London forum 22 room
Image by juamei
London

WYRD WALKS

close
more_vert

No, this is far more interesting, basically take the 3 'watkins leys', Strand, St Pauls, London Stone,
all of which are astronomically alligned to Ludgate Hill, Tower Hill or Barbican Hill, and draw them on a map. Then see if you can find two other alignments, one astronomically aligned to Barbican Hill on Mayday, the other roughly N-S and you will find a rough pentagram, well almost the east most arm meets at Notting Hill somewhere (haven't got a big enough OS map to be sure). My theory (for walk, and on Wyrd Walks website to soon) is that the heart of the alignments are astronomical one close to the hills (seen as where the sunrises and sets and so 'underworld gateways') and tribal centres, the rest of the alignment is ritual procession (I'm even more speculative about the 'energy aspects', ' flying stoned shaman' hense the dowsing :) ). The pentagram aspect is either accidental to this or partially contrived, as its completed by a prehistoric track that runs N-S and obviously isn't astronomical.

The historical connection is that the Templars built on the allignment and aqcuired sites on it (like St Clement Danes). Perhaps they had inherited prehistoric info, via Druids, Celtic Church, 'Pagano-Christians' etc, or maybe they just noticed the sunset.

The interesting thing is that the Pentagram becomes a closed London Pentagram under 'Masonic influence' , Wren's church shifting modifies the alignment so that it closes at Tyburn, and subsequent building uptil the 19th century reinforces it. But oddly the post 1717 Masons Hall isnt aligned to pentagram, only the pre 1717 'Jacobite', Wren Masonic one at Connaught rooms.

I've read Hawksmoor, and the spooky thing is although its a novel, my research would indicate that
the siteing of some of the churches on the Pentagram in Wrens time was down to this character, who does seem more intune with the 'pagan' side than Wren, who was into shapes on blueprints more it seems to me.

"a prehistoric track that runs N-S and obviously isn't astronomical"

north-south alignments are filled with astronomical potential - they point at the pole star, the axis of the heavens

"I've read Hawksmoor, and the spooky thing is although its a novel, my research would indicate that
the siteing of some of the churches on the Pentagram in Wrens time was down to this character, who does seem more intune with the 'pagan' side than Wren, who was into shapes on blueprints more it seems to me."

Oh yes, it's very much based in fact, those churches were built by "this character" (whose name I can't remember right now - Wren's assistant, though, basically, for those who've not read Hawksmoor), who certainly seems to be more of a medieval mindset that Wren, with his enlightenment mentality. I love Hawksmoor, with it's "shadowe and terror"!

Some of what you say has gone over my head, I'm afraid, I'm a northerner and have only ever visited London twice. I'd like to go on your walk, it sounds fascinating, but lamentably I'll not be there.

Does Primrose Hill have anything to do with all this? See how bad my London geography is, I've no idea if it falls on the potential alignments you mention or not! I ask because of Blake's visions there, though.

Given (a) the fact that London's origins are prehistoric and (b) what we know of the ancients' love of sacred landscape/geomancy/whateveryoucallit, the notion that London has certain geomantic qualities seems to me to be a very real possibility. It's known that other ancient cities were designed with an eye to geomancy, after all. I don't know much about templars and masons, mind you, but from what I little I do know it also seems reasonable to suggest that if they were aware of these lines then they'd continue to build churches on them. I'm thinking of Ilkley Moor, here, I suppose, and the evidence for masonic activity (whatever that activity may have been!) at the ancient sites there.