Touchstone - No 040 - 1994 07

Magazine Overview

Title: Touchstone
Issue: No. 40
Date: July 1994
Publisher: Surrey Earth Mysteries Group

This issue of Touchstone features a detailed account of a personal journey exploring the concept of 'leys' and their connection to ancient sites and phenomena. The main article, "A TRIP TO THE GOLDEN BALL," chronicles the author's cycling expedition to St. Lawrence's Church in West Wycombe, notable for its golden ball atop the tower and its location within an Iron Age earthwork.

A Trip to the Golden Ball

The author, inspired by a colleague's pilot friend, was drawn to the church at West Wycombe, which is used as a landmark for pilots landing at Wycombe Air Park. Research revealed the church, St. Lawrence's, is built within an Iron Age earthwork and is a focal point for converging ley lines. It is also linked to Sir Francis Dashwood, an eighteenth-century Chancellor of the Exchequer and leader of the "Hell Fire Club."

On July 23rd, during a heatwave, the author embarked on a cycling trip to visit points on these converging leys. The journey began early at 5:30 a.m. The author notes several points along the leys, including roundabouts in Addlestone, between Thorpe and Egham, and near the Eclipse pub in Egham, where a milestone indicating "19 miles to Hyde Park Corner" was observed. The route also passed near Sunningdale church, which evoked a feeling of sanctuary.

Continuing towards Windsor, the author observed Windsor Castle and noted that Peascod Street aligns with the Castle tower. A ley line was also identified passing through Windsor Home Park and aligning with a Baptist church in Windsor. The journey then proceeded to Slough, passing a road named "Leigh Road" which was noted for its slight angle to a ley line.

Further exploration led to the church of St. Mary, Hitcham, which lies on a ley line connecting to Cookham and an ancient stone site. The church itself had interesting features, including chancel windows with angels on winged wheels and fourteenth-century glass. Historical lords of the manor of Hitcham included the Black Prince and Edward Nicholas.

The author then took a more level route through Wooburn to High Wycombe, passing Cliveden House, formerly owned by Lady Astor and now managed by the National Trust. Near Cliveden, a large granite stone with quartz glinting in the sun was discovered by the roadside, identified as "The Stud Stone," which the author found to be surprisingly sited on the Cliveden ley.

Continuing to Cliveden itself, the grounds were described as beautiful and well-maintained. The ley line was observed to pass obliquely across the house and through the Clock Tower. The view from the terrace was stunning. The author also noted clumps of pines on the ley line.

From Cliveden, the route followed the river valley through Wooburn, passing Wooburn Hill. In High Wycombe, a long stretch of road aligned with the Golden Ball was reached. The church in West Wycombe, over six hundred feet above sea level, is visible along this road. West Wycombe is described as an attractive ancient village, with its houses owned by the National Trust. The hill above it features the "Hell Fire Caves" at its base and the church with the Golden Ball on its summit.

The "Hell Fire Caves" were visited, featuring tableaux and taped commentaries. The article mentions Sir Francis Dashwood's role in building the road between High Wycombe and West Wycombe during a time of unemployment. From the church tower, the alignment of the tower, the six-sided Mausoleum, and the road was evident, suggesting the site's ancient origins.

The "great golden ball" is noted as a landmark. The "Hell Fire Club" is discussed, with the author suggesting the name was given by enemies and that the group, the Order of St. Francis of Wycombe, admitted women. Dashwood is also noted as a friend of Benjamin Franklin and a member of scientific societies.

After visiting the caves, the author cycled up the hill to the church, passing the hexagonal Mausoleum. The church's nave is described as exotic, with a serpent on the font and doves feeding on its top. The trip up the tower offered impressive views and alignments. The ball itself is closed to the public due to vandalism.

Plans to visit other sites, such as Desborough Castle and another church in High Wycombe, were postponed. On the return trip, a large stone by the roadside in Cookham, called the "Tarry Stone," was discovered. A plaque indicated it was a site for sports before A.D. 1507 and was originally located 50 yards NNE of its present position, potentially placing it on the Hitcham Church ley. It was replaced in 1909.

TEMS Field Trip

A group of TEMS and SEMG members undertook a field trip on July 2nd to explore the western arm of the Lionel Beer's Kingston-Merton ley and another ley originating from Alfred Watkins' work in Silchester. This ley passes through the parish church, the site of an early Christian church, and a Roman temple in Silchester (Calleva Atrebatum). Watkins noted the church was at the crossing point of lines drawn from the corners of the city.

The article details the exploration of various sites, including an earthwork skirted by the Kingston ley, Sunningdale church (built on an old gravel pit site but on the line), and a nearby grove of trees with a sanctuary-like atmosphere. The group also visited Silchester, exploring the Roman amphitheatre and the parish church, which is the only surviving aligning site within the Roman city walls. The author notes that his parents and family are buried in the churchyard, which was originally part of another Roman temple.

The group also saw a rood screen in the church, partly reconstructed by the author's great-grandfather. The visit to the fields of the former city aimed to determine the position of the early Christian church.

TEMS Meetings and London Meetings

Announcements are made for upcoming TEMS meetings, including a Pagan Project field trip to Kent, a Video Afternoon, a talk on Royston Cave and the Knights Templar, a session on Geneset Target Earth, and a Christmas Party. London Earth Mysteries Circle meetings are also listed, with topics such as "Contemporary Processional Giants," "Fairy Paths and North Devon Folk Magic," "Alien Energy, UFOs and Living Entities," "The Ancient Lore of High Places," and "The Long Continuity of Shrines."

LEMC had an enjoyable field trip to Stanton Drew and visited the plateau fort at Cholesbury and the Hell Fire Caves at West Wycombe.

Rob Stephenson is organizing a one-day seminar on "Mystical and Legendary London" at the City Literary Institute, focusing on alternative views of London, its sacred and esoteric nature, early legends, ghosts, divination, and leys.

Moots and Local Sites

Details are provided for the "Ley Hunter Moot" in Lincoln (September 17th/18th) with talks on local sites, myths, ancient pathways, folk customs, allergies, aliens, and Feng Shui. A guided walk and coach trip are also planned.

The "Northern Earth Moot" will be held on October 22nd at Bradford University, with subjects including "The Mystery Rock Carvings of Northern Britain," "Cups-and-Rings in a Mythic Landscape," and "The Rolling Sun: Solar Alignments at Irish Prehistoric Sites."

Nick Merriman's book "Prehistoric London" is mentioned for its insights into Neolithic sites in the London area, with the author noting difficulty in pinpointing exact locations of crop-mark aerial photographs, though he has identified a double-ditched enclosure near Heathrow Airport.

Yet Another Circle!

The author recounts seeing a corn circle from a train near Salisbury on July 31st, describing it as a simple small circle but difficult to pinpoint due to lack of landmarks.

A Ley Man's Guide

An article from ES Magazine about Chris Street's work on leys around London is summarized. Street's experiences led him to identify an equilateral triangle, with its southern tip on a ley running from Whitby Abbey to a stone circle on the South Coast. The article suggests that ancient civilizations built on sacred geometry, with geomancers dowsing for sites. Pre-Christian London focused on the Temple of Apollo on Ludgate Hill. Chris Street is quoted as viewing these patterns as a "plug into the cosmic mains" for channeling ancient earth energies.

SCAMP

The SCAMP (Schools Census Analysis and Mapping Package) CD-ROM is introduced as a useful tool for ley hunters. It is a census mapping program that can import Ordnance Survey cartographic data and display it in various ways. A key feature is the ability to switch on a running O.S. grid reference linked to the mouse arrow, allowing grid references to be marked and labeled. The program can also draw straight lines, enabling ley hunters to check alignments. However, lines cannot be erased, requiring careful saving of work.

Earth Mysteries Weekends

Laurence Main is organizing a series of earth mysteries weekends in Wales, including evening receptions, full-day walks, dinners, and talks by speakers such as Dr. Anne Ross, Paul Devereux, Dr. Serena Roney-Dougal, Chris Barber, and Mary Caine.

Scilly Zodiac

A recent holiday in the Isles of Scilly led the author to notice that the islands' shapes resemble the Glastonbury Zodiac. Specific figures are identified, including Scorpio formed by the Western Rocks, Libra formed by St. Agnes and Gugh island, and Cancer represented by the island of Bryher.

Book Review: Alien Encounters

"Alien Encounters" by Gordon Millington is reviewed. The book compiles articles on UFOs and encounters, exploring patterns in reported information and suggesting a mysterious force, "The Phenomenon," is orchestrating unusual events. The author discusses 1950s contact claims and modern abductions, and also references Zechariah Sitchin's "ancient astronauts" theories, noting the eccentric orbit of a planet he describes.

Gordon Millington has also restarted the Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena and is involved in investigating the "E-Line," a ley crossing Southern Britain.

The Hidden Unity and Beginnings

Two booklets by the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group are announced: "The Hidden Unity," which examines subconscious siting of ley points and the predominance of worship places on leys, and "Beginnings," detailing discoveries in earth energy detection, antigravity, subconscious siting, and cognitive dissonance, concluding with Alfred Watkins' discovery of leys.

Exchange List

A list of exchange publications and organizations is provided, including Fortean Times, Northern Earth Mysteries, Folklore Frontiers, The Ley Hunter, Magonia, and others.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently focuses on earth mysteries, ley lines, ancient sites, and unexplained phenomena. There is a strong emphasis on personal exploration and investigation, with detailed accounts of field trips and site visits. The editorial stance appears to be open-minded and inquisitive, encouraging readers to engage with these subjects. The publication also serves as a platform for announcing events, meetings, and new publications within the earth mysteries community.