Touchstone

Magazine Overview

Title: Touchstone
Issue: No. 51
Date: July 1999
Publisher: Surrey Earth Mysteries Group

This issue of Touchstone, a newsletter from the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group, delves into various aspects of earth mysteries, with a primary focus on ley lines, UFOs, and crop circles.

A Watkinisian in Somerset

The lead article, "A Watkinisian in Somerset," details the discovery of a ley line in Somerset with numerous "Watkinsian" features, named after Alfred Watkins, a pioneer in ley line research. The author describes finding the line by dowsing, noting its width of 20 paces, which could increase to 40 paces at sunrise and sunset. The ley passes through significant locations such as the market cross at Cheddar, Cadbury Hill hillfort, and Rowberrow Church. The article highlights Alfred Watkins' interest in market crosses and his theories about their connection to ancient tracks.

Further exploration of the ley's path includes its skirting of "The Perch" near Shipham, where a ley was also detected. The line is traced through the east end of Glastonbury Tor, and connects with other leys at Park Wood, part of the "Somerset Zodiac." The ley is also found to pass through Cheddar Church and St. Andrew's Church, Cheddar, with specific measurements given regarding its passage through the nave.

The ley continues across the Levels, passing near Lower Godney and Cold Harbour, and then skirts the eastern end of Wearyall Hill before continuing through Holy Trinity Church, Street. It also passes through crossroads on the Portway near Millfield School and near the Monument north of Compton Dundon. The author concludes that this line is "full of sacredness of many kinds" and would have excited Alfred Watkins.

Reactions of Animals to Power Points

Authored by Rienk Noordhuis, this article explores the author's interest in earth energies and how wild animals react to them. The author's conclusion is that animal reactions are "personal" but with some consistencies. Buzzards and goshawks were observed near power points or warm energy spots, while roe deer and tawny owls preferred pleasant energy. Foxes could choose either pleasant or eerie places. The author also notes that ants are often found on power points, a finding that has been observed by others, though inconsistencies exist between different studies and locations.

The article also touches upon the author's personal experiences with earth energy lines, including detecting them near a church and observing animal behaviour, such as hedgehogs and sand martins, near these lines. The author expresses a desire to collect more data on animals and ley lines, believing that certain animals may benefit from or use these energies for migration.

UFOs and Crop Circles

This section discusses the connection between UFOs and crop circles. The author posits that crop designs are created by an electromagnetic beam from an invisible UFO, possibly with a smaller telemetry disc involved in the drawing process. An illustration (Fig. 14.2) depicts how a UFO might use a magnetic cloak and a projected beam to create circles.

A key incident described is the first reported crop circle in England in 1991, near Butleigh, Somerset. A witness, Dave Harris, reported hearing a humming sound and seeing a silvery bell-shaped craft above a field, from which a vortex of 'aura-like' light was making a circle in the crop. The craft then departed at high speed.

Other UFO observations associated with crop circles are mentioned, including a sighting by Pat and Jack Collins of a large circular object near Stockbridge Down, Hampshire, in 1985. The article notes that while some man-made circles exist, the intricate patterns and scale of mystery circles suggest a non-human origin. The possibility of 'mother craft' providing support for smaller UFOs is also raised.

Notes and News

This section provides a listing of upcoming events and meetings for various earth mystery groups, including the London Earth Mysteries Circle and the Travel and Earth Mysteries Society. Events include talks on topics such as the Myth of the Temple in Egypt, Shrovetide Traditions, and the history of corn circles. Field trips to locations like Winchester, Sussex, and Norfolk are also advertised.

Other Content

• "The Hidden Unity and Beginnings": A review of two booklets. "The Hidden Unity" examines the subconscious siting of ley points and the prevalence of worship places on leys. "Beginnings" details discoveries in earth energy detection, natural antigravity, and cognitive dissonance.
• "Earth People, Space People": A mention of a manuscript by Tony Wedd detailing extraterrestrial contact claims, which was never published.
• "Hayseeds": A comic strip by Hargreaves.
• "From Alfred Watkins 1855-1935": A biographical piece on Alfred Watkins, detailing his contributions to photography, his invention of the Watkins Exposure Meter, his work on bread making, and his significant archaeological research, particularly his studies of "Ley Lines" and his books "Early British Trackways" and "The Old Straight Track."
• Advertisements: For other booklets and subscriptions to Touchstone.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are ley lines, earth energies, ancient sites, and the potential connection between these phenomena and UFOs. The magazine adopts a stance of open inquiry into these subjects, presenting research, personal experiences, and witness accounts without necessarily offering definitive conclusions, particularly regarding the controversial nature of ley lines and UFOs. There is a clear appreciation for the work of Alfred Watkins and an interest in exploring the 'earth mysteries' from a variety of perspectives, including scientific, archaeological, and anecdotal evidence.