Touchstone - No 122 - 2018 07

Magazine Overview

Title: Touchstone
Issue: No. 122
Date: July 2018
Publisher: Surrey Earth Mysteries
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English

This issue of Touchstone magazine, a publication of the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group, delves into various aspects of earth mysteries, ancient sites, and unexplained phenomena. The main article, "An Alignment Through Sawley Earthwork" by Eric Sargeant, examines a small rectangular earthwork and traces potential alignments with numerous historical and natural landmarks across Britain.

An Alignment Through Sawley Earthwork

The lead article by Eric Sargeant focuses on a 34 x 29 x 0.5m earthwork located on the south bank of the River Trent, in an area known as Lockington Grounds. The earthwork is identified as LE118 (52 5216N 01 17 28W). The author suggests that if it were a tower, it would offer commanding views of the river. Nearby are sites of a Roman villa (LE126), a Dunster barn (LE140), and a prehistoric settlement mentioned in "Later Roman Britain" by Stephen Johnson and "The Scheduled Ancient Monuments of Leicestershire and Rutland" by Leonard Cantor. Lockington village is 3km away, while Sawley is 1km to the north across the river, featuring a Roman Camp (DR228) and a Roman road originating from Chester Green Camp in Derby. The north bank of the river has seven small wharfs with sandstone steps leading up from the water level. This section of the River Trent, between the confluences of the River Derwent and River Soar, is noted as a significant thoroughfare in Roman times.

The author describes drawing lines on a map to find connections, leading to the discovery of the earthwork. An alignment drawn across the map passed through several features: The Wash Bridge near Epperstone, Round Hill at Lambley, Nottingham Castle, and the remains of the enclosure castle SM17096 at Castle Donington. Nottingham Castle and Breedon Hill are highlighted as significant natural landmarks. The article notes a hilltop mound near East Midlands Airport, possibly a long-barrow, and an Iron Age field system excavated for airport expansion. The alignment also passes through Castle Donington's town square and castle remains, with an area named 'The Barroon', possibly related to 'slave enclosure' terminology, hinting at Iberian origins of ancient Britons.

Further alignments are traced across the River Erewash, leading to Attenborough and a wildlife sanctuary. The article mentions the removal of large stones from a potential cromlech circle during gravel extraction in 1929. Crossing Nottingham, the alignment passes by St. Peter's, The Lace Market, St. Mary's burial ground, and Beacon Hill, near St. Anns Wells. An ancient turf labyrinth at Billberry Walk, 16.5m sq., was ploughed out in 1794. Lambley's 'Round Hill' [8], locally known as 'The Castle', is described as an elliptical mound.

The alignment continues across the Staunton Harold estate, passing the lake causeway and church, and near Smisby. It crosses unexplained earthworks near the junction of A511 and B6006. Moated mounds at Chilcot and the Manor of Thorpe Constantine are also noted. The alignment's path includes Tamworth, the regional centre of Mercia, associated with Ethelfleada and King Offa, passing through St. Eadgyth's church and Tamworth Castle, situated on a man-made mound commanding the confluence of the Rivers Anker and Tame.

Society of Ley Hunters Moot

The magazine reports on the Society of Ley Hunters Moot held in Birmingham on June 2nd-3rd, 2018. David Sutch opened the event with a talk on the Practical Uses of Natural Energies. He shared his personal journey from university studies in philosophy and sociology to an interest in magic and earth energies, which led him to buy a narrowboat and travel the country, discovering different energies at ancient sites and churches. Sutch developed a system of patterns based on stillness, male/female principles, the four elements, and astrological signs. He also explored the natural world, including Celtic Ogham language and tree energies, and created a yearly wheel for intentions. He discussed his move to the Isle of Man, described as a special place with rich folklore, and its connection to ley lines, including the Michael Line.

Eric Sargeant then discussed a 'Plausible Explanation for Earth Energies', focusing on neutrinos. He described them as tiny particles that interact minimally with energy and are constantly passing through us. He mentioned ancient philosophers and texts that alluded to similar phenomena. The article notes that neutrinos can be detected in deep mines and are similar to light but do not interact with solids. Detectors are located at the South Pole, Japan, and in an experiment from Illinois to South Dakota.

Nicholas Falio, a physics professor, is mentioned for his postulate that weight is caused by "ultramundane corpuscles" or "shadow gravity," and that neutrinos are the only radiation that can pass through rock, suggesting dowsers might be detecting neutrinos interacting with water.

Derek Woodroffe spoke on the Technology of Nikola Tesla, detailing his work on alternating current, transformers, Tesla coils, and wireless transmission. Marconi is mentioned for stealing Tesla's radio patents. Tesla's tower for transmitting energy wirelessly faced complaints due to power usage, and his work was often misunderstood as creating "free" energy. Dangerous medical uses of Tesla coils were shown, with modern applications limited to entertainment, including a Zeussaphone musical instrument.

Andrew Lound presented on the Cosmic Odyssey of Humanity, discussing how early humans studied the sky, the astronomical knowledge of Babylonians and Egyptians, and the development of cosmological ideas from Plato and Aristotle to Copernicus and Galileo. The article touches upon the shift from geocentric to heliocentric models and the fear associated with comets. It also highlights the precise astronomical knowledge of Central American civilizations, like the Mayans, and the Moslems' understanding of precession.

Other Articles and Features

The Re-invented Landscape: Pat Toms spoke about Rupert White's book, which compares different viewpoints on ancient site alignments. The discussion touched upon the difference between rational and intuitive approaches, with Paul Devereux supporting dowsing as a primary sense.

Tamworth Castle: The group visited Tamworth Castle, a 900-year-old structure with a history of hauntings. The article mentions the "Black Lady" ghost, the Haunted Stairs, and a notorious sighting in 1949 where ghost hunters claimed to have captured evidence on film.

The Hidden Unity and Beginnings: These are described as booklets by J. Goddard, exploring subconscious siting of ley points, the significance of places of worship on leys, and discoveries in earth energy detection, natural antigravity, and subconscious siting. "Beginnings" also includes a chapter on cognitive dissonance.

Earth People, Space People & The Legacy of Tony Wedd: These are described as works by Tony Wedd, detailing claims of extraterrestrial contact, the history of the STAR Fellowship, and Tony's research on flying saucers, landscape energies, and lost technology, available as a booklet and a CD-ROM.

Book Review: The Old Straight Track: The issue includes a review of Alfred Watkins' seminal work, "The Old Straight Track," first published in 1925. The reviewer notes an introduction by Robert Macfarlane that dismisses Watkins' work as "esoteric nostalgia."

Films on YouTube: A list of YouTube videos by James Goddard related to earth mysteries, leys, and UFO sightings is provided.

Touchstone Newsletter: Information is given about subscribing to the Touchstone newsletter, the publication of the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores the intersection of ancient sites, landscape energies, folklore, and unexplained phenomena. There is a strong emphasis on ley lines, earthworks, and the potential for hidden historical or energetic connections within the landscape. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into these subjects, presenting research, personal experiences, and historical accounts without necessarily offering definitive conclusions, encouraging readers to explore and interpret the evidence themselves. The inclusion of topics like ghosts, extraterrestrial contact, and the physics of neutrinos suggests a broad definition of "Earth Mysteries."