I have just finished a Phil Rickman book, one of his latest called 'The Fever of the World' , which is of course Covid. But the story brought together several strands which I looked up last night. Wordsworth was mentioned as was Alfred Watkins, he of the 'Old Straight Track' which is about ley lines that run across the country linking special places on their way. For instance, churches, standing stones and circles, old trees everything that will in fact fall on the straight line made by a ruler on a map. You can find a fascinating essay on him here, one of those energetic 19th century characters that experimented with photography.
The Rickman story line centred round Symonds Yat, one of those beautiful landscape photo opportunites of our countryside. Symonds Yat is a rocky outcrop looking down on the beautiful ox bow shaped river Wye as it winds round the countryside. Apparently not too far away is the prehistoric 'Queen Stone'. A deeply vertically scored stone of Old Red Conglomerate, These scars are made by rain over time, you can find
tall similar stones in Yorkshire as well near Harrogate. Stories have built up round the Queen stone being a sacrificial stone and this is where the main protagonists end up.
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| Taken from Herefordshire History - The Queen's Stone |
Druids and the unexplained have always figured in the Merrily Watkins series, and his books always make a good read, probably me analyising the book does it no favours, all the critics think it is wonderful, marvellous, etc, etc. And of course Rickman had been ill with a stroke and his output had shrunk, so new books were like gold dust to his many fans.
The Queen Stone is definitely a scary looking stone but strangely enough has not built up much folklore around it, though has been called the 'Womans stone'. I leave the book with a map of the area on which one can dwell on the main sites used in this part of Herefordshire, which is, somehow, and I can't quite put my finger on it, is completely lost in its historical past, almost like a fog you can't quite see through.
An earlier blog of 2007 on sacred space
Guy Underwood took a lot from Alfred Watkins, and John Michell took everything he had on the subject from both. Are you sure that the deep lines in the Queen's Stone are made by rain alone?
ReplyDeleteNo I am not sure, it just as easily be a geological feature Tom. The Devil's Arrow stones outside Harrogate are worn through rain but only a part of the top of the stone figures deep fissures. Are you interested in what some might refer to as the woo-woo of prehistory, but which is of course a very interesting part. John Michell had a big following, writing on the subject and there is also of course Paul Devereux - Spirit Roads.
ReplyDeleteI knew John Michell when he lived in Bath - or when he lived at all. He was a big dope-smoker. He made me aware of Alfred Watkins, who I found a bit more believable. What is the 'woo woo' of history?
DeleteSmoking dope probably helped in his particular vision and sadly he died of lung cancer. The wiki describes him as esoteric and he was an interesting personality in his thinking. Woo-woo thinking is the term for 'Earth Mysteries' , the Glastonbury lot, of whom you must know;). It is a fascinating subject Ufology and crop circles etc,etc. The Westbury UFO mixed up with mysterious landings making crop circles.
DeleteAnyway here is his Wiki.... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Michell_(writer)
I tried a Phil Rickman book a while ago and didn't get on with them.I wonder if I should try again.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely Sue, there are plenty of stories to get your teeth in, though not literally of course! See Jennie below.
DeleteThis is on my coffee table, waiting for me to finish reading the 2nd one of his (originally published under a pseudonym) I bought on Kindle. (Mean Spirit and The Cold Calling, both sharing a new set of protagonists and very good light reading). I love them as much as anything as I know the Border areas where these books are all set so the mind's eye has a clear picture of the setting (Mean Spirit is set round Arthur's Stone near Bredwardine). Sue in Suffolk - do try again. Some of his earlier work didn't flow so well but the Merrily ones are excellent. As Thelma said, us fans have had a total famine because of PR's stroke. I think my reference book collection and PR's have a lot in common!!
ReplyDeleteHaven't tried the two you mention, and as you say PR uses the reference books we have used in the past.
DeleteWhat a totally fascinating post. I have not heard of any of these writers or their books but they sound like my kind of book so thank you for sharing. I love Symonds Yat although I understand the Wye has become a very polluted river recently although not sure if it is the whole river or just a section lower than the Cat.
ReplyDeleteYat not Cat damn spell check!
DeleteThere has been an outcry about our polluted rivers, farms are often blamed for the runoff off the land. It is a shame for the Wye, a very beautiful river.
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