A Life of Ley Hunting

1983

THE ASSAP GARDEN PARTY
This event, held on June 25th at the home of David Christie-Murray in East Molesey, was a great success. The weather could not have been better, in spite of rain the previous day, and quite a large crowd gathered to see the various stands from groups interested in "anomalous phenomena".

Surrey Earth Mysteries Group, represented by Paul Baines and myself, (though visited by several other members during the afternoon), set up its display boards about midday. Then at about 12.30 we were called to the official opening. David Christie-Murray spoke briefly about ASSAP and its aims, then introduced Brian Inglis, who officially opened the gathering.

Then we made our way back to the stand, and for the next five hours received the public, who came in great numbers. I was suprised at the great degree of intelligent interest shown, even by those who were clearly a little incredulous of the subject; luckily we had answers for most of the questions asked. Occasionally there would be a request for a demonstration of dowsing which Paul supplied. Touchstone No. 1 was sold out during the afternoon, and a few expressed interest in the group, though it remains to be seen how many will actually come. The Press also made its presence known, as well as L.B.C., whose representative interviewed me, so that the garden party and group should get fair coverage in the local press and radio.

At 5.30 everyone gathered round the Kingston Zodiac stand for a talk by Mary Caine on that subject, which was very interesting; after this the public and standholders began to disperse, having had a very worthwhile afternoon.

Fox Hill and Carters Lane, Old Woking.
The busy commercial centre of Woking is the last place one would expect to find long stretches of aligned track, but Surrey suprises us yet again. There are not one but two here, very close to each other.

To walk them, start at the church of St. Nicholas at Pyrford. This ancient church is well worth a visit, though it is not on this particular ley. Turn left, and you will soon come to a wide bridieway on the left (the bridleway sign was turned the wrong way when I was there). You will find yourself going in a gentle curve round Pyrford Court. However, you will notice immediately when the path comes straight, and it remains so (or almost so) for almost a mile, until you reach the road at Old Woking. This is Fox Hill.

It is a pleasant walk through mainly open country, with a golf course to your right. Coming to a cross roads, you will notice the usual rather unfriendly notice indicating that the ways to the right and left are private, and that the public path is straight on. Continuing straight, a distinct feelIng of walking the old straight track came over me as the path was seen to stretch into the distance in front and behind. You will find that it rises to a peak somewhere in the middle, where there are a number of scots pines, further confirmation of the path's ley status.

Passing Roundbridge farm, you will eventually come to the road at Old Woking, although you may note some interesting leaning double trees at the end of the path. These are often found connected with leys - and Guy Underwood mentions their connection with blind springs. Looking to the other side of the road, you will see that a rather odd looking out-building with a conical roof has also been placed on the ley.

You will have to leave this ley here and turn left and cross the bridge. Continuing along the road, you will find Carters Lane on the left. This is the other aligned track - a public bridleway despite the private road sign. The first part is a metalled road and its straightness is obvious. You will walk straight for about half a mile before coming to a junction. Turning left would bring you back to the Fox Hill track so keep straight on. The bridleway becomes a narrow footpath, also dead straight, but not precisely aligned with the road. Rather it is parallel to it - the map does not show this. I do not feel that this invalidates either road or track; many leys have been found to run along edges of roads rather than their centres.

The path continues straight for about a quarter of a mile, then crosses a bridge and immediately becomes twisty, leaving the ley to cross the middle of a field. You will need your map to follow it from here as it is not well defined. Continue under pylons and an electric cow fence (not dangerous), through a farm gate, across another field to emerge at a small lay-by by a bridge near Newark Priory. Turn left and follow the road back to Pyrford church.

The Fox Hill ley begins by skirting St. Georges Hillfort at Weybridge, then passes through St. Mary's church, Byfleet. This is a powerful church, energy wise, and has another ley which has been investigated by the group. It then runs along the Fox Hill track - not quite straight, but the ley follows the mean. After this it goes along two aligned stretches of road and a parallel track in Worplesdon, and a cross-roads with a spotmark. It finally reaches two churches in Farnham.

The Carters Lane alignment is not so impressive as a map-ley. It begins by skirting Newark Priory, then runs along the track. It goes through a number of churches and possibly aligned tracks before reaching a church at Odiham.

Kent holiday, 23rd-29th July 1983
We were based in Stodmarsh, a surprising jewel of a village at the end of its long, dusty, narrow road that connects it to Canterbury. Both the alignments found and investigated during the trip pass through Stodmarsh Church, a tiny, attractive structure of flint nodules and stone cornering with a boarded tower. The houses of Stodmarsh cluster around the tiny village green, virtually a road island, but beautifully kept with flowers and a sundial with the motto: "Make time, save time, while time lasts. All time is no time when time is past". Leading past our cottage is the footpath across the marsh bird sanctuary. The road itself does not cross the marshes but bends back towards Canterbury.

The church. The nave is late Norman, with an unusual timber substructure of bell turret reminding one of the "figure-eight" inside Wells Cathedra. There are crusaders' crosses and sundials carved on the outer side of the south-west door, which now has a porch. The church is on a piece of high ground and the front is beautifully kept with flowers.

The alignments.

1) Stodmarsh-Dane John alignment.
Cross-roads, Shalmsford Street
Dane John Mound, just inside Canterbury city wall. Thought to be a Roman burial mound, possibly prehistoric. There is a modern (subconsciously sited?) spiral path to the top and a modern obleisk on the top.
Possibly through site of Newingate.
Possibly through site of St. Augustine's Abbey, founded by St. Augustine.
Winding track following general direction of the ley, joining Canterbury with Trenleypark Wood Road. Cross-tracks on it is on the ley.
Trenleypark Wood Road. This winds, but the ley follows the mean. Stodmarsh church booklet states it to be very old, originally a track used by monks to visit their "Stud farm in the marsh". The bends are said to be to avoid big forest trees. A junction and two cross-roads on this road are on the ley. Past the cross-roads the road bends away before bending back towards Stodmarsh, but a public footpath, (undefined except by a stile) follows it more nearly, and goes through some kind of tree-covered mound, though this could be modern. Has some kind of machinery which could be waterworks.
Stodmarsh Church, described earlier.
Abbey at Minster, founded seventh century, now re-occupied by Benedictine nuns.
Church and cross-roads at Manston.

2) Stodmarsh-Preston-Elmstone alignment.
Cross-tracks Dargate (south-west of Whitstable).
Short length coincident track at Honey Hill.
Stodmarsh Church.
Preston Church and parallel road. Legend of St. Mildred, to whom the church is dedicated, and "deer geomancy" - whereveer the deer stopped to drink at a spring a church was built. Unusual dormer windows put in in the 19th century. Quite strong head-hum felt in this church. The church and path have a similar aspect to Wisley.
Elmstone Church, dedication unknown. No booklet, but history on wooden "bats" indicated pre-Reformation date. Quite strong head-hum here too.
Richborough Castle, Roman fort originally at southern entrance to Wantsum channel (now inland due to silting). Could not visit due to lack of time. Prior structure to Roman?

Other places visited
Reculver, on north end of Wantsum channel. Roman fort now not visible. Remains of church abandoned due to sea erosion, kept in repair by Trinity House as a sea mark.
Chiddingstone, former home of Tony Wedd. Church and Chiding Stone.
Sissinghurst Castle. "Mound" with spiral pathway on Elizabethan model. What was this?
Canterbury Cathedral. No appreciable head-hum.
Chilham Castle. Garden map shows church, village square, castle entrance drive and circular pond to be in alignment, front of castle at right angle to this (subconscious re-siting?) On the map this line continued south-west goes through two coincident tracks and a mound.

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