... it took several tries before I finally found ... the Cutty Sark Hotel, right in the middle of the village [of Marazion], an old, picturesque and inexpensive inn, only seven pounds fifty for bed and breakfast, and one pound sixty-seven for a "bar supper," which included a pint of mild. ...

The following morning was cool but sunny. ... Not quite sure of where the [Merry Maidens] circle might be, I drove along miles of narrow roads overhung with lush growth leading through thickets of bramble, vines and very old-looking trees, coming out at last upon the beautiful little seacoast village of Lamorna itself, tucked into a tiny cove between high, rocky cliffs. A nice old couple taking their constitutional along the high pier which paralleled the coastline told me how to find the Maidens, which they said were actually right on the road I had branched off from to find Lamorna, and that what I needed to do was to get back onto that road and continue on it for a few miles more. This I did.

Sure enough, at a gap in the ever-present hawthorn hedge which lined the road on both sides, closed by a gate, I caught sight of a circle of stones standing in the field, as though dozing in the sun. None of them appeared to be taller than four feet high, most of them closer to three. I parked my car at a wide place where the road curved, and walked up to the gate. It was totally mired, with hundreds of cows' hoofprints imprinted in the ankle-deep, juicy muck. Clearly, it had rained hard here as well as in Glastonbury! If I wanted to get into the field, I should have to find another way, or risk ruining what was left of my shoes. I finally decided to brave the hawthorn hedge at one side of the gate.

Jumping down onto green turf from the wall which edged the thorn bushes with only a couple of prickles in my hand, I was finally inside the field. There was a lovely atmosphere of still enjoyment of sun and air about the entire site, and the stones themselves felt - informal, I guess. As I approached them, avoiding the cowpats along the way, I saw a small herd of cows and one lone donkey, light grey in color, standing at one side of the field. Immediately they began coming toward me, looking at me with apparent affectionate curiosity. I proceeded with my dowsing under their friendly scrutiny. Several of them came close enough to nudge me with their moist noses or to use the stones as side- and back-scratchers. I thought to myself, now I know why the stones are so short!

Then the owner came into the field from another corner, and walked toward me. He was a nice-looking young man with black hair and a friendly manner, like his cows'. It was quickly evident that he was accustomed to visitors like myself. We exchanged a few words about the cows and the circle, and then he walked them all toward the mired gate to the road, opening it in front of them so they could all sway in heavy, slow procession out through the opening, down the road and across to the field on the other side. With the gate open, I managed to find bits of dry turf on which to stand, and followed him out into the road, thanking him for his hospitality. Off they all went, leaving me to make my farewell to the stones themselves.

Actually, the effect of the day itself, which was by now quite warm as well as sunny, plus the sense of communion I had had with the cows and the sleepy donkey as well as with their owner, had set the tone of my feelings about the Old Ones there. I had a strong sense of their millennial "life" there in that field, undisturbed by any alien influences, at one with the earth and its creatures. The feeling I had was not identical with that of the Chalice Well, but similar in the sense I had of peace, of rightness.

Next I walked down the road until I found a gate I could climb on the other side. This led to a large field at the very back corner of which stood a formidable-looking menhir, aslant, almost pointed. This was one of the "Fiddlers," the other being close by in the next field. The energy of these stones struck me as totally different from that of the "Maidens," even before I tested it with my chain and ring. The first stone was silent, felt aloof. The second felt more friendly, gave me a nice "hello" with my makeshift pendulum gyrating briskly. We "conversed" for while, and then I said goodbye and walked back to my car.

Back to the Dowsing page