A Life of Ley Hunting

1981

Exploratory field trip April 18th, 1981 to prepare the way for the group trip May 3rd
The main theme is to be the Byfleet-Wisley ley, but we did not visit sites already known. We went straight to Woking and Guildford.

1) Noticed Salt Box Road which runs south of Whitmoor Common, roughly parallel to Bob Skinner's "salt ley" a bit to the south. It is not straight, but could have a connection - Bob mentioned it previously.
2) Approaching Guildford, noticed a large group of unusual tree contortions on the right. Double Scots pine, several spirals and some leaning so extremely that prevailing winds could not be the cause. We were surprised to see that this is the point where the Byfleet-Wisley ley crosses the road. The ley actually goes through Rose Cottage, a lone cottage by the roadside, behind which are two striking leaning trees.
3) Good view of Stag Hill where ley passes through a little in front of the cathedral, as it is passed on the road circling it.
4) To Compton Church (not on the ley). There do seem to be three quite good leys passing through it though. It is famous as a Saxon church and for the unique two-storey sanctuary. The bottom sanctuary is similar in design to Lastingham crypt. There is a very interesting mason's mark on the chancel arch - five circles, three above and two below, with circumferences passing through the centres of others. Jar: 1-reaction in the chancel, S-reaction in upper sanctuary. Had a strange experience when using it downstairs. As I used it I heard an exclamatory gasp from behind me and thought it was one of the ladies arranging the Easter flowers there. One of them thought it was the other, but the other denied it. I think they thought it was me, but it was definitely a female-pitched voice.
5) Where the Byfleet ley crosses the road in Compton is not certain as there are no reference points. It could be at the dead stump of a once very large tree, it could be a little further up at "The Harrow" pub (could the name be a memory of a pagan temple?)
6) To Shackleford Church, on the ley. Victorian, but in a commanding hilltop position and the churchyard appears to be circular, or nearly so. Behind the church, and also on the ley, there is the huge hilltop Scots pine clump of Norney Wood. The church was locked, but there was a slight jar reaction in the porch. St. Mary - aligned south-east (23 degrees north).
7) Peper Harow Church was a bit of a disappointment though I think it is old. We were able to enter as a choir practice was going on - there is a Norman arch but is it genuine? Slight jar reaction (S-level). St. Nicholas, aligned due east.

We also visited Martyrs Lane, between Woking Road and Woodham Lane. It is straight, and aligns with Pyrford Church.

Ridgeway trip, Saturday 13th June 1981
On this trip I was accompanied by Elizabeth Robertson and Andy and Jenny Roe, three friends I had met at a Quaker introductory weekend of the above date, at Charney Manor, Oxfordshire.

Turning into a minor road leading to the Ridgeway, we could see a tall crossroads stone. The car was parked a little way up this road, and we continued on foot, and turned right for Waylands Smithy, a prominent long barrow with large kerbstones. The first chamber and its side chambers could be entered, but the rest had been blocked off by a large stone, probably recently. Elizabeth set the scene for the walk by mentioning the curious wording of the Department of the Environment notice: "It is an offence to injure or deface this monument. "Injury" usually implies damage to a living thing, and this unconscious admisssion by the D of E of a kind of life at these places seemed in keeping with the atmosphere of the place. A 1-reaction was received in the central part (on the sandjar) but none in the side chambers. Andy could not feel the effect when he tried the jar. The stones seemed to be limestone, in keeping with my former theory, though I could have been mistaken.

From here we walked along the straight track to Uffington Castle, part of the Ridgeway. This part goes for about two miles and coincides with a ley joining Waylands Smithy and Uffington Castle (which it skirts). It also passes through Hinton Parva Church, two cross-tracks on the stretch mentioned, a crossroads at Kingston Lisle (Blowingstone Hill), a church at Grove and some minor junctions.

We continued to Uffington Castle, walked round the walls and came to a spot with a striking view across Dragon Hill, with part of the White Horse visible. We rested here for a while - the atmosphere was tremendous - and (surprisingly for a supposedly military structure) very peaceful. The weather could not have been better - there was hardly even any wind, and the slight breeze was warm. There was an interesting view of a large clump through a gap in the earthwork.

We then made our way back by a slightly different route to the Ridgeway and the car. On the way back, passing Blowingstone Hill, Elizabeth mentioned that the Blowing Stone had a hole which one could blow into making a sound like blowing across a milk bottle. This would be interesting to investigate later in connection with the sound/energy transduction theory.

Also visited during the weekend was Charney Bassett Church, next door to Charney Manor. A very unusual shape, it did not at first appear old, but may be older than it looks. It seems to have a "squint", the south door may be Norman (with weird pagan-like faces). There was a strange old carving in the church obviously brought from somewhere else and fitted in. Old chests with the name of the church in faded paint suggest the church is old. Head-hum was felt and a 1-reaction obtained on the jar. The church has a strange "half-tower".

22nd August 1981 - North Downs Way walk from Farnham to Guildford

1) Woodland hollow way near Moor Park, Farnham. This is not dead straight but a ley follows the mean, linking a church in Aldershot with Thursley Church, north of Hindhead
2) Dead straight long field boundary near Seale. Good ley following this linking Lasham Church, church in Farnham, straight track near Guildford and Merrow Church. There was a cross-tracks on it not marked on the map, but with four straight tracks leading from it to surrounding hills.
3) Seale Church. Did not take sandjar as may not be well enough for it to work at the moment, but good headhum here, especially at altar end. Oriented due east. Ley joining it with main cross-roads at Upton Grey, Puttenham Church and Shalford Church. Beautiful setting on high point in valley, with higher hills surrounding.
4) Puttenham Church, old but badly restored in Victorian times. Reasonable head-hum but less than Seale. Also aligned due east, as well as the east-running ley joining it to Seale it has one going to Compton. Has a Parish Well in front of it which could be on the latter ley (slightly to the left of the church's main orientation). The well was last used in 1750, and rediscovered in 1972.
5) Tumulus on Puttenham Heath could not be found - thick brambly undergrowth.

23rd August 1981 - North Downs Way walk in the Guildford area

1) Shalford Church, on Seale-Puttenham ley. Orientation a little south of east. Victorian with a copper lead spire, on a piece of high ground near the Tillingbourne, but there was a previous church on the site. Medium head-hum towards altar, interesting since the structure itself is Victorian.
2) Two Scots pines stand on the ridge like gateposts where the Pilgrim's Way leaves the Shalford road. A good ley follows the mean of the Pilgrim's Way here - going through Puttenham Church, possibly the cross-tracks mentioned as 2 in the previous account, a church in Farnham, skirting Farnham Castle, possibly a well near Long Sutton, as well as various coincident tracks, junctions etc.
3) St. Martha's-on-the-Hill - very powerful even outside at the east end. Has had unbroken worship in spite of being in a very ruinous condition at the beginning of the 19th century. Has a ley through Shalford and Compton churches. Oriented east. There are earth circles nearby, and there was a tradition of Good Friday dancing.
4) Guildford Castle - head-hum at floor level in keep, and just outside it, but this disappeared when climbed steps to top of the tower.

Earley trip and Virginia Water UFO sighting Saturday 26th September 1981
On this day went to an interesting day school in connection with my Open University course "Inquiry" (U202). Had previously found a ley passing through Earley Church and running along a straight stretch of the Calleva Roman town wall at Silchester:

Town wall, staggered cross-roads, Little Lea Farm, church, coinciding track with boundary, cross-roads, Earley Church, Woodleyhill (not specific point but meets what could be the base-line of the "Great Isosceles Triangle" here).

Another line through Earley Church: Church in Reading, Earley Church, cross-roads north of Wokingham, church north of Popeswood, parallel road and cross-roads Bracknell, junction Sunningdale. Runs near Virginia Water station where the sighting below occurred.

The church was a disappointment - although built in the early style with West Country "pinnacles" on the spire, it was brick with only early 20th century graves. Was visually aligned on the roadway though.

UFO sighting: Virginia Water Station, 4.58 p.m. I was looking in the direction of the London line (from which the train would come - to Weybridge) on the extreme east platform. Looking up to see a jumbo jet pass over, was surprised to see what appeared to be a soap bubble floating down until it disappeared behind trees. Identical to soap bubble in every visible respect (though could not judge size of course), but if it was it raises the question as to its origin. Definitely round and translucent, not a dandelion seed, and with its own motion (not a light-bulb reflection in my glasses, though I did get one of those afterwards). Visible for only a few seconds, but enough to be definite about its appearance.

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