Touchstone

Magazine Overview

Title: Touchstone
Issue: No. 68
Date: January 2005
Publisher: Surrey Earth Mysteries Group
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English

This issue of Touchstone, a newsletter from the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group, focuses on the intriguing connections between ancient Roman roads and perceived energetic lines known as 'leys'. The primary article, "ROMAN ROADS AND SEETHING WELLS," explores how Roman road construction might have utilized or followed these natural alignments.

Roman Roads and Seething Wells

The article posits that evidence is building for a direct link between Roman roads and leys. It highlights a recently discovered stretch of a Roman branch road from Stroude Road, Egham to Thorpe, which lies on the line of a ley passing through Laleham church to an ancient church at Littleton. This ley is further connected to one found by Lionel Beer, linking a church and chantry chapel in Kingston, and Christopher Wren's Diana Fountain in Bushy Park. This alignment traverses an area in Surbiton known as Seething Wells.

The author investigates the origin of the name 'Seething Wells' and discovers what appears to be another Roman branch road. This road links the London-Silchester road with Stane Street, also passing through the Diana Fountain. This suggests an ancient alignment system employed by the Romans for surveying, which was likely more extensive than initially understood.

The 'seething well' itself is described by antiquarian John Aubrey in his "Surrey" volume. He notes a spring about half a mile from the Bowling-Green at the West End of Kingston-on-Thames that was cold in summer and warm in winter, bubbled up, and was called Seething-well. Locals used it for washing their eyes and drinking. Liz Pearson, via a Seething Wells web site, adds that the riverside land taken over by water companies derives its name from a spring that 'bubbled up' near the Portsmouth Road, famed for its purity and healing properties, with documented accounts of it being warm or even hot.

Further evidence for Roman presence in the area includes a large-scale Ordnance Survey map from 1865-7, marking a riverside well between filter beds. A cylindrical structure was found at this spot, though it appears modern and capped. The article notes the irony that a water utility replaced a healing well. The position of the structure suggests the water was used as part of their source, along with river water.

An Ordnance Survey map also marks "Roman Remains Found Here" on a filter bed adjacent to the well. The Greater London Sites and Monuments Record identified these as a greyware Roman burial urn and jar. A Roman coin was also found in nearby St. Andrew's Road. St. Andrew's Church, visited by the author, is noted as being on the Lyne-Longcross ley.

Seething Wells Lane, pointing towards the river, is identified as being on a definite bank, possibly indicating a Roman road. John Leland, a sixteenth-century antiquarian, mentioned substantial remains of Roman buildings, coins, and pottery found two miles north-east at Kingston, an area not known for Roman roads.

Looking at maps, the alignment of Seething Wells Lane appears to cross Hampton Court Park to point at the Diana Fountain. In the opposite direction, it points towards Ewell, a known Roman settlement. A present-day branch road off the main Roman London-Silchester road at Feltham, called Bedfont Lane, also points towards the Diana Fountain, though at a slightly different angle, suggesting a bend in the road. John Stockdale's 1805 map shows this road extending almost to Bushy Park.

The Diana Fountain is suggested to be a ley centre, with the Romans using two different leys to form their branch road. Two slight banks are visible emanating from the fountain at the angles of these alignments. The Diana statue was moved to Bushy Park in 1713 from Hampton Court.

An aerial photograph from MultiMap shows a faint continuation line linking the first stretch with Forest Road, also on the alignment. This line passes through Hanworth Park House and Hanworth Park, where aerial and ground indications suggest its presence. A contour line on the Ordnance Survey map also follows this ridge.

Crossing Hampton Court Park golf course, a faint line is visible on an aerial photograph near a clump of trees by the river. A ford would likely have been used for river crossing, as Romans avoided bridges in open country due to ambush risks. A ferry at Hampton Court superseded a ford before 1536.

The bank along Seething Wells Lane is visible on aerial photographs and seems to continue slightly beyond it. The alignment points to the junction of Ruxley Lane and Chessington Road, possibly another ley centre bend. From this junction to Stane Street, a faint line is visible, not corresponding to current roads, indicating a bend. Bourne Hall Museum is directly on this course. It sits on the site of an earlier house and is on a good ley passing through Virginia Water Lake, Virginia Water Church, St. Anne's Hill hillfort, Chertsey Abbey, a church in Hersham, Waynflete's Tower in Esher, and Esher Churches.

Bourne Hall itself is described as having a lake formed in the Middle Ages as a fishpond, later refashioned. Water rose at several points within the lake, and offerings were made to these springs, which were sacred up until Roman times.

The article details three specific ley stretches coincident with road stretches:

1. Bedfont Lane stretch: Coincident with Bedfont Lane, passing through churches in Belmont and Feltham, Forest Road, a multijunction, a crossroads, Diana Fountain, Nonsuch Park, and Upton Lea, ending at Stoke Poges church.
2. Seething Wells Lane stretch: Coincident with Seething Wells Lane, passing through Ewell crossroads, Diana Fountain, a crossroads on the A30, churches near Uxbridge, and Chalfont St. Peter church.
3. Bourne Hall stretch: Goes through Bourne Hall, churches in West Ewell and Weston Green, Sunbury church, Wraysbury church (within a circular bank), and the "Straight Road" multijunction at Old Windsor.

Additionally, a Roman villa site on Ashtead Common is mentioned, likely the centre of a brick and tile making business. A straight boundary to the north aligns with this, possibly representing a road linking the villa to the branch road. This northern stretch aligns with churches and landmarks, while the southern stretch aligns with churches, multijunctions, and a tumulus on Parliament Hill.

When Railway Pioneers Met Faery Mischief

This section, by Paul Screeton, discusses the intersection of railway construction with folklore and perceived supernatural phenomena. It begins by referencing Robert Louis Stevenson and the naming of a British Rail locomotive after him, noting his poetic and accomplished nature.

The author introduces concepts like 'clinical geomancy', 'sinister psychogeography', and 'Hermetic topography' for interpreting landscapes. He notes that traditional Australian aborigines believe in spirits and 'song lines', a connection modern Britons have largely lost.

George Stephenson and the Fairy Hill: Visionary railway pioneer George Stephenson encountered engineering problems when driving a line through a reputed fairy hill in County Durham at Middridge. The cutting sides were allegedly pushed down by 'indignant elementals', requiring extra funds from contractors. Stephenson had to approach Quaker backers for additional finance.

Dicky O'Tunstead's Skull: Another railway scheme to transport ore from Merrybent mine was hindered by mysterious forces associated with a guardian or heirloom skull known as Dicky O'Tunstead. Misfortunes included sick farm beasts, failing crops, and strange sounds. However, when treated well, the skull was believed to bring good fortune. It was blamed for railway bridges collapsing in 1862, leading to a rerouting of the line. The permanent bridge became known as Dicky's Bridge.

Shap Stones and Railway: The construction of the West Coast Main Line cut through the Neolithic stone circle called Kemp Howe by Shap quarry. The article mentions woe befalling those who desecrate ancient monuments and problems encountered at this Cumbrian location. Jackie Townsend, Virgin Trains' Operations Manager West Coast, described a 'mystery problem' – a 'disconfiguration problem' on the line near Harrison's Sidings, Shap, causing power loss, which was being investigated.

Prehistoric Stone Circles and Cereology: The article touches upon theories about the origin of stone circles, with Terence Meaden suggesting they were built where wind vortices were observed. It also mentions two rail associations with 'cereology' (the study of crop circles).

Noel Ingram's Crop Circle Encounter: Noel Ingram witnessed a sudden whirlwind in a crop field near Swayfield, Lincs., on June 7, 1962, which whipped up the crop skyward and then stopped, leaving a ring of flattened crop. This event is linked to the passing of Class A4 No.60015 Quicksilver.

The 'Hummadruz' Phenomenon: The issue of a low-frequency sound, known as 'hummadruz', is discussed. It existed before the Industrial Revolution and is linked to submarine communications at around 76Hz/sec. The 'hum' was common in York when the local engine shed housed Deltic class diesel locos, which were powered by twin Napier engines similar to those used in motor-torpedo boats.

Notes and News

The Society of Ley Hunters Spring Convention 2005:

• Dates: Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th March 2005
• Location: Barley Town House, Barley, near Royston, Cambridgeshire
• Saturday: Visits to Royston Cave and talks at Barley Town House. Speakers include Gordon Harris, Jonathan Harwood, Jimmy Goddard, Bob Brown, Eileen Roche, Tony Charlton, and Paul Dunbavin.
• Sunday: Field trip to the Bartlow Hills (Romano-British burial mounds) and short talks by SOL members.
• Transport: Arrangements available from Royston.
• Contact: Adrian Hyde for details.

London Earth Mysteries Circle meetings:

• Location: The Diorama Centre, 34, Osnaburgh Street, London NW1.
• Cost: £4 (concessions £3.50, members £2.50).
• Schedule: Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m., including talks on Celtic Myth, Pyramids, Chaos Magic, the Da Vinci Code, and an Open Forum.

TEMS meetings:

• Location: Wimbledon.
• Schedule: Sundays at 2:30 p.m., with topics including the Greek Underworld, and a talk by Jimmy Goddard on 'Leys - a Multi-faceted Phenomenon'.

Other Publications and Products

Several publications and a CD-ROM are advertised:

• The Hidden Unity and Beginnings: Explores subconscious siting of ley points, places of worship on leys, and includes an appendix on Paganism. £2 plus 30p p&p.
• Earth People, Space People: A booklet based on Tony Wedd's manuscript detailing extraterrestrial contact claims, the STAR Fellowship, and extraterrestrial language. £2 plus 30p p&p.
• The Legacy of Tony Wedd: A CD-ROM featuring Tony Wedd's research on flying saucers, landscape energies, and lost technology. £12.
• Touchstone Newsletter: Subscription details are provided for the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group newsletter.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the interconnectedness of ancient landscapes, energetic lines (leys), and historical structures, particularly Roman roads. There is a strong emphasis on empirical investigation through map analysis, field visits, and dowsing, alongside an appreciation for folklore and historical accounts. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into earth mysteries, encouraging readers to explore these phenomena through personal research and participation in group events. The inclusion of various publications and events suggests a community actively engaged in these subjects.