Touchstone

Magazine Overview

Title: Touchstone
Issue: No. 105
Date: April 2014
Publisher: Surrey Earth Mysteries Group

This issue of Touchstone delves into the world of earth mysteries, with a primary focus on ley lines and their connection to ancient sites and historical locations.

The Leys of Berkhamsted Castle, and London's Camelot

The main article explores the leys associated with Berkhamsted Castle and the concept of 'London's Camelot'. The author recounts a field trip in the 1990s to Hertfordshire, led by Lionel Beer, which revealed significant leys skirting Berkhamsted Castle. One particular ley is described as running along the southern edge of the castle, where the railway now lies, and continuing westwards through St. Mary's Church in Northchurch. This church is noted as the burial place of "Peter the Wild Boy" and is situated on the Roman road Akeman Street, which ran from London to Chester. The ley also passes through a church in Aylesbury, further supporting the theory that Roman roads might have been based on the ley system. A moat between Aston Clinton and Aylesbury is also mentioned as being close to the ley line.

In the opposite direction, the ley runs along the southern edge of Camlet Moat in Trent Park, Enfield, which is identified as "London's Camelot". Chris Street is credited with research into this site, which is presented as a contender for Arthur's Camelot and was historically at the centre of a region known as North, South, East and West Camelot.

Three other leys through the Camlet Moat are mentioned: two forming part of the Barnet Triangle, and a Mayday sunrise line. Another ley along the northern edge of Berkhamsted Castle leads to the Roman theatre at Verulamium in St. Albans, passing through various named locations and churches. A third ley along the eastern edge of the castle connects to Berkhamsted parish church and other sites, meeting the northern edge ley at the castle motte, suggesting an age predating the Norman period. A further ley through the motte, at a slight angle, passes through St. Mary's Church in Hemel Hempstead and St. Albans Cathedral, and a moat with a "Coldharbour" name, indicative of a ley.

Network of Ley Hunters Moot

A report details a Ley Hunters Moot held on April 5th, 2014, at Addington, Kent. The event attracted 72 attendees and featured several talks.

David Hughesman spoke on Earth Energies, discussing how ancient man used them and the challenges of balancing left-brain (digital) and right-brain (dowsing) activity. He mentioned the Hartley Morris Men and their connection to the Coldrum Stones, and the "devil's footprint" at Newnham church. He also touched upon the use of staves by holy men and the concept of places becoming "theirs" when a whole clan is present.

Lisa Llewellyn presented on Ancient Egyptian Mysteries and Symbolism, drawing inspiration from figures like Madame Blavatsky. She highlighted similarities between Egyptian and Christian symbolism, such as the Ankh and cross, and the depiction of Horus and Jesus. She discussed the concept of Pharaohs as "fire of the sun" and Jesus as "light of the world", and the Egyptian moon god Ahmoses being linked to Yahweh.

Michael Haxeltine discussed Dowsing and Energies, noting how dowsing can help reduce losses in tree planting and its potential application in town planning. He mentioned Anton Bovis and the development of Bovis Units, and the use of pyramids for sharpening razors.

Susan Sheridan spoke on Sacred Mounds, influenced by Elizabeth Gordon. She discussed the connection between ancient druidic learning and modern education, highlighting mounds at Eton, Winchester, Westminster, and Marlborough. She mentioned cycles of lost and re-found ancient knowledge, mystery schools, and the Essenes. The A4 road is noted as linking these sites, and traditions of ceremonies on mounds are described.

Philip Carr-Gomm spoke on Sacred Places, emphasizing the importance of awe and wonder. He described different types of pilgrimage and the potential for ecological damage from mass pilgrimages, suggesting armchair travel as an alternative. He concluded with a practical session on mental travel.

Dr. Manjir Samanta Laughton presented on Black Holes, Earth Energies and the Cosmos, discussing quantum physics, consciousness, and the limitations of the Big Bang theory. She noted the precise balance of matter in the universe and the destructive and creative aspects of black holes.

Yuri Leitch spoke on the Melkarth Line, an intricate story originating with Katharine Maltwood. He discussed her work on the Glastonbury Zodiac and the discovery of the Melkarth equinox line, which passes through several significant sites and incorporates Masonic symbology.

Hugh Newman presented on Giants on Record, sharing legends of giants from around the world and discussing evidence such as large skeletons and elongated skulls. He mentioned Gobekli Tepe as potentially the oldest prehistoric site.

Notes and News

Tony Robinson surprised by his dowsing ability: The article recounts an incident from Tony Robinson's "Walking Through History" series where he experiences dowsing, being surprised by the reaction of the rods. He is shown at Adams Grave, a long barrow, discussing the Dukes Leyline and the mysterious power of prehistoric sites in Wiltshire. Maria Wheatley, a second-generation professional dowser, explains the use of copper dowsing rods.

Crop Circles and the Barge Inn: The report mentions a discussion on crop circles, with pictures shown. The Barge Inn is highlighted as a place to stay for those interested in crop circles, where Matthew Williams, a self-proclaimed "circlemaker", was met.

Automatic Writing: Tony Robinson's past involvement in automatic writing is mentioned, specifically a program on Frederick Bligh Bond's work and two scripts with automatist Elleni Laine, which yielded remarkable results regarding bones unearthed at Glastonbury Abbey and information about its early history.

The Leys around Addington: This section details the ley system around Addington, where the moot was held. The E-line is described as passing through the Addington Barrow and the Chestnuts long barrow. Another ley crosses the Trust land from St. Margaret's Church to Trottiscliffe Church, passing through the Addington barrow. The ley measured at Trottiscliffe Church is noted as 23 paces wide. A legend of a tunnel from Trottiscliffe Church to the Coldrum long barrow is also mentioned.

Letters

Norman Darwen writes about a drive through the Trough of Bowland, Lancashire, mentioning the Pendle Witches route and a telephone box marking the centre of Britain in Dunsop Bridge.

Films on YouTube

A list of films available on YouTube is provided, including "The Leys of Berkhamsted Castle, and London's Camelot", "Mysterious Guildford", "A Ley through Kingston", "The Norfolk Network", "The Adamski Scoutship Evidence", "Where the Martians Landed", "Jimmy Goddard on Earth Mysteries", "Avalon and Ebony", and "Northamptonshire Creations". The production of "The Medway Megaliths and the E-line" is also noted.

Web Sites

A comprehensive list of websites relevant to earth mysteries is provided, covering topics such as Ley Lines, Ancient Stones, UFO sightings, and specific historical sites.

Meyn Mamvro

Information is given about "Meyn Mamvro", a publication focusing on ancient stones, sacred sites, paganism, and megalithic mysteries in Cornwall, along with details on how to subscribe and other available guides.

Booklets and CD-ROMs

Several publications are advertised:

• The Hidden Unity and Beginnings: Explores subconscious siting of ley points, places of worship on leys, and includes an appendix on Pagan religion. It also covers earth energy detection, natural antigravity, and cognitive dissonance.
• Earth People, Space People: A booklet based on Tony Wedd's manuscript "Earth Men, Space Men", detailing extraterrestrial contact claims, the STAR Fellowship, 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.

Subscription Information

Details are 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 ley lines, ancient sites, earth energies, and the exploration of historical and mythological mysteries. The magazine adopts an investigative and open-minded stance, presenting research, theories, and personal accounts related to these subjects. There is a clear interest in connecting ancient knowledge and practices with modern understanding and technology, as evidenced by the discussions on dowsing, ley detection, and the potential for ancient sites to hold significant energetic properties. The inclusion of talks from a Ley Hunters Moot and various film and web resources further emphasizes the magazine's commitment to exploring and disseminating information within the earth mysteries community.