Montol 2014

Montol 2014

 Reviewed by Alex Langstone. Photography by John Stedman.
First published in Meyn Mamvro 88, Autumn 2015

At the Winter Solstice 2007, a Penzance folk festival, missing from the Cornish calendar for over one hundred years, was re-born. The modern festival is called Montol and seeks to revive some of the ancient mid-winter and Victorian Christmas customs of Cornish culture. The name "Montol" or “An Vontol” means Winter Solstice according to the Cornish language site Teer Ha Tavaz, and is taken from Edward Lhuyd’s MSS Vocabulary from 1700. The festival has undergone many transformations since it began eight years ago. In the beginning was a festival full of Cornish culture, reviving the Victorian Christmas traditions of Guising, and blending it with older pagan traditions of the Winter Solstice. Over the years, different formats and ideas have been tried to greater and sometimes lesser effect. However Montol 2014 saw a welcome return to the festivals origins.

            In the early 1800s, Penzance could boast a Christmas tradition like no other. Guise Bands would cause misrule around the town, and the most well-known of these were the Corn-Market Revellers and Tinkerlers Shop and in the 1830's the Corn-Market Revellers became the most notorious guise band in the whole of Cornwall. The President of the Royal Society wrote about them, the great Christmas books of the era spoke of them highly and they were even mentioned in the Times. William Sandys wrote about the Corn Market Revellers, and much of what we see today is based on his observations.

            
 The modern guise bands, now fully revived and renamed as guise guilds, are flourishing. ‘The Glorious Company of the Egyptian House’, ‘The Corn Market Revellers’ and ‘The Noble Company of the Turks Head’ are the official Montol guilds and they seek to continue the Cornish guising traditions so beloved of Victorian Penzance. Colourful and unusual guise costumes are worn, giving a feel of mystery, unease and misrule. Alongside the costumes of the guilds are the guise beasts. Again William Sandys observed ‘Old Penglaze then comes in on his horse which winces and capers about grotesquely’. In 2014 these beasts have mutated into an interesting and highly mysterious cast. ‘Old Ned’ the crow appears throughout the evening dancing covertly with his teaser to the jingle-jangle of many bells. ‘Ramesses’ the ram-skulled beast of the Glorious Company of the Egyptian House moves between guisers adorned in Egyptian masks and headgear to the haunting sound of a hurdy-gurdy. ‘Kasek-Nos’, the nightmare ‘Oss is teased and conjured from the Admiral Benbow pub, to lead the 10pm procession, which winds its way down to the docks, where a fire is lit and the mock is chalked, before being ceremoniously burned on the Montol fire, symbolising the end of the old and the beginning of the new.

           
Montol 2014 was a spectacular event, full of colour, music, misrule and mystery. The great thing about this festival is the community focus on participation. Alongside the Guise Guilds are many other guisers, who made the night a cornucopia of bizarre artistry, all upon the same collective Montol theme of guise and misrule. Most importantly this community festival brought many folk together from across Cornwall. Penzance truly came alive on the winter solstice of 2014, helping to bring light from dark and colour, music and dance from the deepest recesses of winter, as is the custom at this time of year.    

        

Montol is organised by the Cornish Culture Association. www.cornishculture.co.uk. 

Folklore of Cornish Holy Wells

This is the transcript of a talk I presented at the "Magic and Folklore" conference, hosted by the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic at the Wellington Hotel in Boscastle, Cornwall on Saturday 16th May 2015.

Folklore of Cornish Holy Wells 
Alex Langstone

Introduction

Holy Wells are wonderful places to visit. They exude the mystery and enchantment of the landscape, and can talk to us, bringing history and folklore alive. If you sit by a holy well for a while, they can bring a stillness and tranquility to our lives, and the liminal nature of these places can allow us a glimpse of another world. A world of miracles, fey-folk and magic.

There are 238 recorded holy wells in Cornwall, according to the Heritage Gateway, and roughly half of these are still in a reasonable state of repair. There are 135 listed by Cheryl Straffon in her book Fentynyow Kernow.

The subject of holy wells has become very fashionable in recent years, as the Holy Wells of Cornwall Facebook page will attest, and many more people are now visiting the sacred wells of Cornwall and elsewhere. But what separates a holy well from a drinking well and shouldn’t all water be seen as sacred and life giving?

In more ancient times a well or spring would have been a very important place for a community, giving access to fresh drinking water. These places in the landscape would have quickly become incredibly important and because of this, very special. The subject of folklore arises from everyday and mundane activities from the past, which over the centuries have become embellished through word of mouth story telling from one generation to the next. What once may have been an everyday mundane occurrence, such as collecting water from the old spring on the edge of the forest, has become something more, something special and even sacred! Add a Celtic saint or mythical beast and the well becomes even more of a place of wonder.

So when does a ‘well’ become a ‘holy well’? The three criteria commonly used today to separate these ancient fountains are:

1. Does the well have a saintly dedication?
2. Is the well associated with a nearby church?
3. Are there any folkloric tales linked specifically to the spring?

Source material and books 

The source material for most of this talk has come from ‘Ancient and Holy Wells of Cornwall’ by Mabel and Lilian Quiller-Couch. Mabel and Lilian compiled this book in the early 1890s from the extensive notes left by their father, Thomas Quiller-Couch. This important book is invaluable for anyone interested in the holy wells of Cornwall, and it contains lots of folklore recorded first hand by Thomas Quiller-Couch during the middle of the nineteenth century, plus many additions by Mabel and Lilian. Other books I have consulted include ‘Fentynyow Kernow’ by Cheryl Straffon, (1998). ‘Secret Shrines’ by Paul Broadhurst and ‘The Healing Wells, Cornish Cults and Customs’ by P.O. and D. V. Leggat (1987). Plus ‘Celtic Saints in their Landscape’ by Elizabeth Rees and Lives of the Saints: Cornwall and Devon by Nicholas Roscarrock.

Shared folklore themes 

Many holy wells have folklore asking visitors to leave an offering. St Non’s well at Pelynt has folklore stating that visitors should leave an offering, or the piskies (embodying the spirits of the dead) will follow you home. The tying of bits of cloth or other such stuff known as ‘Clouties’ is now common. Cornish dialect referred to these ‘clouties’ as ‘jowds’ (rags). Unfortunately the practice has now taken on an element of littering, with unsightly plastic and other non biodegradable tat being left, which completely misses the point. Cornish folklorist William Bottrell (1880), describes the practice at Madron Well:

“a piece rented off from some part of the clothes worn by the child or any other person using the Well, must be left near the water for good luck; ever so small a bit will do; this is mostly placed out of sight, alongside of the stream which runs from the Well”.

This practice was one of sympathetic magic - as the cloth rotted away, so the illness would diminish.

Quiller Couch (1894) records a strange custom where: “At some wells a cross of rushes or straw is floated on the surface of the water, to sink or swim as Fate decides. Coins were also left on a niche in the well, or cast into its waters as an offering; this custom seems to have entirely disappeared in Cornwall at least, although at one well, Jesus Well, St. Minver, it was a distinctly remembered practice: it was probably a much older custom than the dropping in of pins; for setting aside the fact that pins were not in use until the sixteenth century, there is never any mention in the old accounts of the skewers of wood or bone of former days being among the offerings to the naiad.”

There is, however some recorded folklore from the Fairy Well at Lelant, regarding bent pins as offerings. Again - Quiller-Couch (1894) records that people would go the well and throw bent pins into the water and make a wish.

In the west of Cornwall is a now revived tradition of Dolly Dunking or Baptism of the dolls. In the 1920s Cornish antiquarian A. K. Hamilton Jenkin wrote about an old custom for people to visit a particular well on Good Friday with their children to baptise their dolls. At the time of writing, he noted that the tradition was starting to die out, and by the middle of the century there is no record of it taking place at all. This custom has now been revived and takes place every Good Friday at Fenton Bebibell, on the Penwith Moors. There is also a similar revived custom at Figgy Dowdy’s Well, on Carn Marth, near Redruth and there is an old rhyme referring to the well which goes:

Figgy Dowdy had a well, on the top of Carn Marth hill, She kept it locked by night and day, Lest people should take her water away.

So probably best not to take any water away with you.

Bowsenning 

Bowsenning is a local dialect term for a custom or ceremony where people are immersed into the waters of the well to obtain a cure from insanity, or in some instances to receive the blessing of the holy wells saint. Several Cornish wells share this theme including St Cleer, Altarnun, The lost well of St Agnes at Chapel Porth and St Gundred’s well at Roche. Dupath well house is said to contain the remains of an immersion pool, where cures were sought.

The striking of a staff 

Another traditional piece of folklore which is shared by some of the Cornish Holy Wells is that of water miraculously bubbling up from where staffs were struck into the ground. This is usually connected to a saint, such as St Samson and St Petroc.

Healing and miracle cures 

The most common theme across the folklore Cornish holy wells is the theme of healing. Eye cures are very common, but many other illnesses could be cured by the sacred springs of Cornwall. Skin complaints, rickets and even madness are all documented.

The Holy Wells

I have deliberately chosen to document some of my favourite Cornish holy wells, and have concentrated on those with interesting folklore and localised oral traditions, mainly from mid and east Cornwall. I have split this section into three themes: Dark wells, Saintly wells, and wells of good fortune.

Dark Wells 

St Cuby, Duloe 

It is said that Cuby was born in Callington in around 480 AD. He set up a chapel by an ancient spring and carved a bowl with his favourite creatures seen on his travels.

When Cuby had finished carving he was very pleased with his creation; the little spring flowed into the granite basin, with dolphins carved about the edge and a griffin on the bottom section. Cuby decided to place a curse on the bowl, as he was concerned that it would be stolen. Therefore any one who had the arrogance to take Cuby’s basin from its holy site would suffer a terrible fate. For many generations the well’s neighbours respected the curse and left the font alone. Then one year, a nearby farmer decided to test the curse. He thought the tale about the cursed basin to be complete nonsense, so he took four of his prize oxen and a rope and set off for the holy well. On reaching the well the farmer tied strong ropes around the granite basin, and hitched them to his beasts. As they began to take the strain all of the oxen fell down dead on the ground. The curse had struck and the farmer had lost his greatest beasts. With this he returned to his farm with neither oxen nor his prize. In spite of this tradition, however, the basin has been moved, probably when the new road was cut, and was taken to the bottom of the woods on the Trenant estate; it now resides in the parish church, though it is not known if anyone has suffered the curse because of this.

Tregenna Chapel Holy Well, Blisland

Quiller-Couch reported that the well water was good for sore eyes, and that the field next to the woods, where the chapel stands is cursed against anyone who ploughs the land for crops.

“From generation to generation it has been believed that it should never be broken for tillage, and that whenever this was done some frightful disaster would befall the family of the person by whom the act was committed. This year (1878) there was grown in it a crop of corn; and in the time of harvest the son of the farmer, a boy of about ten years of age, whilst climbing up to take down a scythe, fell, together with the scythe, and falling on it cut his knee so severely that it was found necessary to amputate the leg above it, thus strengthening the superstition.”

This story is still told in Tregenna, and last year a resident told me that there was a farmer years ago, who ploughed the field above the chapel and within hours of doing it broke his leg so the field is still cursed and hasn’t been touched since.

St Nonna’s Well, Altarnun 

This well was once thought to have curative properties for the mentally ill. In former times the well served as a bowsening pool, which the unfortunates thought to be mad were thrown into it order to effect a cure. After immersion in the water, patients were then carried into the church for mass. Arthur H. Norway describes the practice in his Highways and Byways in Devon and Cornwall, published in 1904,

“The water running from St. Nunne’s Well fell into a square and close-walled plot, which might be filled at what depth they listed. Upon this wall was the frantic person set to a stand, his back towards the pool; and from thence, with a sudden blow in the breast, tumbled headlong into the pond, where a strong fellow, provided for the lunatic, took him and plunged him up and down, across the water, until the patient, by forgoing his strength, had somewhat forgotten his fury. Then was he conveyed to the church, and certain masses sung over him; upon which handling, if his right wits returned, St. Nunne had the thanks; but if there appeared small amendment, he was bowsened again and again while there remained in him any hope of life or recovery.”

According to Robert Hunt “The 2nd of March is dedicated to St Nun, and the influence of the water is greatly exalted on that day.”

St Cleer

St.Cleer Well lies in the heart of the village, a short distance from the church and the impressive well house is built of granite. Like St Nonna’s at Altarnun, the well was reputed to cure madness by repeated immersion. The well house was knocked down during the Civil War, 1642–1651, and Thomas Quiller-Couch reported that it was still in a ruined condition in 1850 and a local legend states that if any of the granite blocks were ever removed or stolen they would mysteriously find their own way back at night. The well house was restored in 1864. Thomas Quiller-Couch made enquiries as to any folklore associated with the well, but was only told “that there were many strange stories about it, and that it was still held to have miraculous virtues”

St Nuns or the Piskey well, Pelynt

This beautiful well sits on the side of a steep hill overlooking the Looe Valley at Hobb’s Park, Pelynt. The localised name appears to have been St. Ninnie's Well or the Piskies well. This well was rebuilt by Thomas Quiller-Couch, who recorded an old story from this well, which is remarkably similar to the tale told at St Cubys.

“An old farmer once set his eyes upon the granite basin, and coveted it; for it was not wrong in his regard to convert the holy font to the base uses of the pigsty. One day he drove his oxen and wain to the gateway above, with intent to remove it. Taking his beasts to the entrance of the well, and fixing his chains around the sculptured trough, he tried to drag it from its ancient bed. For a long time it resisted the tugs of the oxen, but at length they started it and pulled it laboriously up-hill to where the wain was standing. When nearly up it burst away from the chains, rolled down towards the well, and, making a sharp turn, rolled into its own old place. No one will again venture to displace it, seeing that ... a man thriving and well-to-do in the world never prospered from that day forward. Indeed, retribution overtook him on the spot, the oxen falling dead, and their owner being struck lame and speechless. No one since has been hardy enough to try the removal of the font.”

The well is famed for being used for divination, and bent pins were left in the bowl as an offering.

The Piskey legend 

The well is reputed to be guarded by an elf, and during the 1960s the Rev. A. Lane-Davies recorded how an old lady was horrified when her children brought home eight pennies they had found in the well. Greatly agitated, she sent them back instantly, saying she would not have piskeys in her house for untold gold. And a Pelynt girl told a story about anyone who visited the well without leaving an offering would be followed home by clouds of piskeys, in the guise of small night-flying moths, believed to embody spirits of the dead. So if you do visit this well, maybe consider a small offering of a small coin or a bent pin.

Dupath well

This beautiful well-house, sited in the valley below Kit Hill is the largest in Cornwall. It was built about 1500, by the Augustinian canons of nearby St German’s priory and stands over an ancient spring, believed to cure whooping cough. The well house contains the remains of an immersion pool for cure-seekers.

 A legend is attached to the well house that explains why it was built. There was a duel between two rival suitors for the hand of a local maiden. Gotlieb, a wealthy gentleman was the preferred choice of the lady's father, whilst the fair maiden herself loved a poor knight, Sir Colan. The fight was long and hard, but eventually Gotlieb was killed. Sir Colan then built the well to atone for his sins, but he soon died from a mortal wound inflicted during the fight.

Saintly Wells 

St Swithin’s holy well, Launcells

Known as St Swithins in the Dell, this is a beautiful holy well, set amidst beautiful woodland, which according to the church guide, pre-dates the church. Local oral tradition states that the Holy men of Hartland Abbey who raised the first great granite walls here, can still be heard chanting by the well. As with many Cornish wells, the water has the tradition of soothing sore eyes, and of general healing qualities and legend states that the well has never run dry. Nicholas Orme has St Andrew as the church saint as far back as 1403, so quite why Swithin is now listed is a bit of a mystery.

St Petroc, Bodmin 

The holy well of St Petroc, Bodmin lies in a hollow at the edge of Priory Park, and although it was restored in 2002, ironically it is now flooded due to the towns flood alleviation scheme, which in itself, paved the way for the restoration. Only the top lintel is now visible. However the well does have a wonderful tale attached to it. During the early part of the 20th century a wooden statue of St Mary was found hidden in the well. It is believed that it was hidden in the well from Cromwell’s troops during the Civil War. The statue was found to be in a remarkable state of preservation, maybe due to the miraculous virtues of the well? This remarkable statue was given to the Catholic community in 1908, and was sent to Buckfast Abbey for preservation and minor repairs. It is now kept at St Mary’s Abbey in Bodmin.

The miracles of Petroc are well documented. Two stories are told about Petroc and dragons. In one he showed kindness to a dragon by taking a splinter from its eye. In the other he banished the last dragon from Cornwall. It was terrorising the people in and around Padstow, so he bound his belt around it, led it into the sea and allowed it to swim away. Petroc arrived in Cornwall in 518 AD. He sailed into the Camel estuary and on his arrival he asked the inhabitants for a drink, they refused, so Petroc simply tapped his staff on the ground and a fresh water spring rose forth. This particular miracle is recorded in Nicholas Roscarrock’s Lives of the Saints, but surprisingly no holy well seems directly connected to this tale. However there are a few holy wells around Padstow, so maybe one of these has lost this wonderful folkloric tale?

The holy well in St Petroc’s church yard in Bodmin was at one time also dedicated to St Petroc, though now has a dedication of St Guron, who founded the site a few years before Petroc arrived. The holy well’s source rises under the church, and flows through the well house and then out into a drinking trough via two gargoyles. Though I wouldn’t fancy drinking this now, as heavy traffic from the towns main road rushes past within a few feet.

Little Petherick 

Petroc also had a cell at Little Petherick two miles south of Padstow. This is the spot in the wilderness that is frequently mentioned by his biographers that he retreated to. Here he built a little mill fed by the water of a creek which flows into the Camel, and a hermitage cell and chapel. He spent much time standing up to his neck in the water of the muddy creek, reciting Psalms.

Elizabeth Rees, writing in her ‘Celtic Saints in Their Landscape’, talks about the well at Little Petherick. She clearly states that this is the holy well of St Petroc. According to Nicolas Orme, this well was known as Nansfonteyn, meaning valley with a spring or well. Not listed as a holy well, but interesting because of its proximity to Little Petherick church, one of the holy places founded by St Petroc. Folklore states that that near his burial place is a Holy Well which has curative properties for the eyes. Petroc died at Little Petherick.

Cornwall Historic Environment Record does list a well at this location, but places it in a different location. The research continues on this possible lost holy well. It was somewhere in the vicinity of this well at Little Petherick that Petroc saved a Stag from the hunt. King Constantine was leading the chase, when Petroc stepped in and called to the stag. The animal hid behind Petroc and Constantine was so in awe he converted to Christianity on the spot. The road by the church is said to be haunted by the ghost of a robed monk-like figure. Some say it is Saint Petroc himself.

St Columba the Virgin, Ruthvoes

Columba was the daughter of King Lodan and Queen Manigild, both pagans. She became a Christian when the Holy Ghost appeared to her in the form of a dove. The Latin word for dove is 'columba'. When she refused to marry a pagan prince, her parents had her imprisoned. She escaped with the help of an angel and took ship for Cornwall but was followed by the prince. She landed at Trevelgue Head and was pursued through the forest which is now Porth Beach, and fled up the valley, past Rialton and Treloy until she was captured at Ruthvoes, two miles south of St Columb Major. There the prince cut off her head, and where the blood fell a spring gushed forth and the water following the course of her flight made the still unnamed river which empties itself on the north coast at Porth.

Orme points out that Ruthvoes meaning derives from the Cornish for "red bank", whose red soil may have suggested the location and manner of the martyrdom. She was buried at nearby St. Columb Major. Her feast falls on 11th November.

St Keyne’s well 

St Keyne was a pious virgin and one of the many saintly daughters of King Brychan of Brecon. She may have lived at Keynsham in Somerset, but founded St Keyne in Cornwall, (among other sites) in the late 5th century, and left her name to a church and a well there. The holy wells waters are said to give the upper hand to whichever of two newlyweds drinks the holy water first. St Keyne is said to have planted four trees at the well, oak, elm, ash and willow. All which were thought to have grown from one root.


St Samson’s holy well, Golant 

St Samson, a sixth century saint landed in Cornwall from Wales at the Camel estuary and travelled south along what is now called the Saints Way, and arrived at Golant, on the banks of the Fowey. The well house by Golant church is lovely and the folklore of St Samson states that it miraculously bubbled forth from where he placed his staff.

Samson performed many miracles whilst in Cornwall and the Golant locals asked him if he could rid their creek-side village of a fierce serpent that lived in a cave by the river. Samson found the cave and entered its dark interior, and upon disturbing the serpent, Samson wrapped his girldle around the creature’s neck, and catapulted it into the river. The serpent was never seen again. Samson then claimed the cave as his own. However he soon realised that he needed fresh water, so he tapped the roof of the cave with his staff and from that day forth, fresh water has flowed into the cave.

Wells of Good Fortune 

Pipe well, Liskeard 

This miraculous healing spring, formerly known as St Martin’s Well, was first mentioned in the Borough documents in the 14th century. According to Margaret Courtney in "Cornish Feasts and Folklore" there was a lucky stone which stood in the well, and if couples stood on the stone and drank the water, they would have a happy and successful married life. The stone also conferred magical powers to anyone who touched it. The following account of St. Martin's Well is from “the History of Cornwall” compiled by Hitchens and edited by Drew:

 "There is a house standing near the bottom of the town, which from its windows, gateway, and sculptured ornaments, appears to have been formerly connected with some religious establishment. Near this building issues the spring which supplies the inhabitants with water. The excellency of this salubrious fountain is deservedly held in high estimation. Conscious of its intrinsic value, the credulous inhabitants of former ages attributed to it some miraculous virtues, which fancy still continues to cherish with fondness, even to the present day. The source whence this water issued is acknowledged to be involved in a kind of indefinite mystery, so that even curiosity is content to let it remain unexplored. The stream on becoming visible is divided into three parts, all of which have some peculiar efficacy; but one branch far surpasses the others in its potent qualities. A stone that is deposited in the well is presumed by tradition to have a considerable influence over the matrimonial connections of any fortunate female, who, under given circumstances, and at an appointed time, shall have the happiness to touch it with her foot. These tales are still kept alive, and the ceremonials are practised by the young and thoughtless to the present hour."

Jesus well, St Minver

 According to Robert Charles Hope's The Legendary Lore of the Holy Wells of England (1893), the spring was visited by children suffering from whopping-cough, Quiller-Couch adding that children were dipped in the water. Quiller-Couch also tells us that:

 “People came from long distances to pay their devotions and use the waters, which were celebrated for many cures, and for the evils which befell scoffing unbelievers. Its virtues continued till late years. No longer ago than 1867, Mary Cranwell….who for a considerable period had suffered severely from a skin disorder, and could obtain no relief from medical treatment, fully believing, as she stated to the author, from the repute of the well, that if she bathed in the water with faith she would be cured of her disease, went to the place, and kneeling beside the well recited the Litany to the Holy Name of Jesus, and bathed the diseased parts in the waters. She received relief from the first application; and repeating it the prescribed number of three times, at intervals; she became perfectly whole, and has never since suffered from the same malady.”

Quiller-Couch continues…. “Coins were also left on a niche in the well, or cast into its waters as an offering; this custom seems to have entirely disappeared in Cornwall at least, although at one well, Jesus Well, St. Minver, it was a distinctly remembered practice”

The wells folkloric origins are from an unknown Celtic saint, who whilst travelling the area, became thirsty and struck his staff into the ground. The water bubbled up miraculously and the saint was able to drink. Maybe this is the origin for the story of Petroc and his staff that we spoke about earlier?

The Fairy well, Lelant 

The Fairy well, Lelant is dramatically situated high above Porth Kidney sands and is dedicated to St Euny. This enchanting well, which emerges from a rocky basin, before tumbling down to the beach far below, is widely known as a wishing well. To make the wishes work though, you must ask for them silently, never uttering them aloud. St Euny was celebrated at Lelant on February 1st. This well is very much hidden amongst the trees and foliage in its cliff side location. A truly elemental well.

Close by the well, the cliffs between Carbis Bay and Lelant are haunted by a peculiar humanoid figure called the “Cliff Creature”, who is seen walking with a strange swaying motion towards the cliff edge, only to disappear over the edge. He appears human but has a huge round head. Maybe he is the elemental spirit of the cliffs?

Holywell Bay and Cubert

The well in the cave at Holywell is one of the most unique holy wells in Britain. Only reached at low tide, this remarkable well is truly bound by the elements. The qualities of this healing place have seen miraculous cures over the centuries. The legend regarding the well is, that in olden times, mothers on Ascension Day brought their deformed or sickly children here, and dipped them in, at the same time passing them through the aperture connecting the two cisterns; and thus, it is said, they became healed of their disease or deformity. It would seem that other classes also believed virtue to reside in its water; for it is said that the cripples were accustomed to leave their crutches in the hole at the head of the well.

"This well has Nature only for its architect, no mark of man's hand being seen in its construction ; a pink enamelled basin, filled by drippings from the stalactitic roof, forms a picture of which it is difficult to describe the loveliness. What wonder, then, that the simple folk around should endow it with mystic virtues?" Thomas Quiller Couch.

Richard Polwhele, writing in 1803, is clear that it is the sea cave that pilgrims visited. He says: "In this parish (St Cuthbert) is that famous and well-known spring of water, called Holy Well, so named, the inhabitants say, for that the virtues of this water were first discovered on All Hallow's Day. The same stands in a dark cavern of the sea cliff rocks, beneath full sea-mark on spring tides. The virtues of the waters are, if taken inward, a notable vomit, or as a purgent. If applied outward, it presently strikes in, or dries up, all itch, scurf, dandriff, and such-like distempers in men or women. Numbers of persons in summer season frequent this place and waters from countries far distant. It is a petrifying well.” History of Cornwall, Richard Polwhele.

A legend of this well tells us that in 995 AD, Alchun, Bishop of Holy Island, took up the corpse of St Cuthbert, who was once abbot of Lindisfarne. In escaping the ravages of the Danish invasion, he and his monks resolved to transport the saint's relics to Ireland, but were driven onto the north coast of Cornwall where they settled and built the church at Cubert. Told by an oracle to take the sacred bones to Durham, they left, but not before the relics accidentally touched the well, communicating healing powers to the waters. However, the parish is named after the 8th century Welsh missionary St Cubert, so some confusion has arisen over the centuries, and the Cuthbert story may have been added to Christianise the sea cave holy well, though I doubt we will ever know for sure.


There is also some confusion to which of these two wells this story is about, though I suspect that it is the well at Trevornick holiday park, rather than the cave well at Holywell Bay. St Cubert’s Well at Trevornick lies by the golf course at the back of the holiday park, with clear footpaths. This holy well has been restored and is very atmospheric. J. Meyrick was of the opinion that the valley site (Trevornick Well) was where monks and pilgrims would stay when they visited and that this was the site of a restored 14th century chapel.

Mapping the Sun at the Hurlers

Mapping the Sun at the Hurlers

The Bodmin Moor archaeological event of 2013

Alex Langstone

 Above: Rainbow over the stones. (Pic. credit Alex Langstone)

Mapping the Sun, one of the Cornish archaeological events of the year ran from 16th – 24th September 2013. The event was an attempt to further understand our Bronze Age past from the perspective of the Hurlers stone circles and surrounding ceremonial landscape. Central to the event was the archaeological excavation of the ‘crystal pavement’, originally discovered in 1938 by the Ministry of Works during their excavation and scheduling of the Hurlers. I attended the first day, and went to a fascinating talk by Brian Sheen from Cornwall’s Roseland Observatory, on the astronomy of the area. Brian spoke about the Hurlers being an astronomical calendar, aligning to celestial events throughout the year, but particularly the winter solstice, where he believes that the three stone circles align to Orion’s belt, which rises due south of the Hurlers stone circles at the Winter Solstice. The Hurlers landscape calendar aligns to significant sites on the horizon. Due North is Stowes Hill, in the East, Kit Hill. Minions Mound aligns due south and in the West a series of Cairns.

Above: Brian Sheen's talk on the astronomy of the Hurlers (Pic. credit Anthony Piper)

The dig of the ‘crystal pavement’ was delayed by a couple of days due to the torrential rain, but eventually got underway, with the help of many volunteers. As usual, the dig has given us many more questions than answers at this early stage, including the obvious one; is this really a pavement at all, and as it appears to be made from rough local granite, where did the 1938 excavation get the idea of a ‘crystal pavement’? Some crystalline rock deposits were found in what appears to be a ditch each side of the ‘pavement’ so maybe this partially answers our question. Interestingly there is a small standing stone in the ‘pavement’, poking up at around the halfway point, and archaeologist Jacky Nowakowski has speculated that it may be a fixed point in the landscape to map specific stars in the sky, and astronomer Brian Sheen seems to agree stating that the monument is a giant landscape calendar used to predict the changing seasons and the movement of stars.

 Above: 'Crystal pavement' with upright 'pyramid' stone (Pic. credit Matt Clark)

Geologist Calum Beeson has suggested that this upright stone was once encrusted with black crystal, leading to the nickname 'crystal pyramid' during the dig. A full Geological report of the make up of this and some of the other stones will be forthcoming. The ‘pavement’ aligns directly to Rillaton barrow, former home to the wonderful Rillaton Cup, now housed in the British Museum. The dig has discovered that the ‘pavement’ does not directly join the two stone circles, and there seems to be a gap at each end. It is, however, widely thought to be part of the ceremonial architecture of the site, and two prehistoric stone tools were discovered alongside the ‘pavement’. Dig director James Gossip has said that samples taken from underneath the stones will be sent off for radio carbon dating, to help to verify that the ‘pavement’ is contemporary with the stone circles. The week long event also held a ‘lighting up the monument’ evening, where a team of archaeologists and astronomers spread out across the ceremonial landscape around the Hurlers with powerful torches and using radio contact they managed to get a wonderful overview of how each ancient site related to each other and how they may have looked in the distant past when used for ceremony. Some photos of this can be viewed on www.macastrofix.info/?q=node/54.

Other discoveries during the week long event included a stone row north of the Hurlers (SX 25777 71812), where the stones are spaced apart about 8 to 10m in two parallel rows. The stone row aligns towards Kilmar Tor on a bearing of about 355 degrees. Dig geologist Calum Beeson pointed out that the stones in the rows had been selected and placed so that their inner faces were covered in a black mineral layer called wad, which sounds very similar to the ‘pyramid stone’. There is much information to wait for now the dig has finished, and whatever we may think about this very special ancient landscape monument, and wider ritual landscape, I get a strong feeling that we are in for a few surprise.

Article first published in Meyn Mamvro No. 83 Winter/Spring 2014. Thanks to Andy Norfolk for the information on the parallel stone rows.

Pilgrimage at the Sacred Centre of the British Isles

On the eve of the worldwide release of Spirit Chaser on Kindle, here is an article I wrote for the Network of Ley Hunters Lughnasadh 2013 Newsletter. The article serves as a poetic overview of Spirit Chaser's subject matter and an introduction to the mysteries of St Bega.

Pilgrimage at the Sacred Centre 
of the British Isles 

 Alex Langstone 

In this short article I shall try and explain the symbolism and myth behind the legend of St Bega, and I will show the real reason why this half forgotten, obscure Celtic Saint has her cult situated at the sacred centre of the British Isles. In my recent book, Spirit Chaser, I have presented a collection of inspired poetic ideas which stem from the Irish legend that is St Bega. 

Born in Ireland in the seventh century, Bega deliberately placed herself right in the heart of the old Celtic Church, becoming one of the last of the great mystics and seers who braved the journey across the Irish sea to help spread the remnants of the ancient mystery of the Druids; thinly disguised as the archipelago’s unique take on the teachings of Christ, later known collectively as the Celtic Church. 

Having deliberately built her monastery at the geographical centre of the Isles, Bega was able to tap into the perennial wisdom of the land and more importantly, she was able to commune directly with supernatural beings and use intuition and inspiration to guide her unique path. Bega’s most important legend gives us a huge clue to all of this. Before she left Ireland, she was given a sacred artefact during a visionary experience. This relic, a metal ring, inscribed with a cross was to become central to the medieval cult of St Bega, and oaths were sworn upon the relic. This was housed close to the High Altar in St Bees Priory, up until the twelfth century. This ring is deeply symbolic of the geographical centre of the British Isles. 

Figure 1 - Celtic cross, a glyph of the sacred centre of the Isles. (Paul Atlas-Saunders) 

Firstly we have the description of a cross and a circle. This immediately brings to mind the image of a Celtic cross, which makes a superb representation of the centre of the Isles, with the four cardinal points leading us to the central hub of the land and sea. 

Today, this omphalos called St Bees is named after our seventh century Bega. In my book Spirit Chaser I recount an amazing modern day miracle associated with St Bega, the result of which was the manifestation of not one ring, but three. If St Bega’s story of how she came to be the keeper of the sacred ring at the hub of the Isles is hard to believe, this modern equivalent is incredulous! But it happened. Was I witness to a modern ‘miracle’? Yes, I believe I was. This trinity ring, which appeared out of nowhere under the cover of darkness at the eastern end of the church yard at Bassenthwaite Lake, her other great church site in Cumbria, gives us a clue to the true nature of what is really going on in the modern county of Cumbria, the ancient land of Rheged, at the very centre of the British Isles. 

The Trinity Ring represents the spiralling earth energies that spread out from the centre point, like the ancient Celtic Triscele found at Newgrange, we now have a modern physical representation or sacred glyph of these earth energies which spread out across land and through sea, encompassing Britain and Ireland. 

 Figure 2 – Left, the gold trinity ring which mysteriously manifested in St Bega’s churchyard at Bassenthwaite Lake. Right, Newgrange spirals form a Triscele. 

My own personal discovery of St Bega’s story and the folklore and legends surrounding her and the area in which she was most active, enable us to begin to understand the true nature of pilgrimage and the sacred art of poetic experience and mystical adventure. The land can speak to us, if we take the time to listen. Through ancient stories, myth and folklore we gain clues; and if we listen to our dreams and take note of portents, we are 

well on our way to discovering the real and ancient power of pilgrimage. 

Figure 3 – St Bega’s church at Bassenthwaite Lake is in many ways a more important focus of the cult of Bega today, than St Bees. It was here that the modern-day ‘miracles’ occurred. Bassenthwaite Lake is the home to many other paranormal manifestations and could be considered a psychic hotspot. (Paul Atlas-Saunders) 

  Figure 4 – St Bees Priory, close to the spot where St Bega first arrived in Britain during the 7th century. (Paul Atlas-Saunders) 

Just take a look at the recurring themes in the folklore surrounding so many of the Celtic saints from the fourth to the seventh century. The stories repeat themselves time and again, and they all seem to point towards the sovereignty and sacredness of the land. Bega sailed blindly from Ireland to Britain, and was taken directly to the central point of the Isles. In Cornwall we have the story of Columba the virgin, who gives her name to the villages of Columb Major and Columb Minor. It was close by to these settlements that she was beheaded by a jealous suitor. Where her head fell, a sacred well sprang forth. In East Anglia we have the tale of Etheldreda walking the land on her mission to found a monastery; she grew tired and pushed her Oak staff in the ground. While she slept the staff took root and grew leaves and branches. It eventually became a mighty Oak, which was venerated. These Dark Age stories really do give us a direct link to very powerful spots in the landscape, which may have been forgotten without the antics of these Celtic saints. Check out your own locality, it won’t be long before you will find your own variants of St Bega, St Etheldreda and St Columba along with stories of the miracles and mystery that is their spiritual legacy. 

Figure 5 -: The three rings of Bega, symbolising the sacred centre of the Isles. The central ring is focussed on St Bees Head, the middle ring, focuses on Cumbria and the Isle of Man, and the outer ring encompasses the archipelago from Orkney to the Isles of Scilly. 

Spirit Chaser Reviews

Here are two recent reviews of Spirit Chaser. The first was published on psychicquesting.com, the worlds premiere website for the Questing community, and the second appeared in North Lakeland's local paper The Keswick Reminder.

Spirit Chaser review by www.psychicQuesting.com webmaster. 

There are a surprising number of strands in Alex Langstone’s new book “Spirit Chaser”, intertwined and running like luminous DNA through the pages of the book. At the most immediate level this is a “psychic questing” story in the classic mould. We follow Alex on a series of journeys (both physical and psychic) around the British Isles and watch as the threads of synchronicity, symbolism and psychic experience weave a fascinating picture about some of the early Celtic Christian saints. Through traditional (though painstaking) research Alex is able to corroborate much of the information that is psychically transmitted. Even what is not immediately backed up adds entirely believable detail to the skeleton story. 

As well as this, however, he mixes in an imagined historical biography of Saint Bega – the focus of the book – and traces how she and her Celtic colleagues may have left a legacy for us in the present day. Still more, he breaks off his own narrative and hands over to “guest” authors such as Yuri Leitch and Gary Biltcliffe whose own impressive research is shown to dovetail seamlessly with Alex’s. This is a great example of an inclusive, co-operative attitude that breaks down the possessiveness that often stifles genuine sharing of information and which can only strengthen the questing community. 

Lastly the book is a meditation on the spiritual nature of the British Isles. As an Irishman living in England with three half-English, half-Irish children, I found this aspect of the book both surprising and touching in a way that I hadn’t expected. I was powerfully reminded that in those days the sea was easier to cross than the land and the communities dotted around the Irish Sea were far more connected than you would imagine. The ancient perspective probably inverted todays default view and envisaged the Irish Sea as the container and focal point rather than the land around it. 

In all of these areas Alex writes honestly and engagingly. In fact, at times he is probably too modest and does not accompany some of the more astonishing events with the fanfare that they deserve. He traces his own spiritual development as the quest unfolds and clearly illustrates how questing can provide a framework for this kind of inner exploration. In summary, this is a great addition to the questing canon and Alex is to be congratulated on a truly inspired and inspiring work.

The Keswick Reminder's review

Alex Langstone has produced a well-written clear account of his "Quest for Bega" a trail he follows with dedication from her birth in Ireland, through her escape from an arranged marriage to her arrival at St Bees Head. Then he makes his journey to the places in Rheged where she built churches and paid homage at the sacred stone circles dotted throughout the region. His story follows two threads, the first being Bega's early travels, the second being his tracking, along with a group of like-minded friends in the 1990s, of her journey of revelation taken almost 2,000 years earlier.

She lived t a time when the very early Christian church was establishing itself in a land devoted to paganism, druidry, fairies, goblins, strange beings and a host of ghosts and earth mysteries of various kinds which peopled the minds and practised their powers in the natural world, especially in the wooded areas where they lived. Christianity was wise enough to move forward hand in hand with the existing beliefs, that is, up until the "Synod of Whitby" which established a more Roman Church in 664 AD. St Hilda of Whitby along with St Aidan and St Herbert of Derwentwater were her contemporaries and met her at Hilda's Abbey, Whitby for this famous gathering.

The second thread is the strongest and longest. All of this 20th century group have fantastic psychic abilities, visionary experiences, strong pantheistic convictions, belief in the occult and had powerful visions in which St Bega and others appeared and spoke to them. The group gave detailed accounts of and meanings of: the stone circle near Keswick, the pagan/Christian cross at Gosforth, the stone circle near Penrith, the Bewcastle cross and many more holy or sacred wells.


This book will make a fitting present for anyone fascinated by the supernatural and is curious to learn more of the life of a much venerated Cumbrian saint,

Spirit Chaser exclusive art showcased

Exclusive art, which was specially commissioned for the book is to be showcased on the artists online gallery. Artist Paul Atlas-Saunders has nine brand new pen and ink illustrations, eight of which are exclusive to Spirit Chaser. The pen and ink drawings depict some of the key historic sites mentioned in the book. Illustrated below is Long Meg standing stone, a large monolith sited at Little Salkeld in the Eden Valley, Cumbria.

This large sandstone standing stone sits as an outlying stone at one of the finest stone circles in the north of England, the circle has a diameter of about 350 feet, the second biggest in the country. Long Meg is the tallest of the 69 stones, about 12 feet high, with three mysterious spiral symbols, its four corners facing the points of the compass and standing some 60 feet outside the circle.Being such an important and impressive ancient site, Long Meg and Her Daughters play an important part in the Spirit Chaser adventure.

Long Meg, Cumbria

Paul is also responsible for the exquisite front cover art, which depicts St Bega's arrival at the sacred centre of the British Isles. Entitled Alightment, the drawing is a vibrant and colourful image, which sets the tone for the book extremely well.

To view the Spirit Chaser art gallery, click here

Spirit Chaser is the true story of a psychic adventure that turned into an uplifting spiritual pilgrimage. In June 1989, the author began following a series of psychic messages and significant synchronicity that led him to discover the enigmatic mystery of St Bega, the sacredness of the British landscape and ultimately to experience the divine reality of the Celtic tradition of mysticism, miracles and magic.

Over a period of 17 years, the author has met many people who have helped him on this spiritual quest. People from many different backgrounds and traditions; a myriad web of seemingly unconnected folk, who through a strange and unconscious thread of fate have each contributed to this amazing story of psychic adventure, spiritual fulfilment and creative enlightenment.

Spirit Chaser takes us on a magnificent journey, a journey into the twilight past of seventh century Britain and Ireland. A journey into the heart of a modern day quest for the mystery that is the Sancta Bega; the sacred ring at the mystical centre of the British Isles.

Alightment by Paul Atlas-Saunders

Buy direct from the author here

Unrecorded Stone Circle Discovered on Bodmin Moor

SPECIAL EXCLUSIVE REPORT! On the 8th November 2009, Carole Young and I visited an unrecorded standing stone not far from Stannon stone circle at Harpurs Downs on Bodmin Moor. We had been alerted to this possible pre-historic stone by Cheryl Straffon, editor of Cornish earth mysteries magazine Meyn Mamvro and talented Cornish dowser Lana Jarvis. However we found much more than we expected and very soon we were asking ourselves if we had possibly discovered a hitherto unknown stone circle situated on a panoramic slope on the north-west edge of Bodmin Moor.

Unrecorded Stone Circle Discovered on Bodmin Moor

a preliminary report by Alex Langstone

above: the only stone still standing, showing a possible Summer Solstice aligment to Roughtor. Showery Tor can be glimpsed to the left.

The site lies on a small area of land between three minor roads which cross this area of moorland. The grid reference is SX1142 7984. As soon as we arrived at the spot, I could see that we were dealing with more than just a single standing stone. I immediately could see other fallen, half buried stones, which looked as though they made a circle. There are eight visible stones. One still standing, four clearly visible and three partially buried but obvious! They seem to form almost a perfect circle measuring approximately 22 metres west to east and 22 metres from north to south. The site appears to be aligned to the two nearby prominent peaks of Brown Willy (Bron Wennyly) and Roughtor. The large upright stone in the west aligns to the small flat stone in the east then onto Brown Willy. There is a largish recumbent stone in the north and a partially buried recumbent stone in the south. To the south east is Alex Tor. Roughtor is approximately east north east from the circles centre, which is where I made all the observations from.

 

above: Roughtor and Brown Willy (Bron Wennyly) punctuate the horizon

Most of the remaining stones are between the standing one in the west, moving along towards the north and east. The southern side of the circle only has one obvious buried stone remaining. HES does record a couple of hut circles in the vicinity at SX 1139 7998 but this site does not look like any of the nearby hut circles on the slopes of Rough Tor, plus it is much bigger than any of the localised hut circles.

above: one of the larger visible fallen stones

These now lost hut circles were shown on the 1908 6-inch and 25-inch maps but could not be found on the ground in 1973 or 1984 by the OS and RCHM fieldworkers. The site is now under pasture. The destroyed hut circles are associated with a nearby pre-historic field system. On a later visit in 2010, accompanied by Paul Atlas-Saunders, Cheryl Straffon and Lana Jarvis, we took more measurements and attempted to locate the hut circles. Using GPS, we clearly found that the proposed stone circle was nearby to the lost hut circles but importantly was not one of the remaining hut circles. We rechecked the measurements and dowsing suggested that there were originally 18 stones. The 'circle' is admittedly small by Bodmin Moor standards, but not very different in size from King Arthur's Downs circles. There are good views to both Brown Willy (east - equinox sunrise?) and Rough Tor (NE - summer solstice sunrise?). It is definitely not part of the hut circle complex that is listed on the HER (number 1921) at SX1139 7995.

above: overview of the circle looking west

Peter Herring, Characterisation Inspector for English Heritage comments - "the largest stone is indeed on a low stony bank, probably part of a prehistoric field system. Agree with you that it is a very nice position with views to Roughtor, Brown Willy and indeed Showery Tor. The other stones might conceivably be part of something interesting, perhaps a stone circle, and the stony bank may be later and reusing the largest stone in its line." 

In conclusion, this site needs to be verified, but my initial feelings are that it looks very interesting. I shall be conducting further experiments and observences from the site soon. I will report my findings both here and through HES and Meyn Mamvro.

This find was also recorded in Meyn Mamvro issue 74, page 20

The Berwyn Mountains of Poetic Adventure

I first became interested in the mysteries and folklore of the Welsh borders in 1990 when I was very fortunate to witness an amazing paranormal manifestation at Pistyll Rhaeadr, a spectacular waterfall dramatically sited in the mysterious Berwyn Mountains. This small range of heather clad mountains, virtually unknown outside north-east Wales has a rich and diverse folklore and mythology. The area lies west of Oswestry and is bordered by the Dee valley and Llangollen. It is an area of outstanding beauty, natural history and mythology. Folklore seems to permeate every valley, hill and stream.

The Berwyn Mountains of Poetic Adventure

by Alex Langstone

April 1990.
Psychic questing surreal visualisations of piercing dragons, morphing into a blood-red waking-dream. Awake energy of old, awake! Primordial chaotic raw energy, released from the ancient Post Coch standing stone. Shadowy psychic stories fill my mind as we brave the elemental power of Gwybr of Llanrhaeadr. Twilight red creeps across the land, but no rosy sunset has been seen here. The ancient legend has been re-enacted and darkness has fallen. We seek the healing sanctuary of the Pistyll Rhaeadr.


We arrive at the Pistyll Rhaeadr waters of light. It is a dark night. The roar of the watery cascade is deafening. The white foaming cataract fluctuates between a ghostly white lady and a shimmering gateway beyond time and space. Indistinct creatures move in the darkness and a green dragon unfurls beneath the shadowy fronds growing around the plunge pool. This resplendent delightful place of natural beauty offers us the protective nourishing guardianship that we seek, and we are thankful for sanctuary. The sanctuary of Elen, the white lady of the rhaeadr. As we become accustomed to the dark surroundings and the constant reverberation of the falls several members of the assembly plunge themselves into the cool flowing waters of the Druid's Bowl pool, immediately beneath the ghostly deluge. Strange flickering lights are seen above and amongst the falling water. Many of us witness this simultaneously. Unseen presences are with us and we await with much anticipation as to what may or may not happen. A few stars shine down from a partially clouded night sky and the atmosphere of this beautiful place is powerfully charged and lively with cross-dimensional and mostly unobserved mystical activity. More silver flashing lights are seen at the top of the waterfall and something, possibly an object, is seen to be falling with the water for the briefest of seconds. Intangible and unsure, for whatever it was has disappeared. The ethereal cascade of the rhaeadr a constant mythic soundtrack to our nightime poetic adventure. We ritually wash our faces and hands in the river, purifying energies are released from the fast flowing water. Then three of us all see something dropping from the top of the falls, a small flash of light, like a starburst tumbles down with the water. What is it? What is happening? One of the group is in the water, then two, then me. We are searching for something. I then see a ripple of silver light in the water, then a larger flash of light just below the surface. Then I see a physical object bob up and down. A hand plunges into the water and an object in hurled into the cool night air, as it tumbles back towards the water it is caught. A turquoise Celtic cross. A gift from the waterfall. A gift from the spirit of the place. A meaningful gift for us all. For me it is a sign of the future, a symbolic representation of my esoteric poetic future. Goddess Elen thank you. (1)

Above: The Celtic Cross artefact, which mysteriously appeared
on the night of 22nd April 1990, at the base of Pistyll Rhaeadr.

April 2009.
After 19 years, my interest in Pistyll Rhaeadr has been renewed. During the first week of April 2009 I had a very vivid dream. I was standing at the base of a huge waterfall. It was twilight and as I looked up I saw a white stag standing above at the edge of the precipice. This powerful image stayed with me for many days until I realised its significance. My sister and her family had recently moved house, leaving the flat fens of Eastern England for the rugged Welsh border country. During a visit to their new house, I quickly realised that Pistyll Rhaeadr was their local beauty spot. I was intrigued and we visited the falls and a few days later, where I was able to re-live the drama of 19 years previously, when I had spent an intensely magical evening at the spot with Andrew Collins and friends whilst on a particularly meaningful part of the seven swords quest. More importantly, I was able to visualise my dream of a white stag peering down from the top of the waterfall. I also spent some time in Oswestry library, researching the area around the waterfall. It was during this library visit that I realised the significance of my dream, and what it meant.

The ancient abode of Gwyn.
The Berwyn (Bre Gwyn) Mountains above Pistyll Rhaeadr are very special. In Welsh mythology they represent the physical and geographical location of Annwn, the Celtic Otherworld, the place where the spirits of the dead reside in the mythology of the ancient Britons. The Otherworld kingdom of Annwn is ruled by the ancient British deity Gwyn ap Nudd - pronounced Gwin ap Neeth, king of the fae folk the Tylwyth Teg and patron of the land of the dead. He and his people live in a wonderful shining white palace beneath the purple Berwyn’s. Travellers on the moors of the Berwyn’s will sometimes suddenly be presented with this wonderful apparition and invited to join in the feasting and dancing. But anyone who chooses to do so remains in the palace of Gwyn. The only way to escape is to try to resist temptation and refuse the wonderful feast.

There are numerous old stories told about local people who went missing after a night on the Berwyn’s. The most famous of which is the tale of St Collen of Llangollen, who walked onto the mountains to confront Gwyn, armed only with a bottle of holy water. Challenged by Gwyn to step into the great halls of the dead, he accepted. He debated long and hard with Gwyn, refusing all offers of food and drink, and eventually the vision faded away into the mist and he returned safely. A jolly tale of medieval Christian one-up-manship. Gwyn’s powerful presence though has remained and the Berwyn Mountains still provide a stunning backdrop into the living presence of the Celtic Lord of Otherworldly adventures. It is easy to visualise Gwyn’s ghostly wild hunt flying across the night sky here. Indeed flying manifestations of another kind have been seen in these haunted hills. The area has been given the dubious title of Britain’s Roswell, due to the high profile UFO incident of January 1974. (2)

There are many references to the all powerful Gwyn on the Berwyn’s. Just above the waterfall is the summit of Post Gwyn (the great stone of Gwyn) and nearby the pass Bwlchgwyn. Above the stone is Cadair Berwyn, the seat or throne of Gwyn's glowing white palace . Cadair Berwyn is also the highest peak in the range standing at 830m (2,723 ft). Below the summit can be found Llyn Lluncaws, a lake where, according to folklore, a wise fish lives. This oracular lake sitting below the seat of Gwyn adds even more mystery to the area, and gives us tantalising glimpses into another world, which is truly easy to pass into in these beautiful hills. In Welsh folklore it is common to find the belief that entry into Annwn is through a lake on top of a hill or mountain. The area of land above the waterfall is intriguingly called Rhos y Beddau, the moor of the graves, and the land here is dotted with bronze age cairns. So Gwyn is linked to death and transformation where he guards the otherworld, his divine kingdom and ancestral home.

Gwyn is associated with other areas of Britain, most notably Glastonbury Tor, where an almost identical legend is told of St Collen. Back in Wales he is also identified with the Vale of Neath in the south (3) and with a dramatic hillfort sited by the banks of the River Dee near Corwen. Gwyn may also be associated with Cornwall. Gwynngala, the Cornish language word for September is beautifully poetic and meaningful; translating as white or blessed straw. The cereal harvest completes during September and the white straw stubble is left in the fields. The transformation of grain into food is underway and we are heading straight into autumn's decay. Yuri Leitch has connected Gwyn to North Cornwall at St Nectan's Glen via Gwyn’s father Nudd otherwise known as the ancient river god Neath or Nodens (4). He may also be connected to Carn Marth, a high hill in south west Cornwall which rises to 235 metres. The hill is part of the Carnmenellis plateaux, an area of rough moorland which includes other notable hills such as Carn Brea. The hill lies close to the village of Gwennap, and again Yuri Leitch suggests that this area echoes the ancient cries of Gwyn. So it seems that Gwyn may preside over parts of Cornwall, and I am tempted to link the autumn equinox with Gwyn via Gwynngala. It seems only right to have Gwyn as patron of September and autumn, as the Cornish language name for the month may suggest. It is also interesting to note that the feast of St Michael is celebrated on September 29th. Michael has replaced Gwyn at some of his ancient sites (such as Glastonbury Tor) and in many ways Michael and Gwyn share similar attributes. For example - Michael guards the gates of heaven, whilst Gwyn presides over the Celtic otherworld of Annwn. Both have fiery, glowing energies and both preside over high hills and mysterious places of immense power.

Above: White Stag by Yuri Leitch

The Sacred River Dee.
The importance of the river Dee in the folklore of North Wales is huge. One of the earliest recorded names of the Dee is the Deova, meaning the holy river of the goddess. The river is associated with the legend of the Fisher King, keeper of the Holy Grail and sovereign of the land. Welsh folklore links Castle Corbenic, the ancient domain of the Fisher King, with the site of Castell Dinas Brân, which sits high up on a hilltop overlooking the river Dee at Llangollen. This romantically sited Grail Castle can be seen for miles and dominates the surrounding river valley. Gwyn is also linked to the great river, as mentioned above. By the sacred banks of the Dee close to Corwen we find Caer Drewyn (Gwyn's Fort). Nearby at Cynwyd is the whitewashed church of All Saints at Llangar. The medieval building stands in an idyllic setting overlooking the confluence of the Dee and Alwen rivers. The church retains many ancient features, including extensive 15th century wall paintings, including a deer, a 17th century figure of death (below), old beams and old box pews.

There is a curious legend associated with the founding of the church site. The tradition is that Llangar Church was to have been built near the spot where the Cynwyd Bridge crosses the Dee. Indeed, we are told that the masons set to work, but all the stones they laid in the day were gone during the night and no one knew of their whereabouts. The builders were warned, supernaturally, that they must seek a spot where they found a Carw Gwyn (white stag). The following evening they glimpsed a white stag in a clearing at the rivers edge. The church was originally called Llan-garw-gwyn - the church of the white stag - from whence we get Llangar. Here we have the ancient mystical symbol of Gwyn ap Nudd on the banks of the sacred river Dee and on the edge of the Berwyn Mountains, his ancestral home.

Elen of the Rhaeadr?
I have been intrigued by the appearance of Goddess Elen at Pistyll Rhaeadr. There do not appear to be any legends of white ladies attached to the falls, as are found at numerous other waterfall sites across Britain. Yet Elen poetically appeared to us in 1990, and has appeared to me at the falls again more recently. I feel that this is a powerful portal into the energies that manifest as Elen. The Welsh word Elen actually means nymphe and Elin in Welsh translates as shining light. The English name Ellen comes from the Greek language and also means bright or shining light. This is similar to the meaning of Gwyn or Gwen meaning fair, bright or white. In old or middle Welsh and in modern Cornish Gwyn also has the meaning of holy, pure, blessed and sacred. The feminine form, Gwen, is the root of Gwenhwyfar, the original Welsh form of Guinevere. Maybe these are tantalising clues as to the true identity of the guardian goddess of Pistyll Rhaeadr?

Whatever the case, the Berwyn Mountains are a poets dream. A thin place, where time slows and the space between the spaces expand to allow us glimpses and experiences from other dimensions. Pistyll Rhaeadr is the luminous liminal gateway to a fantastic realm, where the imagination becomes real and communication between the worlds is significant.

At this time of Samhain, the waterfall can be used as a meditational aid to gain access to the abode of Gwyn, where our ancestors impart their wisdom and give comfort to those who seek it. Allow the White Stag to guide you across the veil to where our ancient ancestors reside. Unlike St Collen, we can now begin to understand the real meaning behind the ancient teachings of Gwyn. May we gain the wisdom and understanding of those whom we have loved who have gone before us.

Notes.
(1) See chapters 64, 65 and 66 of The Seventh Sword by Andrew Collins.
(2) See http://www.uk-ufo.org/condign/berwart.htm for an article by Andy Roberts on the 1974 Berwyn UFO incident.
(3) See chapter 7 of Gwyn by Yuri Leitch.
(4) See page 77 of Gwyn by Yuri Leitch.

Thanks to Yuri Leitch and Dr. Angelika Rüdiger for providing inspiration and for putting me on the correct pathways.

Also published in Samhain 2010 Mirror of Isis here