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The Modern Antiquarian Forum » Ley Lines |
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tjj 3606 posts |
Edited Nov 13, 2010, 20:45
Nov 13, 2010, 20:44
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Sanctuary wrote: Who was the first recognised writer to introduce the 'magical/mystical' approach to ley lines? Firstly can I just say that I don't consider sacred geometry to be the same thing as ley lines (don't understand sacred geometry at all). I have just been reading Paul Devereux's history of ley lines and he refers back to Alfred Watkins. Seems a fairly grounded.
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Sanctuary 4670 posts |
Nov 13, 2010, 21:27
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tjj wrote: Sanctuary wrote: Who was the first recognised writer to introduce the 'magical/mystical' approach to ley lines? Firstly can I just say that I don't consider sacred geometry to be the same thing as ley lines (don't understand sacred geometry at all). I have just been reading Paul Devereux's history of ley lines and he refers back to Alfred Watkins. Seems a fairly grounded. Watkins didn't see anything 'supernatural/magical/mystical in his books June as far as I could see but in the link you provided Deveraux says:- 'In 1935, Watkins died. In 1936, the British occultist Dion Fortune wrote a fictional book, a novel, called The Goat-Foot God, in which she put forward the notion of 'lines of force' connecting megalithic sites such as Avebury and Stonehenge in southern England. In 1938, Arthur Lawton, a member of the Straight Track Club, wrote a paper in which he claimed that leys were lines of cosmic force which could be dowsed. He was a dowser himself, and was impressed with the German geopathological dowsing that was then getting under way, and French dowsing work which claimed that there were lines of force beneath standing stones. Lawton put all this together in his own head and came up with his theory about leys'. So it looks like these were the first two references to it...unless someone knows differently.
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StoneGloves 1149 posts |
Nov 13, 2010, 22:22
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Watkins seems to have been more into the idea of pedestrian highways and finding one's way around the British Isles in a time of forested darkness. Dion Fortune isn't a name one ears often, nowadays. I've seen Dion live, many years ago, and put that down to great Fortune. We'll be talking about Sephariel next! (I was just being facetious about the carp).
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tjj 3606 posts |
Edited Nov 13, 2010, 23:06
Nov 13, 2010, 22:54
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Sanctuary wrote: tjj wrote: Sanctuary wrote: Who was the first recognised writer to introduce the 'magical/mystical' approach to ley lines? Firstly can I just say that I don't consider sacred geometry to be the same thing as ley lines (don't understand sacred geometry at all). I have just been reading Paul Devereux's history of ley lines and he refers back to Alfred Watkins. Seems a fairly grounded. Watkins didn't see anything 'supernatural/magical/mystical in his books June as far as I could see but in the link you provided Deveraux says:- 'In 1935, Watkins died. In 1936, the British occultist Dion Fortune wrote a fictional book, a novel, called The Goat-Foot God, in which she put forward the notion of 'lines of force' connecting megalithic sites such as Avebury and Stonehenge in southern England. In 1938, Arthur Lawton, a member of the Straight Track Club, wrote a paper in which he claimed that leys were lines of cosmic force which could be dowsed. He was a dowser himself, and was impressed with the German geopathological dowsing that was then getting under way, and French dowsing work which claimed that there were lines of force beneath standing stones. Lawton put all this together in his own head and came up with his theory about leys'. So it looks like these were the first two references to it...unless someone knows differently. Yes sorry S, I think I was just looking for the first references to ley lines and overlooked the 'mystical' bit. Thanks Stonegloves for your reference to Dion Fortune - I have been oscillating between an inclination to revisit some old redundant (though enjoyable) influences and the need to stay grounded in the real world where the whimsical has been discarded in favour the atheistic approach. I bought Dion Fortune's book "Glastonbury - Avalon of the Heart" the first time I visited the Chalice Well Garden nearly a decade ago. Even ten years ago I had no doubts about the existence of a mystical sphere, not sure when exactly cynicism took over, however, take over it did. Bligh Bond may be a candidate for your question S, seems to be someone who mixed archaeology with the paranormal circa 1935.
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Sanctuary 4670 posts |
Nov 13, 2010, 23:06
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tjj wrote: Sanctuary wrote: tjj wrote: Sanctuary wrote: Who was the first recognised writer to introduce the 'magical/mystical' approach to ley lines? Firstly can I just say that I don't consider sacred geometry to be the same thing as ley lines (don't understand sacred geometry at all). I have just been reading Paul Devereux's history of ley lines and he refers back to Alfred Watkins. Seems a fairly grounded. Watkins didn't see anything 'supernatural/magical/mystical in his books June as far as I could see but in the link you provided Deveraux says:- 'In 1935, Watkins died. In 1936, the British occultist Dion Fortune wrote a fictional book, a novel, called The Goat-Foot God, in which she put forward the notion of 'lines of force' connecting megalithic sites such as Avebury and Stonehenge in southern England. In 1938, Arthur Lawton, a member of the Straight Track Club, wrote a paper in which he claimed that leys were lines of cosmic force which could be dowsed. He was a dowser himself, and was impressed with the German geopathological dowsing that was then getting under way, and French dowsing work which claimed that there were lines of force beneath standing stones. Lawton put all this together in his own head and came up with his theory about leys'. So it looks like these were the first two references to it...unless someone knows differently. Yes sorry S, I think I was just looking for the first references to ley lines and overlooked the 'mystical' bit. Thanks Stonegloves for your reference to Dion Fortune - I have been oscillating between an inclination to revisit some old discarded (though enjoyable) influences and the need to stay grounded in the real world where the whimsical has been discarded in favour the atheistic approach. I bought Dion Fortune's book "Glastonbury - Avalon of the Heart" the first time I visited the Chalice Well Garden nearly a decade ago. Even ten years ago I had no doubts about the existence of a mystical sphere, not sure when exactly cynicism took over, however, take over it did. Bligh Bond may be a candidate for your question S, seems to be someone who mixed archaeology with the paranormal circa 1935. It seems a little odd doesn't it that something as simplistic as Watkins idea should developed into something possibly way above his comprehension. I wonder what he would have made of the new way of thinking if he had lived for another 30 years or so?
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Sanctuary 4670 posts |
Nov 14, 2010, 21:07
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I've been having a read of Alfred Watkin's 1922 'Early British Trackways' and found it really interesting how he went about proving a ley. [Quote Watkins] 'Remember that the entire course of a ley can be found from two 'undoubted' sighting points on it if marked on a map. Therefore stick a glass headed pin in these two points, apply the straight edge, and rule the line, pencil in at first, ink afterwards'. When you get a "good ley" (his words not mine!!) on the map, go over it in the field, and fragments and traces of the trackwaywill be found, always in straight lines, once seen recognised with greater ease in future'. So for him it wasn't just a case of 'joining up the dots' and claiming a ley line, but getting out into the field and actually proving its existence by the evidence still available on the ground. Pretty neat eh!
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StoneGloves 1149 posts |
Nov 14, 2010, 21:13
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Yes, walking the leys was at the heart of it. There are some straight tracks about - but not many ...
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Sanctuary 4670 posts |
Nov 14, 2010, 22:04
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StoneGloves wrote: Yes, walking the leys was at the heart of it. There are some straight tracks about - but not many ... Quite enjoyable I would imagine. A good walk whilst looking for clues at the same time. Great open country pastime.
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Sanctuary 4670 posts |
Nov 15, 2010, 08:48
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Thought I'd look up Alfred Watkins on ebay and glad I did. Found his 'Ley Hunter's Manual: A Guide by Alfred Watkins for just £3.71 in total, so have scooped that up and if anyone is interested there was his autobiography Alfred Watkins: A Herefordshire Man by Ron Shoesmith for only £4.70 in total looking for a home. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Alfred-Watkins-Herefordshire-Man-Ron-Shoesmith-/250693308730?pt=Non_Fiction&hash=item3a5e7c513a Loads of 'The Old Straight Track' as well ranging from about a fiver to nearly 70 sqid!!
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StoneGloves 1149 posts |
Nov 15, 2010, 14:17
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Yes, it was superb - we found some good stuff, long forgotten paths and rights-of-way as well as classic British countryside views. Church spires and smoky chimneys, kind of thing. We found a part-paved track, but it was down a couple of feet and made by the Romans, possibly to get burnt lime to the Wall, as it was built. It wasn't straight but it was a re-appropriated ancient trackway!
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