Touchstone - No 079 - 2007 10

Magazine Overview

Title: Touchstone
Issue: No. 79
Date: October 2007
Publisher: Surrey Earth Mysteries

This issue of Touchstone delves into ancient sites, earth energies, and mysterious phenomena across Britain, with a strong focus on archaeoastronomy and megalithic structures.

The Lundy Egg: Largest in Britain!

The lead article, "THE LUNDY EGG-LARGEST IN BRITAIN!" by Robin Heath, details research conducted on Lundy Island. Heath describes the island as a place that "has held its secrets well" and discusses his research into a secret from the Stone Age, linked to Stonehenge. He was invited to speak at a moot of the Society of Leyhunters on Lundy. Due to ecological concerns about travelling from West Wales, he arranged transport via a friend's ketch, the Keewaydin.

Heath recounts the landing on Lundy and the subsequent field trip to a 'tump' which marks the island's centre. He describes a stone circle discovered to the south-west, which he terms a 'Type 1 egg'. Using a theodolite, he conducted a radial survey to record the placement of the stones. The calculations revealed a geometrically perfect egg shape, described as the largest known in the UK. Despite damage to the ring and a modern footpath crossing its edge, the geometry is evident. The axis of the ring is oriented towards the island's centre and also to the rising of the moon at its minor standstill. Heath suggests this is significant for archaeoastronomy and references his forthcoming book, "Alexander Thom: Cracking the Stone Age Code."

Dragons and Circles in Derbyshire

This section explores Wormhill Church in Derbyshire, dedicated to St. Margaret of Antioch, a dragon-slaying saint. The current church was built in 1863, replacing a thirteenth-century structure. South of the church is a broken shaft of an early cross, possibly predating the chapel. The area's scenery is described as picturesque, with the river Wye running through Chee Dale. A dragon legend is associated with Wormhill and nearby Knotlow, with terraces on the hill reputedly being marks left by the dragon's coils. A dragon was depicted in Wormhill's well dressing in 2006, and a carved statue of St. Margaret with a dragon is on the reredos, where the dragon appears tamed rather than killed.

The article also notes a window in the church depicting St. John, similar to one in Hodnet, Shropshire, carrying a book and a cup, possibly associated with Grail objects. It mentions that the church is a ley centre, with several leys passing through it, connecting to sites like Arbor Low stone circle, Peak Forest, and the Nine Ladies stone circle on Stanton Moor. Haddon Hall, a fortified manor house near Bakewell, is also mentioned as containing depictions of dragons and having leys connected to Arbor Low and the Nine Ladies circles.

More Talks from the Lundy Moot

Jeremy Disley presented on lesser-known stone circles in Wiltshire, noting that the county has twenty such sites, many of which were destroyed by builders and early Christians. He lists several circles, including Avebury Down, Broadstones, Broome Stones, Coate NE, Coate SW, and Conkwell, providing details of their size, remaining stones, and any archaeological finds or historical notes.

Tony Charlton's Exploration of Stones

Tony Charlton discusses various ancient stones and megalithic sites in Essex and Hertfordshire. He mentions stones described as erratics, including one at Alfinstone near Colchester, the cubic Leper Stone near Saffron Walden, and a pointed sarsen stone. He details stones found inside and outside churches at Ingatestone, a puddingstone at Broomfield associated with royal Saxon burials, and a stone at Cobblers Pieces. Charlton also describes a significant stone at Waldingstone Farm, a puddingstone by a junction, a monolith with a notch, a stone resembling a dog's head, and another large puddingstone with holes. He notes Hertfordshire has a mixture of stones, including a possible erratic at Nightingale Wood and puddingstones at Tilty Church and Arkesden.

Ray Cleary on Sacred Geometry and Neolithic Cursuses

Ray Cleary's talk involved singing a nursery rhyme related to the "Ringstone Round" and discussed ancient artefacts and knowledge. He spoke of a 300-year period of trading and communication from Carnac to Liverpool, referencing the Calderstones. Cleary also discussed the Rudston monolith, the tallest in Britain, and its location at a convergence of Neolithic cursuses, noting the increase in known cursuses across the country. He mentioned other sites like the causewayed enclosure in Cumberland, the henge at Knowlton in Dorset, and Bleasdale Circle in Lancashire. Avebury is described as the largest henge, with its Sanctuary associated with the 18.6-year lunation cycle.

Ros Foskett and Megalithic Recreations

Ros Foskett discusses her work with the Megalithic Order of Druids (MOD) in recreating megalithic sites. She describes creating a turf and stone circle on her land, planting sacred trees, and tidying a site on Dartmoor. She also participated in creating a circle of standing stones near Guildford. Foskett recounts visiting an ancient, almost buried circle in the Black Mountains, Wales, where eight stones were brought back to improve the site. She also describes a two-year project to expose and create a true circle from a large stone ridge in Pembrokeshire, which she felt guided by the stones. She also details finding and creating dolmens and stone circles, emphasizing that new circles are "not fakes" but attempts to seek what the ancients sought.

Notes and News

This section includes announcements for upcoming meetings of the London Earth Mysteries Circle and TEMS (The Earth Mysteries Society), featuring talks on topics such as Glastonbury, Numinous Painters, and Marian Phenomena. It also includes a description of an exhibition by the Society of Antiquaries of London celebrating its tricenary, featuring a depiction of the River Severn from Michael Drayton's "Poly-Olbion" which includes Lundy Island.

Other Mentions

Other articles and mentions include:

• A quotation from the library of Hourne Farm regarding a UFO-psychic-spiritual weekend, referencing Watkins and Wordsworth.
• Liz Adamson's talk on "Transformation through Past Lives" at a TEMS Summer Garden Party, discussing past lives in ancient Greece and sacred geometry.
• Information on "Meyn Mamvro: Ancient stones & sacred sites in Cornwall," offering guides and books on Cornish sites.
• Booklets and a CD-ROM available from the "Touchstone address": "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 the exploration of ancient sites, megalithic structures, ley lines, and archaeoastronomy across the British Isles. There is a consistent interest in uncovering hidden histories and understanding the purpose and significance of these ancient landscapes. The magazine appears to promote research into earth energies, sacred geometry, and unexplained phenomena, encouraging readers to engage with these mysteries. The editorial stance is one of investigation and discovery, presenting findings from researchers and enthusiasts in the field of earth mysteries.