Touchstone - No 023 - 1989 10

Magazine Overview

Title: Touchstone
Issue: No. 23
Date: October 1989
Publisher: Surrey Earth Mysteries Group
Focus: Earth mysteries, folklore, archaeology, and anomalous phenomena.

Articles and Features

Letheringham Leys and Mill

The issue begins with an account of two holidays exploring ley information. The first, in Suffolk, focused on Letheringham, near Framlingham. The author visited a cottage adjoining Letheringham Mill, a site with a history dating back to at least the Domesday Book. The area once had a small Saxon church, and remains from its graveyard were found. The location is described as a pleasant riverside spot with a feeling of "brooding sadness". Maps are provided illustrating "Letheringham Leys" and "Letheringham Mill", detailing various points of interest such as moats, churches, mounds, and roads.

Burgh-le-Marsh Discoveries

The second holiday took place at Burgh-le-Marsh in Lincolnshire, involving a stay in a windmill cottage. A large mound nearby, known locally as "Cock Hill", was investigated. An excerpt from a local walk leaflet details that this mound was excavated in 1933 and contained a Saxon pagan burial from around 600 A.D. It was believed to have been heightened and possibly used as a cockpit. The author explored several ley lines in the area, including one that passed through the tumulus, church, and a strange square earthwork of unknown origin near Bolingbroke castle. The castle guide describes a field known as the 'rout yard' with a rectangular pond and moat.

The 12th TLH Moot

This section reports on the 12th national Moot held in Gloucester, which covered themes of Dowsing, Welsh legend, terrestrial zodiacs, and Avebury. Paul Devereux spoke about Lydney, a site with Iron Age occupation and a Romano-British temple, sacred to the Celtic god Nodens. The author expresses disappointment that his talk was only 20 minutes. Glen Bishop presented on terrestrial zodiacs in Gloucestershire, suggesting tribal groups had their own zodiacs based on common rules associated with landscape features and place names. The talk is critiqued for lacking watertight research. Ralph Noyes discussed crop circles, which have appeared mainly in Wiltshire and Hampshire, noting that the subject has led to a best-selling book. A highlight was a question and answer session with 80-year-old dowser Bill Lewis, who was admired for his quiet, unassuming manner. The author contrasts this with another arrogant dowser who claimed to have acquired knowledge rapidly.

Folklore and Archaeology Presentations

Caitlin Matthews spoke on Celtic legends and the Welsh Mabinogion, suggesting that land can be crossed by songlines and encouraging listeners to find their own traditions. Peter Kennedy discussed folk dance and song traditions in Britain, showing an archive film of the Padstow 'Obby 'Oss May Day. Caroline Malone gave a talk on the Avebury landscape, illustrating how it has changed over 5000 years and emphasizing the incompleteness of its archaeological investigation, noting unexcavated barrows and potential inaccuracies in reconstructions.

Notes and News

Gravity Lines: A talk given to the Open University Graduates Research on Anomalous Phenomena mentioned that tutors knew of lines of electromagnetic energy and gravity anomaly marked on geological maps, which could potentially be correlated with ancient sites.

Pardons: Daniele Hart mentioned decorated stones at cross-roads in Brittany, known as "Pardons", which are part of an older tradition and sometimes involve processions.

Visible Ley Line: On October 1st, a hot air balloon trip over Gloucestershire provided a potential sighting of a visible ley line running across fields, captured on photographs. This line appeared as a discolouration on a stubble field and a track on a grass field. Notably, the line seemed to disappear when viewed through a binocular microscope at a simulated lower altitude, while other features remained visible. The author speculates on the existence of more such "Nazca-type lines" in the countryside. The identified ley line passes through various points including Wootton Basset, skirts Bincknoll Castle, and goes through Uffcott Down earthworks, but misses Avebury.

UFO Sighting: During the balloon trip, a tiny circle of white against the cloud was observed, resembling a UFO seen the morning after the 1987 hurricane. The author notes that this anomaly did not appear on other pictures and suggests it might be related to the film type.

London Earth Mysteries Circle

The London Earth Mysteries Circle has its own magazine, which is published on an occasional basis. Contact details for Rob Stephenson are provided for those interested in obtaining copies. Upcoming meetings for LEMC are listed, including talks on "Goddesses of London", "Introduction to Greek Mythology", and "Earth Mysteries Slides and Research".

Site on Maltese Coin

Norman Darwen of Sidcup writes about the ancient site depicted on a Jersey coin, identifying it as a Maltese altar from the Temple of Hagar Qim. The original is in the National Museum in Valletta and is 73 centimetres high, featuring a plant-like carving and pitting. He notes the growing interest in the enigmatic temples of Malta and mentions his visit in 1985, highlighting that much of the skyline around Hagar Quim has been altered by quarrying.

John Aubrey and Surrey Sites

A report by Daniele Hart covers a seminar on earth mysteries and ecology at Kingston, and an account of the Northern Earth Mysteries Moot at Scarborough. The current Amskaya mentions a conference on anomalous phenomena.

Kit's Coty House

Pictures are shown of Kit's Coty House in Kent, a monument identified in local legend as a memorial to a British or Saxon king. The upper picture shows a carthwork labelled "The Grave", possibly the remains of a mound that once covered the monument. The lower picture is a nineteenth-century engraving of Kit's Coty House.

Videos Available

The author offers several short video films for earth mysteries enthusiasts, including "Clump Alignments round Addlestone", "Skyways and Landmarks", "Coldrum Field Trip", and "Flight over Gloucestershire". Interested individuals are asked to send a blank VHS tape and postage.

Exchange List

A list of publications with which Touchstone exchanges material is provided, including "Quicksilver Messenger", "Fortean Times", "Northern Earth Mysteries", "The Ley Hunter", and "Magonia", among others.

Subscription Information

Touchstone is published by Surrey Earth Mysteries Group and costs TWO POUNDS for four issues. Cheques should be made payable to J. Goddard. All articles are welcome, as are attendees at monthly meetings in Addlestone.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the exploration of ancient sites, ley lines, folklore, and anomalous phenomena, particularly UFOs. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into these subjects, encouraging readers to share their own research and experiences. There is a clear interest in connecting historical and archaeological evidence with contemporary sightings and theories. The magazine also serves as a platform for networking within the earth mysteries community, promoting events, publications, and the sharing of information.