Touchstone - No 080 - 2008 01

Magazine Overview

Title: Touchstone
Issue: No. 80
Date: January 2008
Publisher: Surrey Earth Mysteries Group

This issue of Touchstone delves into the world of earth energies, ancient sites, and mysterious lines across the British landscape.

The One The Sun and The Serpent Missed

The lead article, "The One The Sun and The Serpent Missed," by Paul Broadhurst and Hamish Miller, details the serpentine St. Michael Line. This ley line, distinct from John Michell's straight St. Michael Line, forms a double bend between the Wellington Monument in Somerset and St. Nicholas' Church in Corfe. The authors describe their approach to the Wellington Monument, noting its power and its status as a remnant of ancestor worship, built in 1817. They suggest that its positioning was either deliberately chosen by someone aware of its geomantic significance or influenced by the landscape itself, leading to the creation of such potent structures.

The article recounts a specific journey on November 15th, 1987, tracking the 'serpent' along the northern slopes of the Black Down Hills, through lanes adorned with autumn colours, and around the southern flank of Blagdon Hill. This route is described as a departure from previous, more gentle meanderings.

The St. Michael Line Between the Wellington Monument and Corfe

Further exploration of the St. Michael Line's course is detailed. It passes through Prior's Park Farm and Wood, suggesting a connection to a medieval priory. The exquisite Neo-Norman church at the village of Corfe is noted as marking the flow of the line, possessing a powerful atmosphere. Other sites on or near the current include St. Michael in Orchard Portman, leading through Stoke St. Mary and Henlade to Creech St. Michael Church.

Angersleigh Church, dedicated to St. Michael and All Angels, is highlighted as a powerful ley centre at the foot of the Blackdown Hills. The sinuous line passing through it is coincident with a ley running to Corfe Church, passing between yew trees in the churchyard. It also connects to a crossroads south-west of Somerton, a church in Drayton, Swell Court Farm and chapel, Crimson Hill, Corfe Church, Sellicks Green, Angersleigh Church, and a road south of Wellington Hill.

Other leys mentioned include one originating from Buckland St. Mary Church, passing through Knight's Hill, Lewesdon Hill, Laymore, Wadeford, and Angersleigh Church. Another ley comes northwards from a crossroads north of Lyme Regis, passing through Membury Castle fort, Otterford Church, Angersleigh Church, and Hillfarance Church.

The parish of Angersleigh, originally Leigh, is described as the smallest in Somerset. Its church, dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel, dates from the early 12th century and was given to Taunton Priory. The building features a 14th-century tower and a Norman font. Unusual features include possible Grail associations, with a window depicting the Jerusalem Temple and the Ark of the Covenant, and a crucifixion scene with a prominent Mary Magdalene. The reredos was designed by Frederick Bligh Bond, known for his work on Glastonbury Abbey and his concept of the Grail as "Sang Real."

An Ancient Yew and a Dragon in East Surrey

By Bob Shave, this article focuses on St. George's Church in Crowhurst, East Surrey. The church is situated in a peaceful, isolated setting. It is known for a very ancient yew tree, possibly the oldest in Surrey, with a circumference of 33 feet. In 1820, it was fitted with a door and its interior was said to accommodate 12 people. In 2002, it was designated one of 50 "Great British Trees." The article notes a certificate claiming the tree is 4,000 years old, signed by David Bellamy and the Archbishop of Canterbury, though Jeremy Harte expresses skepticism about such high age estimates.

Inside the church, artwork depicts the slaying of the dragon by St. George, including a stained glass window and a tapestry. Paul Broadhurst and Hamish Miller also found dragon imagery at energy centres during their travels.

The church font is believed to be Saxon, though Pevsner dates it to the 13th century. Rough carvings on the font are described as possibly runes or doodles. The church is not on an obvious ley, but is near an east-west footpath that follows a sandstone ridge.

A south chapel, added later, houses the dragon window. The yew tree, font, and dragon imagery suggest an ancient site of great energy. A notice in the porch confirms that lightning conductors have passed inspection.

Stonehenge, a Temple Restor'd to the British Druids

This section presents an excerpt from William Stukeley's 1740 work, detailing his ideas about Stonehenge. Stukeley, the first Secretary of the Society of Antiquaries, exhibited his drawing "A Peep into the Sanctum Sanctorum." He discusses the difficulty of measuring the stones due to their condition and the impact of time and human activity. Stukeley emphasizes the importance of the "Druid cubit" as an ancient measure, linking it to biblical descriptions of temple construction. He notes that the Greek decempedum and Roman standards were variations of this original measure. Stukeley describes the awe-inspiring ruins of Stonehenge, comparing a single stone to the carcass of Goliath, and emphasizes that enough remains to understand its original form. He also discusses the strategic siting of the monument and the importance of panoramic views for preservation.

The St. Michael Line at Beacon Hill, Somerset

This article discusses Beacon Hill, near Shepton Mallet, which features tumuli, earthworks, and a standing stone. The straight St. Michael Line passes along its eastern edge. Lionel Beer brought attention to an article about the site, noting the May Day sunrise from Glastonbury is seen behind the hill. The area has an interesting pattern of leys, including a standard ley centre and a "staggered centre" where leys outline a site. Local archaeologist Ian Powlesland believes the site is more likely a medieval wayside cross, though he dowsed a date of 6,700 years.

Two Roman roads cross the area, with the Fosse Way being a particularly long coincident stretch. The article notes that parts of the Fosse Way remain as tracks with original Roman surfaces. A curious house named Ticklebelly Cottage is mentioned. Dowsing indicated the Fosse Way stretch ley was ten paces wide, and a small circle of stones nearby was dowsed at 6,300 years old, though age-dowsing is noted as potentially unreliable.

At Beacon Hill, the stone and mounds were examined, along with other leys. One ley runs east-west through Wells Cathedral, aligning its long axis with Beacon Hill. This ley also passes through Cranmore Woods, Nunney, and Cold Harbour, Warminster, dowsing at 20 paces wide. The St. Michael Line dowsed at 25 paces wide, passing through Stoke St. Michael Church, the Beacon Hill ley centre, and Glastonbury Tor.

The Fosse Way stretch ley runs through several churches and along a Roman road from Salisbury to Charterhouse, passing tumuli and earthworks. Beacon Hill is presented as a significant site, providing evidence that the Roman road system utilized leys for surveying.

Letters

From Norman Darwen: Discusses the article "Dragons and Circles in Derbyshire," questioning whether ritual deposits of bones at ancient sites indicate a dependence on the number of people involved for ritual effectiveness.

From Tony Charlton: Thanks the magazine for a review of his talk. He raises the question of why so many megalithic stones are found in or near churchyards, suggesting it could indicate sites of former megalithic burials or circles. He cites Alphamstone and Chesham as examples.

Notes and News

Stone circles and the zodiac: A text from the Society of Antiquaries exhibition, "The Great Conventional Festival of the Britons" by Charles Hamilton Smith (1815), is mentioned. It discusses how stone circles in Ireland were called Caer Sidi, a name also applied to the zodiac, suggesting these temples were constructed on astronomical principles and represented celestial and terrestrial objects of adoration.

The Wessex Astrum: Peter Knight presented on landscape geometry, focusing on the Wessex Astrum, a geometrical form involving Stonehenge, Avebury, and Glastonbury. This form resembles a three-dimensional quartz crystal.

London Earth Mysteries Circle Meetings: A schedule of upcoming meetings at the Theosophical Society is provided, featuring talks on William Blake, Stone Age survival, human body and landscape, and the Glastonbury Enigma.

TEMS Meetings: Information on meetings in Wimbledon, including talks on the I Ching and sacred geometry.

Meyn Mamvro: An advertisement for "Meyn Mamvro," offering information on ancient stones and sacred sites in Cornwall, including guides on Earth Energies, Pagan Cornwall, and Megalithic Mysteries.

Corrections to previous report: Several corrections are listed regarding the placement and identification of stones mentioned in a previous report, including Alphamstone, Beauchamp Roding, Broomfield, Wildingtree Farm, Magdalene Laver, Brent (not Great) Pelham, Chesham, and Widdington.

Other Publications Mentioned

The Hidden Unity and Beginnings: A review of two booklets. "The Hidden Unity" explores subconscious siting of ley points and the tendency for places of worship to be located on leys. "Beginnings" covers Jimmy Goddard's discoveries in earth energy detection, natural antigravity, subconscious siting, and cognitive dissonance, concluding with Alfred Watkins' discovery of leys.

Earth People, Space People: A booklet by Tony Wedd, detailing claims of extraterrestrial contact, the history of the STAR Fellowship, evidence for life in the Solar System, and extraterrestrial language.

The Legacy of Tony Wedd: A CD-ROM of Tony Wedd's travelling exhibition on flying saucers, landscape energies, and lost technology.

Touchstone Subscription: Information on subscribing to the newsletter of the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the exploration of ley lines and earth energies, the significance of ancient sites and their geomantic properties, and the connection between landscape, history, and mystery. The magazine appears to adopt an open-minded yet investigative stance, presenting theories and findings from researchers and enthusiasts in the field of earth mysteries, while also acknowledging skepticism and encouraging reader participation through letters and discussions. The editorial stance is one of promoting awareness and understanding of these often-unseen aspects of the landscape and human history.