Touchstone - No 077 - 2007 04

Magazine Overview

Title: Touchstone
Issue: No. 77
Date: April 2007
Publisher: Surrey Earth Mysteries Group

This issue of Touchstone, a newsletter from the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group, focuses on ancient sites and earth energies, particularly in the Surrey and surrounding areas, with a significant feature on Lundy Island.

Henge at Ashford and Another Negen Stones Ley

The lead article discusses an archaeological discovery at Ashford, where a henge monument, very similar to the one at Shepperton Green, was found. This henge, dated to the fourth millennium BC, was an enclosure 17.5 meters in diameter with post holes and had parallel ditches leading north-east to a former channel of the River Ash. The article also references a 1923 postcard showing two large stones on Feltham Road, Ashford, which could be sarsen stones or conglomerate ironstone. These stones are linked to a ley line that passes through St. Matthew's Church (formerly St. Michael's) in Ashford, and continues through Egham and other sites.

Another section details a nineteenth-century map showing an oval pond with an island on the Ecclesfield estate, which appears to have stones arranged around it. This site, along with others, is part of a ley line alignment. The article also mentions an earthwork called "The Grove" on a nineteenth-century map, which is now a housing estate.

The Millennium Stones

This section introduces the Millennium Stones, a modern monument created by stonemason Richard Kindersley between 1998 and 1999. These ten stones, each inscribed with a Christian text, were deliberately sited at Gatton Park, adjacent to the North Downs Way footpath, to affirm it as a route of Christian pilgrimage. The stones are made of Caithness flagstone and are about 8 feet high. The article provides details on how to visit the stones and mentions their proximity to St. Andrew's Church, Gatton, a Renaissance building with a rich history.

Leys?

The discussion on leys explores the possibility of subconscious siting of ancient monuments. It notes that the Millennium Stones do not appear to be on an immediately obvious ley, but a line from St. Andrew's church through the stones passes over Colley Hill, a prominent landmark. The name "Colley" is explored for its potential connection to ancient ley terminology.

Robin Heath's Talk at the Lundy Moot

A significant portion of the magazine is dedicated to the Society of Ley Hunters' moot on Lundy Island. Robin Heath's talk is highlighted, focusing on his work as a consultant astrologer and his research into the geometry of stone circles and its implications, drawing on the work of Professor Alexander Thom. Heath discusses the importance of understanding cycles of the sun and moon, and how ancient peoples likely used various methods, such as knotted cords and notches, to track time. He emphasizes the accuracy of ancient measurements and the profound truth of "as above, so below."

The talk delves into the concept of the 'Lunation Triangle' and its connection to Stonehenge, suggesting that a large triangle involving Stonehenge, Lundy Island, and Carn Wen in the Prescelly Hills might have been used in choosing Stonehenge's site. The article also touches upon the numerical locking of ancient measurements and the potential for a similar triangle to exist with a corner in Cornwall.

Lundy Island: Tentative Ancient Alignments

This section details the findings from the Society of Ley Hunters' moot on Lundy Island. The island is described as rich in ancient sites, and the moot involved surveying and dowsing to identify alignments. Robin Heath demonstrated surveying methods related to the Stonehenge Lunation Triangle, and a group also surveyed stones, finding interesting alignments. Pat Toms, a dowser, believes ancient stones are placed on sites with geological anomalies. Several alignments were found, particularly north-south and east-west ones that appear to match the Lunation Triangle lines. A stone row running east-west to "The Cheeses" is noted, as is another stone row delineating a cross-island ley.

Other sites on Lundy mentioned include the Marisco Castle Keep, St. Helena's Church, and the site of an earlier church in the Old Cemetery, which was dowsed as very powerful. The article also includes a list of relevant websites.

The Visible E-Line in Dorset

This short piece describes the tracking of an "E-line" in Dorset, which runs along a valley between Stonebarrow Hill and Golden Cap. The line is marked by a straight track and hedge, and is also shown on an information board. The line passes through the church at Dottery and a pine clump on a ridge.

Other Items

The magazine also includes a section on "TEMS meetings" and "London Earth Mysteries Circle meetings," listing upcoming events. There are also brief reviews of several publications and a CD-ROM related to earth mysteries, including "The Hidden Unity and Beginnings," "Earth People, Space People," and "The Legacy of Tony Wedd."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are ley lines, ancient sites (henges, stone circles, prehistoric monuments), ancient geometry, and the connection between these sites and natural cycles (solar, lunar). The editorial stance appears to be one of exploration and investigation into these phenomena, often drawing on the work of scholars like Professor Thom and Alfred Watkins, and promoting the Society of Ley Hunters' activities. There is a clear interest in the potential for ancient peoples to have possessed advanced knowledge of mathematics, astronomy, and earth energies.