Places of the spirit - sacred stones

In 1998 I went to visit my sister in Cheddar, UK, for the first time. This trip was special as I was travelling on my own having left the children at home with my parents. (Geoff was off on one of his “spiritually uplifting” holidays - windsurfing with friends in Maui). One of Sue and my favourite pastimes on that trip was to explore the countryside around Somerset/Devon using the Ordnance Survey maps. We had no children to keep entertained and therefore could wander at will...luxury! The Ordnance Survey maps have almost everything imaginable marked on them from houses to ruins to stone circles and tumuli. I was particularly curious about the prehistoric sacred sites and so was keen to explore the countryside on a mission to find as many as I could. We had spent the day up on Exmoor, lunched at Porlock Weir and were driving up the old toll road towards the main road when I noticed a standing stone marked on the map not far off the road - we decided, naturally, to see if we could find it. It was early evening in June - the light was soft and muted. As we walked along the path to the stone we noticed the vegetation had changed to a woodland of very dark, low trees. It was eerily silent and brooding. The Culbone Stone as it is called was standing in the middle of a tiny clearing, completely on its own. It had a wheel cross inscribed on it which seemed strangely out of place. Around its base the grass had been flattened as if people had been standing or dancing there. No one was about and I had the distinct impression we were trespassing on forbidden territory - the atmosphere was “watchful”. This was a place of ancient spirits from a time long ago. We stayed long enough to take a photo and then retreated hastily. It had been a very wierd but nonetheless hugely spiritual place.

While preparing this post I was able to discover that the Culbone stone had been discovered in 1940. The wheel cross was incised around 7th to 9th Century. Apparently it is located close to a stone row which implies however that the stone had once been a prehistoric monument that had been Christianised. Was the surrounding ambience of that woodland resentment perhaps? Click the search button at the Megalithic Portal to read how TimP describes his impressions of the Culbone Stone and includes a photo taken from a slightly different angle. Some people commenting on his photo claim to see a face - check out his article.

Comments

[Anna]

I found this a very interesting post. By reading it, it gave me a sudden urge to jump onto a plane and fly to England to check it out. I am one of those people who are very interested in witchcraft, magic and magical places. When next i travel to England i must check out this place. I will also keep looking at your weblog, in my personal opinion i think it is very well set out, very interesting and well written. Keep up the good work.

[Tvindy]

I'm curious if you noticed the likeness of the face when you were there. It seems quite clear in your photo and even clearer in the one on the Megalithic Portal page. I would imagine that if you were not conscious of it, it could have had a strong, and perhaps frightening, subliminal effect on your perceptions of the stone. Also, does it look as if the face was actually carved there by people, or is it just a coincidence, like the face on mars? It looks like the texture of the face is different than that of the rest of the rock.

[Beth W.]

Buck & I will be on the Isle of Arran in Scotland this September. The "standing stones of Machrie" on Machrie Moor there are somewhat famous. I am especially looking forward to seeing them now that I've read this post, and will be sure to send you a photo!