AVEBURY TOUR DAY 5 WITH MEGALITHOMANIA. 23RD MAY 2017
Wednesday morning was sunny and warm with some scattered clouds. We set off for the Avebury landscape tour which I was looking forward to. We were going to the Avebury henge, West kennit longbarrow and the devil's dolmen this day. The journey took just over an hour to arrive at Avebury it went well without getting lost. We met the others at the Avebury carpark and went onto West kennit longbarrow car park that is just a layby on the side of the road. Silbury hill sat across the road no more than a hundred meters away. Although I'd been to Avebury a couple of times previously I didn't know about West kennit longbarrow or if I did I hadn’t put it in context with Avebury, I’ve seen silbury hill before but hadn't known what it was.
AN EXTRACT FROM WORLD HERITAGE; SILBURY HILL.
The largest man-made mound in Europe, mysterious Silbury Hill compares in height and volume to the roughly contemporary Egyptian pyramids. Probably completed in around 2400 BC, it apparently contains no burial. Though clearly important, its purpose and significance remain unknown. Silbury Hill is part of the Avebury World Heritage Site, and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/vis…/places/silbury-hill/
There had already been some folks up at West kennit longbarrow that were now walking back down. We had quite a big group today, it was good that we were starting here first and early enough that it was not as busy as it might have been later in the day.
One of the largest, most impressive and most accessible Neolithic chambered tombs in Britain. Built in around 3650 BC, it was used for a short time as a burial chamber, nearly 50 people being buried here before the chambers were blocked. Part of the Avebury World Heritage Site. West Kennet Long Barrow is in private ownership and in English Heritage guardianship. It is managed by The National Trust on behalf of English Heritage, and the two organisations share the cost of managing and maintaining the property. The barrow may have been constructed in at least two phases, as there is a noticeable bulge halfway along the longitudinal axis accompanied by a subtle change in direction. Some cremations and the partial remains of at least forty-six individuals – both male and female and of all ages – have been found inside, together with grave goods including pottery, beads and stone implements such as a dagger, dated to between 3000 and 2600 BC. The tomb was closed sometime around 2000 BC and the main passage filled with earth, stones, rubble and debris. The forecourt was then blocked with sarsen boulders and a false entrance of twin sarsen uprights constructed. Finally, three massive sarsen blocking-stones were erected across the front (eastern end) of the tomb. The barrow was first excavated in 1859 and then again, scientifically, in 1955–6, after which the site was restored and the façade and chambers at the eastern end reconstructed.)
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/…/west-kennet-long-barr…/
(The barrow, which is now part of the Neolithic Avebury complex, is one of the most visited and best preserved burial mounds in Britain. It may also claim to having one of the oldest hauntings in the country, possibly the world. One Man and His Dog It is said that at dawn on the longest day, the figure of a man dressed in white robes, possibly the ghost of one of those who were buried within the tomb, has been seen standing on top of the mound accompanied by a large powerful hound with starling red ears. The pair are said to stand silently and quite motionless at the barrows eastern end, presumably waiting for sunrise. At first light, they turn in unison and enter the tomb below. Several local farmers, who’s profession ensures an early start, have witnessing this strange eerie spectacle. There have been occasions where people have reported intense feelings of dread when inside the tomb. Some even claim to have seen figures moving therein and the faint sound of whispered voices. Early one morning in 1992, a holidaying couple had a terrifying experience whilst inside the barrow; well one did, her partner was actually outside during her ordeal. She had been exploring the interior, when all of sudden she was grabbed by unseen hands which attempted to pull her towards the deepest part of the chamber. Later, when she had regained some composure, she told her partner of the terror that took hold of her as she tried desperately to break free from the invisible clutches that held her fast. She described how her whole body had become inexplicably ‘weighed down‘, like she was walking through deep mud making any movement a huge effort. It transpired she had only been in the chamber minutes but the whole sorry episode felt to her like an eternity.)
http://hauntedwiltshire.blogspot.co.uk/…/west-kennet-long-b…
We gathered together and made our way up a pathway that cut across some farmers land that had crops growing on it. The short walk up the to the barrow had a slight rise to where it sat on top with beautiful views of the surrounding country side. A professor Terrance Meaden was to take this part of the tour, a gentleman with a disability of some sort he used a stick and would have put anyone to shame claiming to be unfit for such a tour, he made the journey and imparted his wisdom and knowledge to us this day. I am a wanderer and do not go strictly by the rules. I have spent time listening to guides intensely while my intuition tells me to be elsewhere, only to come away having forgot what was said and missing what spirit brought me there for. I believe the stones have memory! An energy that speaks its own language just as the trees and flowers, and the birds of the air, this energy calls me to connect, I have learnt to listen to this intuition and go where I feel led to. I wandered off myself taking photos and going where spirit guided me. At some point, I ended up sitting on the top of the entrance. I can't remember going up there but it was obvious I had after Chris had seen a photo on Facebook; with me sitting on top. Terrance pointed out on a large central stone, a carving of what is possibly a female vulva which would give the idea of fertility rites and rituals of some sort our ancient ancestors practiced. The group moved towards the entrance of the longbarrow where we were shown an image of a new born calf or small deer above the entrance. This can be seen as clear as day, maybe a form of worship to the land, an offering of life and resurrection maybe, a fertility symbol! This mysterious hidden knowledge is in clear view for all to see. Going into this barrow felt very still and peaceful although it had people in it, it still felt nice, a couple of swallows nesting inside made their presence heard as we piled in to this longbarrow, it had a long narrow path with 2 small rooms at either side, the path led to a slightly larger chamber at the back of the barrow where Terrance pointed out a carving of a face in the rock. Could this be the image of the person who was laid here or the image of their god at the time? Or just coincidence! I don't believe in coincidence, so it is a carving of a face that was done thousands of years ago, whether it be a god or a king, priest or high official or just a local farmer. It's age and the fact that it is there is good enough for me. After some time at West kennit longbarrow we left for the short walk to the car park, as we walked down the farmers track I met up with a lady named Gemma, we were the last of the stragglers, we walked for a bit together and suddenly she bent down and picked up a four-leaf clover, "WOW” I had not seen one of these before and was curious as she described finding a number of them before drying them as keepsakes. Then she picked another one and another, she found 3 or 4 in a small space. My eyes were on the ground looking for one of these beauties that bring luck to those who find them but luck don't follow me lol I found none but I didn't really expect to. We all have people, places and things that bring synchronicities to our life giving us hope and surety of something beyond our 3d world. The fairy world was at work here I'm in no doubt, gifting one and having a laugh with the other, the other would be me of course.
We got to the car park where for the first time I took a lift to the next site which was a mile or so along the road but had no parking space, a farmer’s field entrance was all there was, we got dropped off and the driver stayed with the bus in case he needed to move for the farmer. It was a walk of about 500 meters to the devil's den dolmen along a track that was made by heavy wheels creating deep channels where water would lay. We jumped from one side to the other treading the banking’s and central run until we got onto a flatter dirt track that led to the dolmen. Another beautiful site lay before us about 200 meter in a field on the left. Just as eye-catching as Spinsters rock this dolmen sat proud in this grassy field on a slight hill. We didn't spend as much time here as I would have liked but other things happened that cut this part of the tour short. We had time for photos and to climb onto the top where the rock formations on top look like carvings or cut channels to let the water drip onto and fertilize the surrounding landscape with its energies! I went inside or stuck my head in should I say but never got the feeling I got the day before at Spinsters rock dolmen although I don't think I was looking for anything. I don't go looking for things, things and experience come to me in the moment and this is how I recognize my own synchronicity’s. Or it could be that my memory is so bad I forget to do things that worked previously lol. I am happy to just be in the moment and let life happen. As John Lennon once sang (“"I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round"“) the devil's dolmen was a great experience and I will 'god willing' make another trip of my own to drum there.
(The Devil’s Den dolmen stands alone in a field at Clatford Bottom, near Marlborough. The word 'dolmen', is thought to be a derivative of ‘dillion’, meaning boundary mound. The Devil's Den, is a Neolithic burial chamber first recorded in 1723 by antiquarian - William Stukeley, who's illustrations show a long barrow of considerable length with several large sarsen stones which have all but disappeared now, no doubt the victims of agriculture. Today the structure comprises of just three massive sarsens arranged similar to that of a Welsh ‘Cromlech’. The structure was rescued from imminent collapse in 1921 by archaeologist - A.D. Passmore. Restoration work was undertaken to shore up the dolmen by incorporating a concrete support to one side which was engraved with the year of its salvation - 1921. The late Guy Underwood dowsed the site in 1958 following up the work of one Reginald Smith, an authority on the Neolithic period. After his survey was completed, Underwood concluded that the megalith was built over a 'geospiral'. Now for those in the know with regard to earth energies and ley lines, you will know what a geospiral is but for those who don’t, me included, put simply, it is a ‘blind spring’ which is said to generate a powerful surface spiral; any-the-wiser? Me neither. Underwood was of the impression that the Devil’s Den has one of the most powerful geospirals in the country.)
Folklore (Like most ancient tombs, folklore abounds. Tales of a ghostly guardian dog with burning piercing eyes, is said to lie in wait beneath the mound, protecting its long dead master. The Sound of an eerie baying hound has been heard echoing across the valley in the dead of night. Spectral dogs are not uncommon at burial mounds, their roots can be traced back to Celtic mythology. Another tale involves the Devil himself, who is said to yoke up 4 white oxen in an attempt to dislodge the capstone. Just why the Devil should want to do this is unknown. On top of the capstone are several dimples or ‘cups’. The tale goes, should you fill these dimples with water, then overnight the water will mysteriously vanish, apparently consumed by the fiend that haunts the dolmen.)
http://hauntedwiltshire.blogspot.co.uk/…/la…/Devil%27s%20Den
(The Devil's Den is what is left of a neolithic passage grave on Fyfield Down. Two standing stones, a capstone and two fallen stones are all that remain of what was the entrance to a long mound, described in the 1920s as being around 230 ft long.[1] The capstone is believed to weigh 17 tons.[2] The burial chamber was reconstructed in 1921)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Devil%27s_Den
We got back to the Avebury stones where we had a lunch break. We had been booked into the local pub for lunch where just about everyone there ordered vegetarian type foods or if not vegetarian something else that looked foreign to me. I looked at the menu and seen the steak pie, i couldn't help myself. I'd been off eating beef for a few months having tried it once or twice in that time and been not well I should have known better, but as my mum used to say my eyes are bigger than my belly. Yep intuition told me not to and my mind told me otherwise how powerful the mind can be and work against us. Yes, I took a bad stomach after I had it and removed myself to go and take medicine and went and drummed next to a large stone where we were to meet for the afternoon part of the tour with Terrance who took us earlier on that morning. I enjoyed the tour and felt quite at home here in this familiar setting. With some faces I’ve met before on previous visits.
Folklore
(Folklore has evolved over hundreds of years regarding the alleged power of Avebury’s sarsens. These enigmatic giants appear to cast a spell on many who see them. Some believe the stones have healing properties and by a 'hugging' one will release its magical properties and cure most ills. Others have claimed whilst hugging a stone, to have felt vibrations emanating from within its very core. 'Stone hugging' is a common sight at Avebury. Often when I have been passing through, I can pretty much guarantee that someone will be flat against a stone, adopting a pose reminiscent of the crucifixion and gazing heavenward in eager anticipation of 'the vibe‘. Now I’m no cynic but I think 'the vibe' can most likely be attributed to the rumble and subsequent vibration of heavy traffic passing close by on the A4361. As mentioned earlier, the locals used to believe the stones were harbingers of ill luck, so hugging one is probably not such a good idea on hindsight. With all the magic, mystery and ancient rituals which have grown up around the stones, you would have thought the circles would be a supernatural hotspot. If truth be known, the opposite is very much the case, especially when compared to the generous helpings of ghostly history from the likes of The Red Lion pub, which stands within the circle, the stately Tudor Manor and 12th century church of St. James and not forgetting reports of ghostly hitchhikers on the A4361 and the famous coach and four said to thunder through the village in the dead of night. The few hauntings that have been reported from the stones are as follows: Back in the Sixties, a woman driving through the village late at night, reported seeing ghostly figures dressed in period costumes dancing amongst the stones. I would question, that what she actually saw, was probably nothing more than one of the many pagan rituals and parties which take place regularly at Avebury. There are claims of dwarf like creatures seen darting amongst the stones in the dead of night and of a spectrum of tiny twinkling lights believed by some to be fairy folk. These lights have been seen countless times dancing above the stones, especially the mysterious Diamond Stone, which is located at the north-west quadrant, a stone incidentally, said to uproot itself and cross the A4361 at the stroke of midnight, no mean feat at around 40 tonnes. Continuing the light theme. The henge is supposed to be a hotspot for UFO activity. Indeed many sightings have been reported of strange airborne anomalies which are said to ‘buzz’ the stones at night. Then there are the elaborate crop circles that popup close to the monument around the summer solstice - conveniently. In the South East quadrant you will find the massive Devil’s Chair stone, its name will become apparent as you approach it. Here, many have sat awhile to have their photograph taken, but I do wonder how many would stick around if they knew that on occasion the ‘chimney’ will belch black smoke as a warning that the Devil himself is in residence. There is a legend that if you run round the stone anticlockwise 100 times you will evoke the devil. These stories probably came about to prevent God fearing Christians from attacking the stones. The henge is thought to have been constructed on top of several ley lines (hypothetical veins of invisible energy beneath the earth, said to connect ancient megalithic sites, monuments and even buildings, particularly churches) which dowsers especially believe intersect beneath the henge and are most likely responsible for generating subterranean ‘earth energy’ which may account (according to dowsers) for some of Avebury’s strange goings on. There have been reports of poltergeist activity in some of the cottages in the village where sarsen stones were used to build them. A friend of mine, who, several years ago rented what is now ‘The Lodge’ was convinced the place was haunted. Many items, especially in the kitchen, would be mysteriously moved when he was out or in bed asleep. He, was the only occupant.
Avebury is a fascinating place and well worth a visit, if only to marvel at its construction and debate its mystery. That said, the claims surrounding the stones abilities will, I'm sure, stretch even the most vivid of imaginations.)
http://hauntedwiltshire.blogspot.co.uk/…/Avebury%20Stone%20…
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/avebury
(Avebury (/ˈeɪvbri/) is a Neolithic henge monument containing three stone circles, around the village of Avebury in Wiltshire, in southwest England. One of the best known prehistoric sites in Britain, it contains the largest megalithic stone circle in the world, is both a tourist attraction and a place of religious importance to contemporary pagans.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avebury
The tour came to an end this day, with me being pretty much anti-social after the crap I ate at lunch. I wandered off to the other side for the last half hour or so where we had not been into. I sat at a stone and drummed for a time before Chris came over and sat drumming also for a short time. I suggested we go and drum the ceremonial pathway that leads into the henge I had thought of this before and now would be a good a time as any! Chris suggested going back to West kennit longbarrow and drumming there, brilliant idea that's what we'll do. We set off to the longbarrow arriving at its door with drums in hand. A had forgot about the swallows and near jumped out my skin when I started drumming at the entrance and they flew startled past my head. I drummed a little inside and came back out within a very short space of time, this was there dwelling place now and the spirits gave them priority here. I came out and Chris was sitting at top the barrow where I had sat earlier, he was drumming himself and i thought of a nice idea. I left Chris to keep vibrating into the land his own drumming as I walked the length of the barrow drumming my own vibration, I started by walking up the left hand side of the barrow to the top where Chris sat, I passed and continued to walk the length of the barrow's spine to the very back and then went down the slope on the right and walked back to the front where I walked up the right hand side passing by Chris and again along the spine to the back where I walked down the left hand slope and down to where I first started on the left hand side below Chris. Thunder my drum had started to speak to me by way of her muffling and flattening her sound, her skin began to sag. I had drummed enough by now having formed energetically the sign for eternity or a very flattened figure eight. the gods and even the birds fell silent as if to say thank f--k thats over lol the stillness and the peace up there for me after drumming, echoes the opening of doors or a portal within the vicinity of West kennit longbarrow. A beautiful experience and a perfect way to end a great day in the Avebury landscape. We got back to camp as the sunset and the familiar sounds and views crept back in with the shadows of night.
The highlight of this day for me was drumming West kennit longbarrow with nobody around but myself and Chris, the evening sun under blue skies topped it off. I think the swallows were happy to see us go!
Love & light
