AI Magazine Summary
Touchstone - No 106 - 2014 07
Ever wanted to host your own late-night paranormal radio show?
Across the Airwaves
You’re on the air. Callers bring Mothman, Fresno Nightcrawlers, UFO sightings, reptilian autopsies, and whispers about AATIP and Project Blue Book. Every reply shapes how the night goes.
20,263
issue summaries
Free. Always.
Support the Archive
Building and maintaining this collection is something I genuinely enjoy. If you’ve found it useful and want to say thanks, a small contribution keeps me motivated to keep expanding it. Thank you for your kindness 💚
AI-Generated Summary
Title: Touchstone Issue: No. 106 Date: July 2014 Publisher: Surrey Earth Mysteries Group Focus: Earth mysteries, ley lines, archaeology, and ancient sites.
Magazine Overview
Title: Touchstone
Issue: No. 106
Date: July 2014
Publisher: Surrey Earth Mysteries Group
Focus: Earth mysteries, ley lines, archaeology, and ancient sites.
The Medway Megaliths and the E-Line
The lead article introduces a new film by the author on the Medway Megaliths in Kent, which are Neolithic chambered tombs situated on the E-line. This ley is described as a wide and powerful alignment stretching from the Isle of Sheppey to Cape Cornwall, also passing through the Cerne Abbas Giant in Dorset. The film features Eileen Roche dowsing the E-line and Mrs. Bygraves, the landowner of The Chestnuts, discussing the megaliths. An earlier video, 'The Coldrum Field Trip,' led by Rob Stephenson, is also mentioned.
The article also highlights other leys in the area, including the Coldrum ley found by Paul Devereux, featured in the TV programme 'The Strange Affair of the Old Straight Track.' Another ley is traced from Chiddingstone Church to the Addington Barrow, detected by dowsing during the filming of 'Visit to Tony Wedd Country.'
A ley field trip in 1994 to Silchester, led by Lionel Beer, is described, where a ley originally found by Alfred Watkins was followed to the Roman city site. This ley passes through two temples and a building believed to be an early Christian church, with alignments at the convergence of lines within the city. Further east, the ley connects sites like an enclosure on Laleham Burway, the ancient church at Thorpe, Sunbury Cross ley centre, and Sunningdale Church.
The article also references 'Skyways and Landmarks,' a booklet by Tony Wedd, which is credited with initiating the modern ley movement, and a talk he gave in 1968 on the same topic, presented with original slides.
Society of Ley Hunters' Moot, Bodmin, Cornwall, July 2014
This section details the weekend moot held in Bodmin, Cornwall. The town is situated near Bodmin Moor, and the St. Michael Line ley is mentioned as crossing the moor. The town itself features a beacon hill and the hillfort of Castle Canyke.
Bart O'Farrell discussed his method of ley hunting using L-rods, explaining how he sweeps an area to find energy lines and tests for water sources. He also shared a video of someone being affected by energy from a standing stone.
O'Farrell described a U-shaped line he found, dubbed the 'Bart Line,' which starts at Rosewall Hill and goes to Carnbrea hillfort, passing a Long Stone. The line continues to Trink Hill, passing a rock known as 'Twelve-o'clock Rock,' and then follows a prehistoric footpath to Trencrom Hill. It then bends to cross the River Hayle to St. Erth, and continues to Godolphin Hill. Further points include Maen Amber (a former logan stone), Crowan Beacon, Hangman's Barrow, and Four Lane Barrows, before reaching Carnbrea.
Other sites in Cornwall mentioned include Duloe stone circle, made of quartz, and St. Elvens church. Helman Tor, an Iron Age hilltop, is noted for its three stones emitting healing energy.
Jeremy Disley presented on 'Lunar Stony Numbers of Neolithic Cornwall and Beyond,' discussing the Mesolithic (8500-4200 BC), Neolithic (4200-2200 BC), and Bronze Age (2200-800 BC) periods. He highlighted the significance of the number 19 in Penwith stone circles, possibly related to the lunar synodic month and the Metonic cycle, suggesting a connection to tidal knowledge. He contrasted this with circles in southwest Eire (9, 11, or 13 stones) and Aberdeenshire (11 stones), suggesting fertility or deity connections, and Bodmin (28 stones) possibly relating to the female reproductive cycle.
Peter Knight spoke on 'Archaeoastronomy, Mankind, Gods And Stars,' emphasizing the cleverness of ancient ancestors and the application of Stonehenge alignments to all sacred sites. He noted that knowledge was gained in the Mesolithic and that Christian festivals later adopted astronomical dates, such as Easter. He referenced the Dendera Zodiac in Egypt and the importance of Orion and the Milky Way in various cultures, including the Hopi. The Grey Mare and her Colts and the Nine Stones in Dorset were cited for their astronomical alignments.
Other Ley Investigations and Sites
Eric Sargeant discussed local alignments in the Long Eaton area, noting the absence of stones but the presence of finds in Derby Museum, including a Celtic torc and a pre-Christian mother goddess figure.
A causewayed lake settlement at Lockington, the Lockington Hoard, and the Shardlow logboat are mentioned. Crow Hill standing stone and a line connecting these sites are described.
Another ley passes through a motte at Morley House Farm, iron workings at a moated site, Nottingham Castle, and Bunbury hillfort at Alton Towers, noted as being 5º off the equinox.
The Morley Mound and St. Matthew's Church, Morley, are mentioned. A distorted tree and iron workings at West Hallam are also noted.
The ley continues to Kirk Hallam, a stepped terrace platform, and a circle near Gallows Farm, Ilkeston. Reports of hauntings were noted near Balloon Wood crossroads.
This ley also goes through St. Leonard's Church, Woolaton, an island on Nottingham University's Jubilee Campus, and Nottingham Castle. The nature of leys is described as typically 2.5 metres wide, composed of bands.
A second ley, at 46°, is a midsummer sunrise line that goes to Tintagel, passing through a causewayed lake, Castle Rock at Nottingham, and Shepherd's Race. It also connects to a round hill at Lambly, Castle Donington, and St. Edmund King and Martyr Church. Bulwarks Iron Age Fort and a Saxon church are mentioned. The line continues to Staunton Harold, Tamworth Castle, and St. Eagyth's Church, ending at Tintagel. This is proposed as a possible axis of Britain.
On the following day, Peter Knight led a tour of Bodmin Moor, visiting sites associated with the Michael and Mary currents. St. Neot was visited, with a stone by a well. The Michael current enters St. Neot church from the south-west and leaves from the north-east, while the Mary current goes north of the Michael line.
Specific Sites and Stones
Knowlton Henge in Dorset is described as womb-shaped, with its church aligned to the Beltaine sunrise. The Dorset Cursus and its 18 barrows are noted for their astronomical alignment.
The St. Michael Line is compared to a caduceus, with alignments at Avebury and the 'Silbury Roll' at midsummer. The midwinter solstice sun rolling up the Tor at Glastonbury and Orion's connection to the underworld at West Kennet are mentioned.
The equinox sunrise at Loughcrew, Ireland, and Newgrange's solar light box are noted, along with alignments to Sirius and Venus. The Cerne Giant's feet align with the setting of Deneb.
The Doniert Stone is on the St. Michael Line and has two decorated cross bases. It is associated with Doniert, possibly the last king of Cornwall.
St. Margaret and the dragon is mentioned in relation to St. Cleer Church, which has the Mary current passing through. A stone resembling a skull is noted outside the church.
Trethevy Quoit is a spectacular dolmen with the Mary current passing through. St. Cleer Church is visible in the distance.
The Hurlers stone circles are identified as a nodal point where the Michael and Mary currents meet, with a stone in the centre attracting a cow. A diamond-shaped stone and a rounded stone are noted, theorized as feminine symbols. Three more phallic stones mark the Michael line's entry, leading to another circle and Rillaton Barrow.
Rillaton Barrow has a small stone archway leading to a cavity where a golden cup was found.
St. Petroc's Church in Bodmin, founded in the sixth century, has a Norman font with dragons. St. Guron's Well and the ruined chapel of St. Thomas Becket are also mentioned.
Castle Canyke is a hillfort east of Bodmin, with ditches and ramparts, once the castle of a Celtic aristocrat.
Notes and News
The Beast of Bodmin? A report from the Daily Mail describes a teenager's sighting of a large, cat-like creature in Cornwall, potentially the Beast of Bodmin Moor.
Another beast: A newscutting from May 16th reports the discovery of the skeleton of a huge hound at Leiston Abbey, Suffolk, linked to the legend of 'Black Shuck.' Brendon Wilkins of Dig Ventures suggests these legends may have roots in reality.
Comet theory of Ireland's prehistory: A documentary suggests that religious beliefs in Ireland changed around 2500 BC due to a comet and its debris, leading to the sealing of passage tombs and the appearance of stone circles. A second event in 540 AD, possibly linked to Halley's comet, is suggested to have caused famine and conversion to Christianity.
Book Review
Earth Grids - The Secret Patterns of Gaia's Sacred Sites by Hugh Newman is reviewed. The book covers energy grids, leys, UFO connections (Bruce Cathie's grid), and negative phenomena like the Bermuda Triangle. It discusses the geometric placement of monuments like the Great Pyramid, Stonehenge, Tiahuanoco, and Ankor Wat, suggesting ancient measurement of the Earth. The review notes a mistaken placement of the E-line in the book.
Nero's mystery building is on Silchester Ley
The University of Reading's investigation at the Roman city of Calleva Atrebatum (Silchester) is discussed. Excavations in Insula 9 revealed an Iron Age building, the largest known in British prehistory. In Insula 3, a Roman building with bricks stamped with Emperor Nero's name was discovered, suggesting his sponsorship of a special project. The building's foundations suggest a large underfloor heating system, possibly for a bath house or corn drying floor, but it appears to have never been finished, possibly due to Nero falling from favour. This building is located on a Silchester Ley identified by Alfred Watkins.
Letters
Ian Cook writes about St. Mary's, Northchurch, mentioning his parents' ashes near the 'Wild Boy's' tomb and dowsing a line through the church.
Norman Darwen expresses pleasure at seeing Berkhamsted Castle mentioned and recalls passing it frequently on the West Coast mainline. He notes its 'atmosphere' and a connection to Thomas A'Becket.
Films on YouTube
A list of films available on YouTube is provided, covering topics such as earth mysteries field trips in Hertfordshire, Guildford, Surrey, Norfolk, and Kent, UFO sightings, and earth mysteries research in Surrey and Northamptonshire. The film 'The Medway Megaliths and the E-line' is also listed.
Meyn Mamvro
Information is provided for 'Meyn Mamvro,' offering ancient stones and sacred sites information in Cornwall, including publications on Earth Energies, Paganism, Leypaths, and Megalithic Mysteries.
The Hidden Unity and Beginnings
This section reviews two booklets: 'The Hidden Unity,' which examines subconscious siting of ley points and the prevalence of worship on leys, investigating ley centres like the Shah Jehan Mosque in Woking and the Guru Nanak Sikh Temple in Scunthorpe, with an appendix on Paganism. 'Beginnings' covers potentially useful discoveries made over twenty years, including earth energy detection, natural antigravity, subconscious siting, and cognitive dissonance, concluding with Alfred Watkins' discovery of leys.
Earth People, Space People
This booklet is based on Tony Wedd's unpublished manuscript 'Earth Men, Space Men,' detailing extraterrestrial contact claims. It includes articles on the STAR Fellowship, evidence for life in the Solar System, and extraterrestrial language.
The Legacy of Tony Wedd
This CD-ROM is an electronic version of Tony Wedd's travelling exhibition, covering 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 of Touchstone are ley lines, ancient sites (megaliths, stone circles, hillforts), archaeoastronomy, and earth energies. There is a strong focus on practical fieldwork, including dowsing and field trips, as well as the documentation of these investigations through films and publications. The editorial stance appears to be one of exploration and open-minded inquiry into earth mysteries, often drawing connections between ancient sites, natural phenomena, and potentially paranormal or extraterrestrial events. The publication also serves as a platform for sharing research and discoveries within the earth mysteries community.