitoring Scheme ensures systematic site visits. CASPN's daughter group, FOCAS (Friends of Cornwall's Ancient Sites), held a successful weekend of walks and talks in May, including guided walks, a presentation on Ancient Sites of West Penwith, and a talk on Holy Wells of Cornwall. The issue notes that CASPN will celebrate a decade of work in October, having been established in 1997. Contact details for CASPN, FOCAS, the Adopt-a-Site scheme, and site clear-ups are provided.

Penwith Pagan Moot

This article by Gemma Gary describes two recent celebrations by the Penwith Pagan Moot. The Beltane celebration took place in Sancreed Village Field, involving rituals such as invoking the Goddess, lighting twin fires, and a Beltane Goddess blessing. The Midsummer celebration was held at Boscawen-Un Stone Circle, featuring greetings to the stones, weaving a sun symbol, and crowning the central stone with flowers. The article mentions the use of a Moot gazebo for post-rite picnics and provides website and contact information for the Penwith Pagan Moot.

NEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWS - MORE FINDS FROM SITES IN CORNWALL

This section reports on numerous prehistoric finds made in Cornwall by metal detectorists and others, catalogued under the Portable Antiquities Scheme by Anna Tyacke. Finds include a late Bronze Age hoard of ceremonial axe heads at Mylor, a late Bronze hoard of gold and bronze objects at St. Erth, a La Tène III bow brooch from an Iron Age settlement site at Kenwyn, a Romano-Celtic dolphin brooch at St.Goran, and a miniature iron votive axe-head at St.Minver. Images of a Bronze Age gold armlet, an Iron Age brooch, and an Iron Age votive axe-head are included.

EARLY BRONZE AGE SETTLEMENTS FOUND

Two sites in Cornwall have recently yielded evidence of Early Bronze Age occupation (2100-1900 BCE). A possible settlement was found during sewerage works between Sennen and Porthcurno, and artefacts were discovered during the construction of the new A38 by-pass at Dobwalls. These discoveries are noted as particularly interesting because this area has not previously had recorded prehistoric finds.

TIME TEAM COME TO BODMIN MOOR

This article details the visit of Channel 4's Time Team programme to Bodmin Moor. The area is described as "one of the best preserved landscapes in Britain." The team investigated an area near Rough Tor, with environmental soil analysis indicating Neolithic and Bronze Age clearance. Three trenches uncovered evidence of Bronze Age round houses. A significant discovery was a 500-metre long banked cairn, aligned on Rough Tor, described by archaeologist Phil Harding as "totally unique" and "one of the best pieces of archaeology ever done on Time Team."

REMOTE & ANCIENT PLACES IN WEST PENWITH

This article by Raymond Cox explores the wayside cross of Vellan-saga and the area of Vellan-druchar. Vellan-saga is described as being in a beautiful location by a cottage in the Lamorna stream valley. Vellan-druchar is noted as a remote and legend-haunted place associated with mills used for processing homespun cloth. The article includes a map showing the locations of Vellan-saga, Vellan-druchar, and other nearby sites.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of Meyn Mamvro revolve around Cornish ancient sites, their preservation, and the exploration of their history and cultural significance. There is a strong emphasis on archaeology, folklore, pagan practices, and earth mysteries. The magazine actively promotes local heritage groups like CASPN and FOCAS, encouraging reader participation in site protection and research. The editorial stance is one of passionate advocacy for the preservation of Cornwall's ancient landscape and the understanding of its deep historical and spiritual connections. The transition to full colour printing signifies a commitment to presenting this heritage in the best possible light.

Meyn Mamvro, Issue 64, Autumn 2007. This issue delves into the rich history and folklore of Cornwall, exploring Arthurian legends, ancient megalithic sites, and traditional festivals.

Arthurian Legends and Cornish Landscapes

The issue opens with a piece connecting the stream of Vellan-druchar to the legendary Battle of Vellan-druchar, a supposed victory for King Arthur. The area is noted for weapon remains found in the peat. Other Arthurian locations mentioned include Merlin's Rock near Mousehole and Sennen Table-Maen, where Arthur is said to have dined with Cornish kings. The text references articles in previous issues for more details.

Sightlines to the Tors and Stars: Bodmin Moor View Frames

By Roger Farnworth, this article (Part 2) explores the megalithic constructions on Bodmin Moor known as 'view frames'. These are described as natural features, often enhanced by a single boulder, that focus attention on significant tors like Rough Tor. The article explains how these frames might have been used for ceremonial practices, possibly aligning with the Pole Star and the cosmos. Several tors are discussed, including Rough Tor, Hawk's Tor, Alex Tor, Carburrow Tor, and Hill Tor, with descriptions of their unique framing features. The author suggests these frames were essential for ceremonial practice and may have symbolized the power of rulers or the connection to the spirit world.

Pathways to the Past: The Mên-an-Tol Circular

This section details a CEMG walk led by Ian Cooke in July 2007, which visited several ancient sites in Cornwall. The walk began at the Mên-an-Tol, a well-known prehistoric monument consisting of a holed stone and two uprights. The Cornwall Archaeological Unit suggested it was once part of a 19-stone circle. The article discusses theories about its alignment with lunar standstills and its potential uses for healing, fertility rituals, and divination. The walk continued to Mên Scryfa, a standing stone with a Romanised Cornish inscription, and the holy well of Fenton Bebibell. Further sites included a barrow cleared by FOCAS, and the Nine Maidens (Boskednan) stone circle, which, despite disturbance, retains 11 stones and frames views of Carn Gulva. The walk also visited the Greenburrows mine shaft and the reconstructed Bosiliack Barrow, an Entrance Grave. Finally, the group visited Lanyon Quoit, described as a famous but unfortunately altered Neolithic monument, and West Lanyon Quoit, which yielded bone deposits and potential bronze and copper objects.

Lughnasa in Cornwall

By Cheryl Straffon, this article draws from her book 'Daughters of the Earth' and focuses on the Lughnasa festival. While often celebrated by neo-pagans as Lugh's festival, Straffon argues it is an older festival dedicated to a Goddess, potentially named 'Tailtunasa'. Tailtu, wife of Eochaidh Garbh, is described as a Goddess of sovereignty and the land, who cleared a forest to create fertile plains and died from her labours. The festival, held on the Calends of August, is linked to the harvest and the Earth Mother. The article also mentions the fragmentary remains of a Lughnasa Fair at Morvah in Cornwall, relating it to personal experiences of the author in researching local traditions.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently focuses on the ancient history, archaeology, and folklore of Cornwall. There is a strong emphasis on megalithic sites, their astronomical alignments, and their potential ceremonial uses. Arthurian legends are interwoven with the landscape, and pagan and earth-based spiritual traditions, such as the Lughnasa festival, are explored. The editorial stance appears to be one of deep respect for the region's ancient heritage and a desire to uncover and share its hidden stories and connections to the past.

This issue of MEYN MAMVRO, number 64, published in Autumn 2007, focuses on a Lughnasa Ritual held at Bosporthennis, Cornwall, and explores the region's Celtic heritage and folklore.

Lughnasa Ritual at Bosporthennis

The article details the experience of a group seeking a suitable location for a Lughnasa Ritual in Cornwall during the busy summer months. They chose Bosporthennis, a remote moorland site with a large field and an ancient Iron Age Beehive Hut, which proved to be a successful location. The author notes that they later discovered this site's historical connection to Morvah Fair.

Morvah Fair and Local Folklore

Research into local history, particularly the writings of William Bottrell and Robert Hunt, revealed the tradition of Morvah Fair, which took place on the first Sunday in August. The fair involved gathering 'hurts' (whortleberries) and was associated with the legend of Jack the Tinkard, a giant who arrived with a black bull-hide and hammer. The legend recounts Jack's friendship with the hero Tom, his defeat of another giant, and his marriage to Tom's daughter, a union celebrated annually at the fair. Robert Hunt's writings also mention the giant performing 'magical rites' at Bosporthennis Croft on August 1st, rites that have since been forgotten. The article suggests a connection between Jack the Tinkard and the Irish God Lugh, and speculates that the rites might have been a celebration of the Cornish equivalent of Lugh's foster-mother, the Goddess Tailtu.

The Ritual Performance

The Lughnasa Ritual itself took place in early August. The group began by making flower crowns and then proceeded to the chosen field near the Beehive Hut at Bosporthennis. They marked out a seven-circuit Cretan labyrinth in the grass using flour and red thread. The ritual involved invoking the Goddess Maeve, who then passed her aspect to her sister Goddess Tailtu. Maeve, the Goddess of the Land and Sovereignty, departed, leaving Tailtu to arrive. Tailtu, described as ancient, appeared wearing a golden skirt and dark red top, carrying an earthy bag. She presented a symbolic harvest of vegetables, fruits, wine, and strawberries, and then performed a miracle of bread-making, producing a freshly baked granary loaf. This act symbolized the gift of the harvest and the teaching of grain processing.

Following Tailtu's presentation, each woman entered the labyrinth to speak with her about their wishes for the harvest and what they wished to leave behind. Tailtu blessed them and offered them bread and mead. During this time, one woman left to prepare for future rituals. As the last woman exited the labyrinth, a dark shadow appeared, and the Hag, the Crone, the Goddess of Winter, made a swift appearance, scything across the field. Tailtu, surprised, recognized her 'dark Sister' and offered herself and her grain for sacrifice to continue the cycle of the year. The Hag briefly touched her neck with the scythe before disappearing. Tailtu then sank back into the Earth but rose again as the Goddess of the Harvest, her time now limited. She then helped the women create a 'Corn Dolly' (Corn Mother), which she breathed life into as a token of remembrance.

The group then carried the Corn Mother to the Beehive Hut and placed it in a recess, offering blessings and thanks for the harvest. They also spoke of those in need and sent energy to them. The ritual concluded with a picnic as the sun began to set, realizing that nearly six hours had passed since they began.

How Celtic Is Cornwall?

This section addresses the ongoing debate about Cornwall's Celtic identity. It discusses the view that Cornwall is separate from England, akin to Wales or Ireland, versus the perspective that it is merely a region of England's South-West. New DNA research from Oxford University and the Wellcome Trust is presented, which supports Cornwall's Celtic identity. The article traces Cornwall's inhabitants back to the Paleolithic hunter-gatherers of 10,000 years ago, followed by the Celts around 500 BCE. It notes that historians now believe indigenous people adopted Celtic culture rather than mass invasions occurring. The article mentions subsequent invasions by Romans, Vikings, Anglo-Saxons, and Normans, who generally did not integrate with the native Celts. The new DNA evidence is said to reinforce the traditional model of Celtic dispersal into areas like Wales and Cornwall.

The DNA findings were featured in the Channel 4 series 'The Face of Britain' and its accompanying book by Robin McKie. The research indicated that Cornish people were several times more likely to have the distinctive 'Celtic' gene than Anglo-Saxons and often possessed distinctive facial and hair features. The article concludes that people tracing their ancestry in Cornwall and Wales have the oldest bloodline in the country and speak the oldest language in the British Isles, making them 'a little bit separate and a little bit special'. It suggests that the Cornish are descendants of the original inhabitants of Britain, who built megalithic sites and were the first to settle and farm the land.

CD Review: Songs of Witchcraft & Magic

This section reviews the CD 'Songs of Witchcraft & Magic - Songs & Ballads compiled by the Museum of Witchcraft with WildGoose Records'. The CD features 15 songs by various artists, including Martin Carthy, Frankie Armstrong, and Ruth Barrett, performing traditional British folk songs with elements of witchcraft and magic. The review highlights the CD's excellent production, its exploration of a world of powerful emotions, magical animals, shape-shifters, seers, spells, and the Otherworld. It is accompanied by a 32-page booklet with song lyrics, interpretations, and illustrations of artefacts from the Witchcraft Museum's collection. The CD is highly recommended.

The Pipers Tune

This article discusses the refusal of Cornwall SACRE (the organization responsible for religious teaching in schools) to grant Pagan representation on its committee. The SACRE's argument was that while identifying religious elements of paganism was possible, paganism lacked a 'traditional' religious structure, a formally constituted community, and had a diffuse nature, making it unaccountable. The pagan community felt this was a pretext to exclude them, viewing it as prejudice in a multi-faith society.

Priestess of Kernow Training

This is an advertisement for a training course for women interested in deepening their knowledge of the Goddess and women's spiritual mysteries in Cornwall. The course covers topics such as the Wheel of the Year, Goddess history, ritual, manifesting the Primordial Goddess, and planetary cycles. It is facilitated by experienced trainers.

Exchange Magazines and Paganism Listings

This section provides a directory of magazines related to Earth Mysteries and Paganism, including subscription prices and website details. It lists publications such as Northern Earth, T.E.M.S News, Touchstone, Society of Ley Hunters, FOGS, Caerdroia, Rilko, Pendragon, The Cauldron, Quest, The Silver Wheel, The Hedgewytch, Pagan Dawn, and Pentacle.

Noticeboard

The noticeboard section contains various listings:

• Tamar Dowsing Group, West Cornwall Dowsers, Celtic Dowsers: Information on local dowsing groups with contact details.
• Ancient Sites Clear-Ups: Scheduled events for clearing ancient sites in September, October, November, and December, with contact information for Dave Munday.
• CASPN [Cornish Ancient Sites Protection Network] & FOCAS [Friends of Cornwall's Ancient Sites]: An open afternoon for monitors and interested members, with details on a meeting and social event.
• Cornwall's 17th New Age Festival: Details of a festival in Perranporth from November 23rd-26th, including stalls, talks, workshops, and music, with contact information.
• Cornish Earth Mysteries Group: An event for the winter solstice sunset at Chûn Quoit on December 23rd, followed by Yule storytelling, with contact details.
• Pagan Moots: Listings for various pagan gatherings in Penzance, Redruth/Truro/Falmouth, and Bodmin, with contact names and phone numbers.
• Bude: Contact information for pagan-related inquiries in the Bude area.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently promotes interest in paganism, earth mysteries, folklore, and ancient sites, particularly within Cornwall. There is a strong emphasis on Goddess worship and the celebration of seasonal festivals like Lughnasa. The editorial stance appears to be supportive of these traditions and critical of societal prejudice against paganism, as highlighted in 'The Pipers Tune' article. The magazine also serves as a platform for promoting related events, books, and other publications within the pagan and earth mysteries communities.