Sparky's Hitchin View: Walk The Ley Line

By Layth Yousif

14th Oct 2021 | Local News

St Mary the Virgin in the village of Great Wymondley. CREDIT: Sparky
St Mary the Virgin in the village of Great Wymondley. CREDIT: Sparky

'There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.'

William Shakespeare, Hamlet, 1.5.167-8

............

Let's get quizzical and study some pataphysical science near our home, shall we?

But first a question: what connects Hopton in Norfolk, a megalithic promontory fort at Carn Lês Boel near Land's End in Cornwall, the Templar's Cave in Royston, the Avebury megalithic site in Wiltshire, Glastonbury Tor and the site of a Roman bath house near Hitchin?

The St Michael Alignment: Britain's most famous ley line, that's what

Its alternative title - The Michael Mary Line (MML)- reflects the fact it is apparently made-up of several layers: The St Michael Alignment itself, The Michael Current and The Mary Current.

But before looking at ley lines in general, we need to consider what it is that connects this particular one with St Michael.

Well, firstly, it marks the orientation of the sunrise on the 'Feast Day of the appearing of St Michael' on May 8.

More curiously, it passes through - or very near to- an extraordinary number of sacred and holy sites in southern Britain on its route south-west, many of which are dedicated to this Archangel: enough, some say, to suggest a pattern and a link that is beyond mere coincidence.

However, despite the apparent antiquity of ley lines- 'ley' being the Anglo-Saxon word for a clearing in a wood - the hypothesis itself is actually relatively modern, having been first proposed by the Herefordshire photographer and naturalist Alfred Watkins in his 1925 book 'The Old Straight Track'.

Other refinements to the theory then followed later in the twentieth century.

The belief that there are lines channelling a magnetic Earth power is one that is found elsewhere in the world too, most famously in China.

There, the existence of the Dragon Current - that comprises of the familiar opposing energies of yin and yang - remains central to the followers of the art of feng shui.

Watkins theorised that the power of ley lines can be felt or divined and as a result they were used as an ancient navigational tool.

In time the earthworks or stones placed along the length of such lines became sacred meeting places, many of which were subsequently later claimed by the Christians for their churches; many of these still stand today, 'marking the spot', as it were.

But before we all get too excited it might be worth getting a slightly more objective definition of ley lines, so according to the Oxford Dictionary they are 'an imaginary line that is believed to follow the route of an ancient track and to have special powers.'

To say that academia is not over-enamoured with ley line theory would be an understatement and even to the non-scientific majority they will forever remain in the realm of pseudo-science: a world where those solid foundations of quantifiable evidence, tested theory and peer review are handily overlooked in favour of finding meaning where none really exists.

A similarity they share with other beliefs, perhaps, such as ghosts, deities or even feng shui.

But whatever your own view- and I'm actually with Hamlet on this one - if, like me, you love our local landscape and also can't resist a good mystery, the presence of this major ley line nearby gives us the chance to look at some of our familiar and favourite places in a whole new light.

So, firstly let's consider where the main arrow-straight St Michael Alignment actually flows on its journey through the district.

It enters the area from Royston, just scraping the far-from-sacred Junction 11 of the A1(M) at Letchworth Gate. It then passes over the fields south of Letchworth, via Willian, to the scheduled Roman site in Purwell.

This is then followed by a dive into the water of the fishery at Coots Corner, crossing Masefield and yes, St Michaels Road (!) before travelling through the Oakfield Estate.

It's then through Sunnyside, Whitehill School, and after crossing the Stevenage Road it heads out of town via Conquest Close, London Road, Gosmore Road and Priory Way.

Passing just north of Well Head in Charlton, it's then up the scarp slope to Offley Hoo Farm, before bidding us farewell as it then heads off to Lands Ends via Luton and numerous other sacred landscapes.

However, it is the less linear and more erratic route of the 'Mary Current' - that swerves around the St Michael Alignment throughout its entire journey - that particularly caught my eye hereabouts, and this strong connection between St Michael and St Mary is firmly established in the bible for those who are interested.

And just like those opposing forces of yin and yang in the Dragon Line, the feminine Mary Current apparently counterbalances the more masculine energy of St Michael.

Near Little Wymondley, the Mary Current cuts through the site of the 12th century priory with its chapel of St Mary and own holy well, and then goes on to skirt the sites of some Roman dwellings, the motte and bailey and the charming church of St Mary the Virgin (see picture) in the village of Great Wymondley itself, representing quite a cluster of interest.

The current then runs near the atmospheric ruins of Minsden Chapel before piercing the heart of the Princess Helena College buildings in Preston at Temple Dinsley.

In the 12th century this was the site of a prominent Knights Templar preceptory, the Mary Current connecting it with the famous Royston cave whose walls are resplendent with numerous mysterious crusader carvings.

Some 57 per cent of parish churches in the deanery of Hitchin are also dedicated to St Mary, compared to a lowly 24 per cent in the neighbouring alignment-free deanery of Hertford, and despite looking I can still find no clear reason for this anomaly.

Was this just a local medieval trend or was there something else influencing their choice of this particular saint for these churches' dedication?

As I said earlier, wherever you stand on the ley line, it would appear that the MML certainly seems to pass through more than its fair share of intriguing sites in this area as well as elsewhere.

Is this down to coincidence, wishful thinking, or both? Or does something other than science hold the explanation?

I guess we will never know, and it may be all down to just wanting to believe, as man is often wont to do.

And finally, the main St Michael Alignment passes right through the BP/ M&S site on the Stevenage Road, a well-known draw for crowds looking for sustenance, enlightenment and maybe even unleaded.

And who was the patron saint of the old Marks and Spencer's brand?

Why, it was St Michael, of course

All-in-all, perhaps it's just another intriguing wonder of our beautiful district to consider whilst out on our wanders…

     

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