Stonehenge

 

Stonehenge

                         Changing the clocks at Stonehenge

Midsummer Day

 

Midsummer Day

Midsummer Day falls on 24^th June, following the summer solstice, the longest day, on 21^st June, though Pagans continue to celebrate the longest day as midsummer. It is the astronomical longest day of the year. The change came about with the advent of Christianity when St John’s Day was celebrated on 24^th June, six months before the birth of Christ.

Many hundreds of people go to Stonehenge hoping to see the ancient stones lining up perfectly with the rays of the sun. Ancient Britons used to dance around the stones, an activity associated with sun worship.

There are many legends associated with Midsummer.  One such says that if you go to an ancient oak at Broadwater, in West Sussex, you might see skeletons emerge from the earth to caper round the tree until dawn.

Five miles away from Broadwater is Chanctonbury Ring, a Bronze Age hillfort on the South Downs. It is said to have been created by the Devil who can be evoked by running widdershins seven times round the clump of trees. When the Devil appears he offers a bowl of soup in return for the summoner’s soul. This can be done at any time of the year – you don’t have to wait until the summer solstice!

The Druids, some of whom will attend at Stonehenge, were the priests of the ancient Celts. They believed the Summer Solstice was the meeting of heaven and earth, of light and dark.

In the evening before the Summer Solstice the Druids believed that mistletoe berries growing on oak trees, both of which they held sacred, would turn golden. Pliny recorded that Druids would climb the tree and use a golden sickle to cut the berries. They believed the berries would cure illnesses, encourage fertility and make people resistant to fire.

Another old custom involved three young women. Two of them would make a dumb cake, so called because no-one was allowed to speak while it was mixed and baked. The third maiden would put the cake under their pillows and the youths they dreamt of would become their husbands.

An odd legend from Wales, Cornwall and Scotland says that groups of snakes gather on Midsummer’s Eve, put their heads together and hiss to create a large foamy bubble around one of their heads.  With a great deal more hissing the bubble would traverse the length of the chosen snake’s body and exit as a small glass ring. Any human finding this ring would acquire great wealth and power.

This Midsummer morning has dawned bright and sunny, in Berkshire, at least, so perhaps the Druids and the many hundreds of other visitors will have experienced a magical sunrise.

True-born Englishman

 

True-born Englishman

 When I hear someone claiming to be a ‘true Englishman’ I smile somewhat mirthlessly and sigh. There’s no such thing. It is an example of ‘English cultural xenophobia’, a lovely phrase I’ve just picked up from Daniel Defoe, which perfectly describes the attitude of so many of my compatriots.

'The True-Born Englishman' was written by Daniel Defoe in 1701.

Among our many forebears are the Britons, who came from Armenia, the Beaker people from Iberia, who built Stonehenge, the Celts from central Europe and the Romans, twice, in 55-54 BC, and AD 43- 87. Following this came the Anglo-Saxon period, which lasted until the Norman invasion of 1066-1071. Norman rule lasted from AD 1066 to 1154, the time of the Anarchy, the civil war between England and Normandy.

 Thereafter, England remained in ‘English’ hands, some of doubtful lineage, until the Dutch Prince William of Orange was asked to take the throne. He reigned from 1689 – 1702, alongside his wife, Mary, who died in 1694.   

Daniel Defoe (1660-1731) wrote a satirical poem to defend William III against the xenophobic attacks of his political foes. The following extract encapsulates his stance.

Thus from a Mixture of all Kinds began,
That Het'rogeneous Thing, An Englishman:
In eager Rapes, and furious Lust begot,
Betwixt a Painted Britain and a Scot.
Whose gend'ring Off-spring quickly learn'd to Bow,
And yoke their Heifers to the Roman Plough:
From whence a Mongrel half-Bred Race there came,
With neither Name, nor Nation, Speech or Fame.
In whose hot Veins new Mixtures quickly ran,
Infus'd betwixt a Saxon and a Dane.
While their Rank Daughters, to their Parents just,
Receiv'd all nations with promiscuous lust.
This Nauseous Brood directly did contain
The well extracted Blood of Englishmen.

Thus, as I have always contended, we English are a mongrel race and mongrels are often stronger than purebreds J

SkyWatch Friday #58

Photographs this week were taken from the passenger seat of the car as Gillian and I drove from Berkshire to Dorset. We were caught in slow-moving traffic. Tom Tom informed us that there were delays just after we passed an alternative road - very helpful! We were told repeatedly that we were on the fastest route as we chugged along at 4 mph!



It was a pleasant sunny day and the sky was interesting. Despite the 'No U-turn' sign some drivers decided to risk it!
Beyond the fence there was a pig farm.
They had plenty of room to root around, adequate shelters and water and there were many crows keeping them company. Pigs need shade as they can suffer from sunburn.
It's good to know there are parking lay-bys ahead with public telephones. Cars overheat or break down and it's not always possible to get a signal on a mobile (cell) phone.

When we reached the turn off to Stonehenge we saw the cause of the traffic jam. There had been an accident on the opposite side of the road. Ambulance and police were in attendance and people on our side of the carriageway had been rubber-necking. Ghouls!

The traffic flowed freely thereafter.

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Thank you to the hosts of this meme, Klaus, Sandy, Ivar, Wren, Fishing Guy and Louise.