Druidlore Newsletter No.2.
Written and Edited by Rollo Maughfling
Stonehenge officer CBDO
Carrying on our tradition of reporting what Druids did at Stonehenge at the Summer Solstice, contrary to media reporting, Druids from six major Orders drawn from the Council of British Druid Orders thoroughly enjoyed working with interested members of the public on the old festival field, i.e. The National Trust field, where our ceremonies and celebrations were eventually convened.
Those who had occupied the
Stones were keen that we should come in and join them, we were rather keen to be
there ourselves, but there was no way that either English Heritage or the police
were going to let us in, having officially “cancelled” all special access by
then, supposedly in order to contain the situation, but the in order to try and
carry out evicting people unimpeded. As the whole policy of responsible Druidry
involves deliberately not breaking the law on these occasions, we were extremely
grateful to the National Trust for giving us and everybody else who didn't want
to be involved in scuffles with the police, somewhere else to go.
Tim Sebastian, our Secular Archdruid, had already carried out a ceremony with
about 80 people to greet the sun as it first perked brilliantly up over the
horizon for the first time at a Stonehenge Summer Solstice in more years than
most people can remember. Already an excellent omen!
Tim and his people had just finished as we came racing down the hill on foot
from the abandoned EH buses in Amesbury, having tested the police lines to see
if we would be granted any access after all. No joy there, we took up our
familiar position, from the wilderness years of no Stonehenge access, on the
National Trust field, the other side of the closed A344 road, from the Hele
Stone, instead.
We proclaimed the Druidic Mantram of the West, the fabled IAO, we opened the
quarters, with the blessings of peace throughout the whole world, and proclaimed
the bardic gorsedd for the year 2000, one year in advance in accord with ancient
custom and legal precedent.
Then all sorts of nice fun took place in the aisle, in keeping with the spirit
of Solstice celebration, with between 100 and 150 people joining in
spontaneously as and when they wished.
Those of our Druidic orders involved, about 33 people in robes, were drawn from
the Glastonbury Order, the Loyal Arthurian Warband, the Secular Order of Druids,
the Cotswold Order of Druids, the Nomadic Order of Poets, Artisans and Druids,
and the Druid Clan of Dana (Fellowship of Isis).
There was an instrument blessing, reviving an ancient Celtic tradition of
blessing musical instruments for the purposes of inspired musical performance of
the ancient sacred music in a modern context, in this case it was Des Moore of
Ripple Effect who took advantage of this old practice. There was a blissful
handfasting, which took place just as the sun rose up in all its fullest golden
glory, Ernie and Moyra, ex-Lindisfarne harp player and his lovely new bride.
Some traditional traveling people stepped forward with their small son for a
naming ceremony, and likewise some peaceful Wiccan folk with their new baby.
Did we miss being in the Stones? Well, yes of course, but we had our turn of
being there the year before in 1998m when quite honestly we were very upset at
being the only ones allowed in there, and had vowed at the time that we weren't
going back again unless the general public was allowed in as well.
This time, in 1999, the general public understandably felt that if they didn't
demand their rights of access, it was never going to be given them, and so a
small minority led the rest on to take the Stones. We cannot comment on this,
other than to say that we spent a year trying to convince English Heritage and
the police that such an outcome was very likely to be on the cards if they
carried on pursuing an “us and them” policy of Druids only access. Events
have now proven that only an “open access for all” policy is likely to work
at Stonehenge in the future.
So, no we didn't mind being on the old festival field at all really. In fact if
anything we were really thrilled to be working with the people again, and have
an audience which genuinely enjoyed taking part in the ceremonies and
celebrations with us, in an open friendly safe space, where the shenanigans
across the road could have been a million miles away.
SEAHENGE
LETTER TO THE TELEGRAPH
Dear Sir,
It is with regret that I write to inform you of recent developments on the
Norfolk coastline at Holme-by-the-Sea. Your newspaper gave excellent coverage of
the rediscovery of the 4,000 year old oak circle on the shoreline, and attempts
by local people to preserve it in situ.
Unfortunately, in the name of preservation, English Heritage has taken a
chainsaw to the central alter trunk and removed 26 of its 55 posts with a view
to putting it in a museum at Peterborough and charging money to see the remains.
On the 1st July I visited the site in my official capacity and read
out a Druidic proclamation claiming Seahenge as one of our early proto-druidic
sites of worship, and possibly the only intact oak grove not destroyed by the
Romans, whilst also demanding that English Heritage call a halt to their project
and return the vandalised posts.
They have responded by applying to take out injunctions against all those
involved in trying to protect this ancient and valuable sea altar, myself
included, at King's Lynn, on Tuesday.
It seems that the Secretary of State has a problem. English Heritage no longer
comes under the Dept. Of the Environment, with the emphasis on “preserve”,
but under the Dept. Of Culture, Media and Sport, with its emphasis on “sell”.
Chris Smith is the man in charge.
So far he had deliberately failed to schedule Seahenge as an ancient monument,
despite its 4000 year bona fide, in order not to have to consult with local
people, religious representatives and independent archaeologists on the best way
of preserving the temple where it is.
He has also laid claim to a structure which is between high and low tide, and
therefore the property of the crown, and not his to dispose of.
We, the Druids of Britain, now some 20,000 strong, have already noted Mr.
Smith's failure to consult with us on such important matters as the proposed
cut-and-cover tunnel at Stonehenge.
Seahenge, though small, is we believe as unique and important a part of our
cultural heritage as is Stonehenge or Canterbury Cathedral. Would any sane
right-minded person seriously consider chopping them up and relocating them?
Seahenge is a little jewel set in the midst of a magnificent coastline. It
belongs to the people of Norfolk. Its purpose is intimately bound up with where
it is. As a site of specific living temple of our ancestral tradition, we
respect the ancient and legal right of religious assembly there, and defy Mr.
Smith and his chain saws and mechanical diggers.
We can hardly hold sea ceremonies in a museum twenty miles inland.
Yours Faithfully
Rollo Maughfling.
ROYAL COURTS OF JUSTICE, THE STRAND
TUESDAY 6TH JULY, 1999
Case originally scheduled for King's Lynn, suddenly transferred to the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand. English Heritage attempt to take out an injunction against all those actively involved it the Seahenge removal protest.
Throughout the hearing, they refer to it constantly as the “oak-timbered
circle at Holme Bay”. Buster Nolan and Des Crow, pioneer protesters, stood to
be injected form interfering with the break-up and removal of our only surviving
oak grove. Myself and Geoff Needham, a local parish parish councillor and
pensioner, had not in fact interfered at all with Norfolk Archaeology Unit's
English Heritage sponsored excavations.
After listening to an hour and a half of EH barrister's legal waffle about
anything but Seahenge, the judge Mrs Justice Arden, responded favourably to
Buster Noplan's request on behalf of the defence to explain to her what had
actually been going on up on the Norfolk coast.
Buster and Des produced copious amounts of photographic evidence in support of
the fact that it was not responsible to pull up and desecrate a complete ancient
tree circle, when examining and replacing, a couple of posts would surely have
been sufficient.
The judge was impressed with their presentation, but bound by the terms of the
English Heritage Act, to go along with what the appointed government agency was
proposing.
However, she accepted the petitions from myself and Geoff Needham, that we
should be excused from the injunctions on the grounds that we had only sought to
publicise the matter, and not to interfere with the removal works. We were both
awarded costs against EH.
However, in her summing up, she made one of the most important legal statements
on record. To the effect that in the future EH should consult with independent
archaeologists, local people and, in particular, religious representatives,
especially the Council of British Druid Orders and their spokesperson, the
Archdruid of Britain, in any further matters relating to the discovery of
prehistoric and ancient sacred sites in Britain.
English Heritage and their chief archaeologist appeared somewhat miffed, not
least in of the fact that it had come out in court that they had taken a chain
saw to the central upside down tree, a massive altar lime structure and removed
a four foot slice of it, this ruining it forever.
There were journalists scribbling and photographers clicking away everywhere.
But when next day we looked in the papers, there wasn't a mention of it
anywhere. I spoke to a top London Lawyer who had helped us with the defence, and
remarked on this curious fact. “Oh well, its been D-noticed!” He said
matter-of-factly, thereby saving me the bother of any paranoid fantasies. So,
never mind the old adage “justice should not only be done, it should be seen
to be done!” English Heritage remain a law unto themselves, as we have always
warned.
KEN KESEY AND THE MERRY PRANKSTERS
PRESENT “THE QUEST FOR MERLIN”
(Channel 4 advertise it extensively, but then the government D-noticed it, for some reason)
Yes, Prankster time hit Britain this summer, and combined in a big way with Druid time, especially for the time of the eclipse, down in Cornwall.
On August 4th we were thrilled to receive an invitation from
Chrysalis TV and Channel 4 to come down to Cornwall and meet Ken Kesey, author
of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest”, and veteran '60's acid guru and shamen/
showman.
He had decided, after 35 years, to revive the original psychedelic “Magic Bus”,
or rather a new version of it, and come to Britain with his family and camp
followers, including some of the Grateful Dead, in order to witness the eclipse
from somewhere in Cornwall for the eve of the millennium, and meet Merlin.
In fact, the invitation had come directly from him, as we later learnt, because
someone had sent him copies of Druidlore magazine, and he had drawn his own
conclusions from them as to whom he was actually going to meet.
The invitation said “come to Minack Theatre for Monday 9th August
through the eclipse, and then to Boscawen-Un stone circle for Thursday 12th
August!”
Well, we did all that, photographs and story to appear in Druidlore 2000
millennium special magazine, and suffice it is to say here that we thoroughly
enjoyed Ken's “Where's Merlin? Review” and had a good time holed up at
Cornwall's magnificent open air cliff theatre, playing music and celebrating
with ex Grateful Dead people and Kesey Folk, Merry Pranksters one and all.
Then on the Thursday after the eclipse, they all came to Boscawen-Un stone
circle for the official Merlin return match.
The Spacegoats were there. King Arthur Pendragon was there. Leading members of
the Cornish Pagan and Druid communities were there. Even Californian West-coast
Pagans were there. Ken Kesey was Knighted by King Arthur, and afterwards became
Sir Kay. Many other Pranksters and local people were similarly knighted. Merlin
spoke, and gave revealed his Celtic origins and background, and prophecies for
the future of Druidry, as it was always known he would do , on the eve of the
millennium.
All went well, really well, on a beautiful sunny day, with Ken Kesey doing a
collective I Ching ceremony before hand, and Spacegoats and Hamish playing
enchanting music for us all afterwards.
And then we waited for the TV coverage, and when it came, it was lime the
conspiracy to cover up the sixties, and pretend that they never happened, i.e.
apart form King Arthur and the Knighting of Ken Kesey, nothing else was shown.
Apparently what happened was this. On the Wednesday night after the eclipse, Ken
Kesey did a magnificent television piece about Stonehenge, calling it an
astounding place of ancient ceremony and celebration.
By midnight, English Heritage and Culture, Media and Sport bosses had panicked,
thinking that this broadcast might trigger off a millennium occupation of
Stonehenge. What concerned them more, was that this “passing yank” might be
seen to be discussing Stonehenge matters with the CoBDO Stonehenge officer, so
they D-noticed it, even though in practice Ken and I never even mentioned
Stonehenge in our discussions together. For the full story, for those who
believe that the sixties were a time of extraordinary cultural change and
diversity, and that Kesey did meet Merlin on the eve of the Millennium, see
Druidlore magazine no. 3, the Druidlore Millennium Special, appearing May 1st
2000.