Touchstone

Magazine Overview

Title: Touchstone
Issue: No. 104
Date: January 2014
Publisher: Surrey Earth Mysteries Group
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English

This issue of "Touchstone" delves into past field trips and mysterious phenomena, with a focus on ley lines, UFO sightings, and sacred sites across Britain. The cover headline, "COME ON PAST FIELD TRIPS!", invites readers to explore video content uploaded to YouTube, with a provided URL for easier access. The magazine features several articles detailing investigations into various locations and their associated mysteries.

Articles and Features

Come on Past Field Trips!

The issue begins by highlighting the author's early 90s field trips, now uploaded to YouTube. A dedicated link page is provided for viewers to access these videos, which cover a range of intriguing subjects.

Mysterious Guildford

This section recounts a mystery tour of Guildford led by Eileen Roche. The tour explored tales of a mischievous child ghost, grey ladies, and a sighting of Lord Nelson's sentry at the Angel Hotel. The presence of leys in the area is noted as part of the narrative. The article also mentions encounters with the Honorary Remembrancer, the curator of Guildford Museum, and the manager of the Angel Hotel, coinciding with a seventeenth-century fair.

A Ley through Kingston

This article follows a ley line through Kingston, guided by Lionel Beer. The journey starts at Littleton Church near Shepperton and proceeds to the Diana Fountain and Norbiton Church, where a dowser experiences a notable reaction. The investigation continues to Kingston Church, examining Saxon foundations, and then to a chapel in almshouses and the abbey site at Merton, where chapter house foundations are preserved under a flyover.

The Norfolk Network

This piece details a network of leys discovered in 1992, encompassing Norwich Castle, the Roman town of Caistor St. Edmund, and Norwich University campus. It mentions a crop circle that appears to be part of the pattern and a henge monument south of the city, concluding at New Buckenham with its castle and medieval street pattern.

The Adamski Scoutship

This short section provides evidence that the flying saucer type made famous by George Adamski has been sighted on multiple occasions, contrary to some UFO researchers' statements.

Leys in York

This section presents detailed investigations into ley lines in York, using an aerial photograph of the University of York area. It describes alignments involving Heslington Church, Siwards How (a tree-covered tumulus), and stretches of road and ley passing through old city gates. The article notes that leys often follow city boundaries and hedges. The investigation also covers a ley running behind Wentworth College, passing through a church in Selby and track junctions, with energy detection registering a reaction on a sandjar ley detector. Another ley investigated across the campus is described as the best of the three, passing through churches, a moat, roads, and a hilltop, and running along the east-west axis of Heslington Church.

Three specific York leys are detailed:
1. High Belthorpe Moat, Primrose Hill trig point, aligning stretch of A1079, B1228 stretch, Heslington Church, pyramid structure, Dringhouses Church, and a road at Healaugh.
2. Heslington Church, mushroom tower, college fir mound, Siwards How tumulus, cross-roads, a city gate at Walmgate, and possibly three churches in York.
3. Cross-tracks, church in Selby, Riccall Church, straight Wentworth College hedge (city boundary), leading to a road and cross-roads where it meets ley 2.

Byfleet-Guildford Ley

Investigated by the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group, this ley begins at St. Mary's Church, Byfleet, and passes through Wisley Church (noting a mysterious stone in the porch), Newark Priory, a cross-roads at Send, and Stag Hill, Guildford, with churches at Shackleford and Peper Harow.

Making the Mysterious and Bizarre into a Hobby

This is a reprint from "Touchstone, July 1985," written by Alyson Smith for the "Surrey Herald." It describes the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group's aim to discuss mysterious subjects without stigma, highlighting their sympathetic approach and efforts to attract new members. The article mentions a visit to Wisley Church porch and a stone associated with a ley line going through to Byfleet Church.

The Investigated Stretch of the Saltley

This section details an alignment discovered in the 1970s, noted for the occurrence of "whit" and "white" names, possibly indicating a salt trading route. It mentions Salt Box Road at Worplesdon and the alignment passing through Worplesdon Church, Druid's Grove, and St. Michael's, Mickleham. It also notes Warren Farm with its chapel and crypt, and the camp at Caterham.

Notes and News

Leys mentioned in Wells Cathedral programme: A singer interviewed on BBC4's "Cathedrals" series stated that churches and cathedrals are built on ley lines to harness earth energy, linking them to Glastonbury Tor.

UFO over Stonehenge

On July 23, 2013, Jim Harte photographed an anomalous object over Stonehenge. The object was only noticed upon downloading the pictures, with surrounding shots being clear. The article provides technical details of the photograph, including the camera model, lens, exposure, and aperture settings. It also references a YouTube video titled "Are Stonehenge and Sedona UFO portals?"

The pull of ancient sites

An excerpt from the blog of Neil Oliver, presenter of "Sacred Wonders of Britain TV series," discusses his lifelong fascination with archaeology and the motivation behind building ancient sites. He reflects on visiting places like Dunadd hillfort, Neolithic stone circles on Arran, Iona, Stonehenge, and Avebury. Oliver emphasizes the enduring notion of the sacred woven through Britain and Ireland, and the human drive to understand the cosmos. He highlights Orkney and the Ness of Brodgar as particularly significant discoveries, expressing a desire to understand the visionary ideas behind Neolithic monument building.

Book Review: Supernatural Lancashire

This review covers Peter Hough's book "Supernatural Lancashire," a gazetteer detailing ghosts, boggarts, UFOs, Men in Black, and other phenomena in the county. It is recommended for those interested in visiting such sites.

Web Sites

A list of websites related to earth mysteries and ley lines is provided, including links to "The Buckingham Palace Ley Line," "The Old Stones of Staines," and "The Ley Hunter."

Meyn Mamvro

Information is provided for "Meyn Mamvro," a publication focusing on ancient stones and sacred sites in Cornwall, including details on subscription and related guides.

The Hidden Unity and Beginnings

This section reviews two booklets. "The Hidden Unity" explores subconscious siting of ley points and the prevalence of worship places on leys, discussing environmental and philosophical implications. It investigates two ley centres: the Shah Jehan Mosque in Woking and the Guru Nanak Sikh Temple, Scunthorpe, with an appendix on Pagan religion. "Beginnings" details Jimmy Goddard's discoveries over twenty years, including earth energy detection, natural antigravity, subconscious siting, and cognitive dissonance, concluding with an account of ley discovery by Alfred Watkins.

Earth People, Space People

This reviews a booklet by Tony Wedd, originally a manuscript titled "Earth Men, Space Men," detailing extraterrestrial contact claims. The booklet includes articles on the STAR Fellowship, evidence for extraterrestrial life, and investigation into extraterrestrial language.

The Legacy of Tony Wedd

This describes a CD-ROM featuring Tony Wedd's research on flying saucers, landscape energies, and lost technology, presented through his voice, writing, photographs, and drawings.

Subscription Information

Details are provided for subscribing to "Touchstone," the newsletter of the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group, including the cost and contact address.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of "Touchstone" are ley lines, sacred sites, UFO phenomena, and earth energies. The magazine promotes the investigation of these subjects as a hobby, aiming to destigmatize interest in the mysterious. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry and exploration, encouraging readers to engage with these topics and share their findings. There is a strong emphasis on fieldwork, research, and the connection between ancient sites, landscape, and subtle energies.