Touchstone - No 037 - 1993 07

Magazine Overview

Title: Touchstone
Issue: No. 37
Date: July 1993
Publisher: Surrey Earth Mysteries Group

This issue of Touchstone, a publication of the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group, focuses on various aspects of earth mysteries, including ley lines, dowsing, Roman surveying techniques, and archaeological discoveries.

The Norfolk Network Revisited

The lead article details a revisit to Norwich University and its surroundings, focusing on ley lines and a peculiar flattened grass formation found at a henge site. The author describes difficulty in locating the henge due to tall vegetation but found the grass flattened in overlaying directions, resembling a corn circle, though more haphazard. This formation was not evident elsewhere in the field. The author also notes Old Lakenham church and its hilltop location, and a ley joining two clumps on the university campus, which were part of the landscaping. Some trees, particularly a birch, appeared old. Within these clumps, a 'head-hum' was detected, and the ley was traced to the university tower. Further investigation along the ley revealed an annular flattened ring, approximately twenty-four feet in diameter, with a central unflattened circle of twelve feet. Evidence of layering was present, but the pattern was less neat than other circles. This ring was precisely on the dowsed ley, which was thirteen paces wide. The ley also passed near the Chaplaincy clump hotspot but missed it, though it went through the Chaplaincy building. The ley's path on a map is traced through several churches and crossroads in the Norwich area.

Leys, Alignments and Centuriation by Barbara Russell

This section highlights that interesting phenomena can be found on ordnance survey maps, not just in well-known locations like Warminster. Richard Colborne, after researching in Warminster, returned to Surrey and found similar intriguing phenomena. He has become interested in 'centuriation', a Roman practice of dividing land into squares. This practice is linked to the Romans' conversion of uncultivated areas into arable land and the division of territory into estates for veteran soldiers. Roman surveyors used tools similar to modern theodolites and established a 'cardo maximus' as a master base line, orienting everything else eastwards. They surveyed areas in nine-furlong squares, creating taxable arable land and public thoroughfares. The article suggests that while some historians believe the Romans abandoned a strict grid system, many highways still follow straight mean courses. Evidence of this system can be seen in old country lanes. Each 'square' typically contained a granary, store, administration centre, dwelling, shrine, and place of worship. The Romans were both technical and religious, performing ceremonies at boundary posts and worshipping boundary markers. They set out 'temples' on hilltops for surveying. Common words and place names, like 'Mount Pleasant', are linked to the Roman grid system and ancient deities consulted at crossroads ('trivia'). Churches built on pagan sites often fall on crossroads and were later Christianised. The distribution of churches, particularly pre-Reformation ones, tends to focus near these lines.

Mysterious Kingston Revisited

This section reports on a group's continuation of ley research in Kingston. They started at the Coronation Stone, which was not precisely on Lionel Beer's line but on its edge. The ley was picked up strongly near a former bishop's residence, now a pub. Kingston Church and the Lovekyn Chapel were visited, and the ley was dowsed towards Merton. In Merton, the ley passed through a church but missed St. John's and the Nelson memorial garden, passing through a crossroads nearby. The research concluded at Merton Abbey, where the ley went through the precincts but not the church site. The excavated ruins of the Chapter House were noted under a modern flyover.

A Day of Dowsing

This article recounts an enjoyable and instructive dowsing workshop in Somerset run by Ann and Roy Procter. The author, who knew Ann from the National Childbirth Trust, attended the workshop held at their home. The course covered dowsing theory with practical experiments, including using a pendulum to determine 'yes' and 'no' answers by swinging it over knees, linking this to body polarity. Strict checks before starting a dowsing session were emphasized, including asking for 'yes' and 'no' reactions, checking fitness to dowse, and confirming the ability to discuss the specific subject. Clarity in questions and avoiding ambiguous answers were stressed. Practical work in the garden involved dowsing for buried cables and a gas pipe, with the author experiencing a reaction on an earth energy line. Further experiments included dowsing for a water pipe and identifying a 'sink place' for energies where bodily strength was reduced. The article also mentions trees reacting to negative lines and the use of rods and pendulums for questioning. The final session covered healing by dowsing, with the Procters stating they only act when asked. An experiment involved using pendulums to find appropriate Bach flower remedies for partners, emphasizing the use of intuitive sense in conjunction with logical sense, while being wary of emotional involvement.

The Leys of St. Clement's

During a holiday in Salisbury, a large clump of Scots pines was noted, from which several dowsable leys emanated. One ley went through the Elim Christian Centre. Further investigation using an ordnance survey map revealed the site was a centre of excellent leys. Research at the Local Studies Library indicated that a church dedicated to St. Clement, possibly the oldest in the diocese, had been on the site and was demolished in the nineteenth century. The churchyard remains. The article lists numerous leys associated with St. Clement's, radiating in various directions including north, north-east, west, and north-west, connecting to numerous churches, earthworks, and geographical features. St. Thomas's Church in Salisbury is also discussed as being built at the same time as the Cathedral and featuring a 'Doom' painting. Two ancient tracks converge on St. Thomas's, one of which appears to align with the west ends of the Cathedral and St. Thomas's, running along the High Street. This alignment connects to various sites, including Ratfyn Barrow and tumuli. Another line through St. Thomas's is also visible, related to the builders of the Market Square.

Other Features

Undiscovered Menhirs: An article from a French magazine reports on the discovery of a few menhirs in Brittany in 1989, which led to a larger search revealing 310 stones, suggesting a significant find of potentially up to a thousand stones.

Addlestone Meetings: Information is provided about the monthly meetings of the Addlestone group, which include viewing videos and discussions.

London Meetings: A schedule of meetings for the London Earth Mysteries Circle is listed, with topics ranging from crop circles to self-healing techniques and myth and legend.

TEMS Meetings: Details are given for upcoming TEMS meetings, including a talk on being psychic and television presentations.

Letters: A letter from Norman Darwen mentions a short feature on Granada Reports about the village of Dunson Bridge in Lancashire, identified as the middle point of the British Isles, marked by a BT telephone box.

Publications Available: A list of publications available from Jimmy Goddard is provided, including books on leys, flying saucers, extraterrestrial communication, and local mysteries. The list also includes newsletters from Touchstone and AMSKAYA.

The Hidden Unity and Beginnings: Two booklets by the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group are reviewed. 'The Hidden Unity' examines subconscious siting of ley points and the predominance of worship places on leys, discussing environmental and philosophical implications. 'Beginnings' covers discoveries in earth energy detection, natural antigravity, subconscious siting, and cognitive dissonance, concluding with Alfred Watkins' discovery of leys.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are ley lines, dowsing, earth energies, and ancient sites, particularly those with historical or religious significance. There is a strong emphasis on practical research, field investigation, and the interpretation of landscape features and historical records. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into unexplained phenomena and mysteries, encouraging readers to explore their local areas for similar discoveries. The inclusion of various meeting schedules and publications suggests a community-focused approach, fostering discussion and shared research within the earth mysteries field.