Touchstone - No 091 - 2010 10

Magazine Overview

Title: Touchstone
Issue: No. 91
Date: October 2010
Publisher: Surrey Earth Mysteries Group

This issue of Touchstone, a newsletter from the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group, focuses on the connections between Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, his famous novel "The Hound of the Baskervilles," and the concept of the E-line, a powerful ley that runs through southern England.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the E-line

The article, authored by Bob Shave, delves into how the E-line, a ley believed to influence landscapes and literature, might have intersected with Conan Doyle's life and work. Previous issues of Touchstone have explored the E-line's presence in literature set in Surrey and southern England, examining how authors' writings might express or be inspired by the ley's energy.

Introduction to "The Hound of the Baskervilles"

This particular article turns its attention to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and "The Hound of the Baskervilles," his renowned Victorian gothic horror story. The novel features Sherlock Holmes confronting a seemingly supernatural hound that appears to seek vengeance on the Baskerville family for ancestral sins. The story is set on Dartmoor in Devon, a landscape characterized by mist, bogs, prehistoric remains, and a brooding mystery, which is also identified as being part of the E-line.

The Birth of the Hound

The idea for "The Hound of the Baskervilles" originated in 1901, largely inspired by Conan Doyle's friend, Bertram Fletcher Robinson, a journalist for the Daily Express and a native of Devon. Robinson's tales of supernatural folklore from Devon captivated Conan Doyle. Upon the novel's publication, Conan Doyle credited Robinson with significant contributions to the general plot and local details. There is also evidence that Conan Doyle had encountered "black dog" legends from other parts of the UK, but he acknowledged Robinson as the primary influence. Notably, Conan Doyle had previously "killed off" Sherlock Holmes in "The Final Problem" (1893), having grown tired of the character. "The Hound of the Baskervilles" is therefore told "posthumously" and is set in 1889, suggesting a powerful impetus for Conan Doyle to return to Holmes's cases after an eight-year hiatus.

Conan Doyle's Dartmoor Experience

Around May/June 1901, Conan Doyle stayed in Princetown, Dartmoor, with Robinson acting as his guide, seeking firsthand experience of the moor. In a letter to his mother, he described Princetown as the "highest town in England" and mentioned exploring the moor for his "Sherlock Holmes book," finding the idea highly dramatic and crediting Robinson for it. He recounted walking 14 miles over the moor, describing it as a "great place, very sad and wild, dotted with the dwellings of prehistoric man, strange monoliths and huts and graves." He noted the evident past population and the current solitude.

Rowe's Duchy Hotel, where Conan Doyle stayed, is now the High Moorland Visitor Centre. Robinson later wrote about his time with Doyle on Dartmoor, stating it was "one of the most interesting weeks that I ever spent." He confirmed that Doyle had accepted the plot for "The Hound of the Baskervilles" from him and that Dartmoor's wilderness of bog and rocks appealed to Doyle's imagination, with Robinson sharing local legends of ghost hounds and devils.

Tracing Conan Doyle's Footsteps

Author Philip Weller, in his 2001 book "The Hound of the Baskervilles - Hunting the Dartmoor Legend," has attempted to trace Conan Doyle's movements. Weller identifies an area southeast of Princetown as fundamental to Conan Doyle's imagery of the moor. He suggests potential real-life locations for "Grimpen" (Hexworthy) and "Grimpen Mire" (Fox Tor Mires), and for "Merripit House" (Nun's Cross Farm), all within a few miles of each other and easily accessible from Princetown. Weller's criteria for these matches include alignment with Conan Doyle's descriptions, proximity, and accessibility.

It is suggested that Conan Doyle and Robinson likely walked approximately 14 miles in an easterly direction from Princetown, possibly visiting the Bronze Age enclosure of Grimspound. This route could have taken them past Nun's Cross Farm, south of Fox Tor Mires, towards Hexworthy, and then to Grimspound. Intriguingly, this route would have involved walking along or beside the E-line for part of the way.

The E-line on Dartmoor

The precise path of the E-line on Dartmoor is not definitively known, but it is believed to cross the eastern side of Dartmoor at Buckland Beacon, then proceed westwards, south of Dartmeet and Hexworthy, towards the area southeast of Princetown identified by Weller. The line appears to cross the summit of Fox Tor, just south of Fox Tor Mires, near where Weller suggests Conan Doyle and Robinson walked. Linear walls near the disused Whiteworks Tin Mine, flanking Fox Tor Mires, are aligned parallel with the ley.

Descriptions from the Book

The article quotes passages from "The Hound of the Baskervilles" to illustrate Conan Doyle's response to the Dartmoor landscape. Watson's narration describes the distant view of a "grey, melancholy hill, with a strange jagged summit," evoking a sense of a fantastic landscape and ancestral connection. Stapleton describes the moor as "a wonderful place," vast, barren, and mysterious, containing "wonderful secrets." Watson's letter to Holmes from Baskerville Hall conveys the "spirit of the moor" sinking into one's soul, the sense of leaving modern England behind, and the consciousness of prehistoric people's presence through their dwellings and graves.

Observations on the Landscape

The excerpts highlight the landscape as fantastic, exciting, evocative of ancestors and the prehistoric, rolling, and mysterious. An energy is suggested by Sir Henry's "fiery" ancestors and Conan Doyle's vocabulary, with the landscape foaming into surges like the sea. Prehistoric sites are depicted as vivid and alive.

Conan Doyle began writing the story on Dartmoor but completed it at home in Hindhead, Surrey, which was less than a mile from the E-line at the Devil's Punch Bowl.

Conan Doyle and Surrey

In the novel, Sherlock Holmes instructs Sir Henry Baskerville not to stray from a "straight path" leading from Merripit House to the Grimpen Road, described as his "natural way home." This instruction is interpreted as potentially applying to Conan Doyle himself, following the E-line back to his home in Hindhead.

Conan Doyle's family lived in Hindhead from 1897 to 1907. The house, Undershaw, was built for his wife Louise (Touie), who suffered from tuberculosis. The Surrey Hills were known as "Little Switzerland" for their clean air, and Hindhead offered an alternative to the Swiss Alps for those seeking recovery. Undershaw was built to maximize natural light for Touie. Although given a prognosis of only months to live, living at Hindhead had a profound healing effect, extending her life by nearly ten years. The Devil's Punch Bowl area is noted for its energetic properties, with multiple energy lines crossing there.

Undershaw is currently empty and in disrepair, with a campaign underway to restore it as a Conan Doyle visitor centre. However, plans for the house to be split into separate homes are being challenged in court by an expert who wishes to preserve its connection to Conan Doyle.

Conan Doyle and Spiritualism

The article briefly touches upon Conan Doyle's interest in spiritualism, stating that it began while he was living at Undershaw. However, it clarifies that his interest actually started in the early 1880s, initially as a skeptic, with a significant shift occurring around 1887, the same year he wrote "A Study in Scarlet." The book "Conan Doyle and the Spirits" by Kelvin I. Jones is recommended for further reading on this topic.

Conclusion

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Hound of the Baskervilles" is closely linked to the E-line. His residence near the line in Hindhead and his research travels on Dartmoor brought him into proximity with it. His writings from this period convey a sense of energy and mystery, and the novel marked his return to Sherlock Holmes after eight years, suggesting a strong motivation. The healing influence of Hindhead on his wife Louise is also noted.

References

The article provides a comprehensive list of references, including previous Touchstone articles, books by Bob Shave, J. Lellenberg, D. Stashower, C. Foley, and Philip Weller, as well as web links and citations from "The Hound of the Baskervilles."

Society of Leyhunters Equinox Moot in Ireland 2010

This section describes a visit to Dublin and a moot in Ireland. The author joined a group visiting a museum in Dublin, noting the rich decoration on prehistoric artifacts and a complete logboat. The group then visited the Boyne Valley for a guided tour of the Knowth passage grave complex, learning about its construction, history, and the Neolithic period. They also visited a modern wood circle on the site of a Neolithic one, aligned to the equinox sunrise. The article details the cruciform room at Knowth, its beehive roof, and a basin. It also mentions the discovery of souterrains used for food storage and escape routes, and the evidence of cremated remains. The construction of the Boyne Valley tombs is highlighted as a significant commitment, taking three generations to build.

The Vikings' raids in 863 are mentioned, along with souterrains. The article notes the constant temperature within the souterrains and the evidence of an Early Christian house. Farming's spread across Europe is discussed, with the Boyne Valley tombs becoming larger and more complex, Knowth being the largest man-made structure of its time. The average life expectancy in Neolithic times is noted as being low.

The modern wood circle is described as celebrating the same thing as Stonehenge, aligned to the equinox sunrise, with stone and flint found beneath. The article mentions the Hill of Tara, the seat of the High Kings of Ireland, and its radiating roads. A ley is mentioned as going through the Hill of Slane, Mount Oriel, and St. Bridget's well.

Book Review: John Michell - From Atlantis to Avalon

This section reviews Paul Screeton's book about John Michell, a key figure in the revival of the study of leys in the 1960s. Michell expanded the concept of leys to include patterns of proportion and number in sites. The review notes that while Michell became interested in leys through a talk by the author, the subject's widespread reappearance was due to Michell's broader context. The book covers Michell's insights into corn circles, traditional measures, British eccentrics, Shakespeare's authorship, and sacred geometry.

London Earth Mysteries Circle Meetings

A listing of upcoming meetings for the London Earth Mysteries Circle is provided, including topics such as "Maps of the Ancient Sea Kings," "Beating the Bounds Ceremonies," "Mystery Animals in London," "The Belinus Line - Britain's Longest Ley," and an "Open Forum and Social."

Meyn Mamvro: Ancient Stones & Sacred Sites in Cornwall

This section advertises "Meyn Mamvro," a publication focusing on ancient stones, sacred sites, paganism, ley paths, pre-history, culture, megalithic mysteries, and folklore in Cornwall. Subscription details and website information are provided.

The Hidden Unity and Beginnings

This section describes two booklets: "The Hidden Unity," which examines subconscious siting of ley points and the significance of places of worship on leys, and "Beginnings," which details Jimmy Goddard's discoveries in earth energy detection, natural antigravity, and subconscious siting. Both booklets are available from the Touchstone address.

Earth People, Space People & The Legacy of Tony Wedd

This section promotes "Earth People, Space People," a booklet based on Tony Wedd's manuscript "Earth Men, Space Men," detailing claims of extraterrestrial contact. It also advertises "The Legacy of Tony Wedd," a CD-ROM of an exhibition on flying saucers, landscape energies, and lost technology.

Touchstone Subscription

Information is provided for subscribing to Touchstone, the newsletter of the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the interconnectedness of landscape, literature, and ancient energies, particularly through the concept of leys. The magazine explores how these elements might influence human experience and creativity. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into earth mysteries, ancient sites, and unexplained phenomena, encouraging readers to explore these connections through research and personal experience. There is a clear interest in the historical and geographical aspects of these phenomena, linking them to authors like Arthur Conan Doyle and historical sites like those in Ireland and Cornwall.