Touchstone

Magazine Overview

Title: Touchstone
Issue: No. 18
Date: July 1988
Publisher: Surrey Earth Mysteries Group

This issue of Touchstone, a newsletter for the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group, features reports on two field trips, an article on ancient stones, letters from readers, and discussions on various esoteric topics.

Two Field Trips

The main feature details two recent field trips. The first, on June 12th, was led by Chris Hall and visited several old stones on the Surrey-Hampshire border. Despite low attendance from the group, a contingent from the London Earth Mysteries Circle joined. The trip began at Redroad Hill near Camberley, where a stone mentioned by Daniel Defoe was noted, with a modern stone now at the junction. Several stones seen were re-erected or placed by local authorities, a phenomenon noted as widespread. The group then visited stones near the Maultway, including a new stone on the site of the Basing Stone (or Hart Stone?) and a Gibbet Stone, along with two other stones that gave one participant a strong feeling. The trip concluded with a visit to the Wishmoor Stone on the Surrey-Berkshire border, which was found recumbent in beautiful surroundings. The day ended with a visit to Yateley Church in Hampshire, where stones were found in the foundations during rebuilding.

The second field trip, on July 17th, was attended by Charles Refoy, Daniele, and Roy Hart, with Richard Pywell attempting to join later. This trip focused on churches and tracks, starting at Byfleet church, described as a powerful ley energy place. Wisley church and its aligning track were also visited. The group then walked to Pyrford church and saw the Pyrford stone, an incised standing stone not in its original position, which may have been on the Fox Hill ley. An attempt to walk the Fox Hill track was hampered by mud, leading to a detour. The group also walked an aligned track by Carter's Lane. The day concluded with a visit to a stone on Horsell Common, where clearing a culvert started a stream flowing again, and both Charles and the writer felt a slight tingle from the stone. Nearby Danewell Hill was noted as the location where H.G. Wells set the landing of the Martians in "War of the Worlds".

A Stone Circle at Yateley?

Authored by Chris Hall, this article revisits the topic of a sarsen stone built into the wall of Yateley Church, previously mentioned in Touchstone in 1985. Local historians suggest the stone predates the church. Further information reveals that during the 1979 rebuilding of the church after an arson attack, archaeologists examined the Anglo-Saxon walls and found sarsen stones used in the foundations and footings. The article highlights the anomaly of sarsen stones being used in Yateley, as the local geology is mainly sandstone, and sarsen is not a readily available local stone. The author questions the origin of these stones and whether enough could be found to form a stone circle.

Letters

Richard Colborne from Manchester writes regarding the White Horses mentioned in a previous issue. He discusses the Uffington-Avebury-Westbury line and corrects details about the Pewsey horse, noting two sites and alignments. He also points out the Marlborough horse and suggests it lies on multiple alignments.

Norman Darwen from Sidcup writes about healing shrines of the Middle Ages, expressing surprise at the omission of the shrine of St. Alban in St. Albans. He details the history of the shrine, its reconstruction, and its significance as the site of St. Alban's martyrdom. He mentions the feast days and the tradition of strewing roses on the shrine.

Other Sections

The Second Kingston Green Fair: Rob Stephenson reports on the fair, noting that it was marred by appalling weather, including heavy rain and hail, which significantly impacted the event despite a good lineup of attractions.

• Notes and News:
• Coincidental coincidence?: An entry in "How it works" on Stonehenge and stone circles is noted to have a diagram similar to a storage ring diagram.
• More from Milton Keynes: Plans for a replica of Stonehenge in Milton Keynes have met local opposition from Christians and others.
• London meetings: A schedule of upcoming meetings for the London Earth Mysteries Circle is provided.
• Site on a coin: The writer received a Jersey coin depicting an ancient stone site and is investigating Jersey dolmens and other sites.
• Another Horsell stone: A standing stone opposite the Cricketers pub in Horsell was found to be placed there by the local council after excavation.
• Next issue: Previews of upcoming articles, including a report on the Swansea TLH Moot, Silchester ghosts, and holiday findings.

Towards the Future: Philip Heselton's article, Part 2, continues the discussion on allotechnology. It explores the importance of shape, drawing parallels with sacred geometry and aesthetic design principles. It also touches upon numerology and harmonics, suggesting their potential to help understand characteristics and the use of numbers in specific cases.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around ancient sites, standing stones, ley lines, and earth mysteries, reflecting the core interests of the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group. The magazine adopts an investigative and informative stance, presenting field reports, historical research, and reader contributions. There is a clear interest in local archaeology, folklore, and esoteric connections between landscape features and historical events. The editorial stance encourages exploration, questioning, and sharing of information within the community.