What Are Ley Lines?
In the 20 century ley lines became part of modern folklore, perhaps better described as New Age beliefs.
It all started one day in the 1920s when a photographer named Alfred Watkins was walking on the Bredwardine Hills. As he looked from his high vantage pont across the Hereford landscape he was suddenly struck by the concept of lines traversing the countryside to link pathways and ancient buildings and monuments.
Excited by the idea he hurried home and on an Ordnance Survey map ruled straight lines and linked stone circles, old churches, holy wells and other relics from the path.
As more and more lines connected such features on his map Watkins came to the conclusion that he had discovered a system of straight lines that had been used by the Ancient Britons and later inhabitants of Britain as paths across the then road less island.
After a spending much time in further research Watkins eventually published his theories in 'The Old Straight Track', which created a vogue for seeking 'the leys', the name he gave the invisible lines, across the countryside of Britain.
Since the publication of Watkins’ book, ley lines have come to be regarded as something other than convenient pathways. As most mystical sites are situated on ley lines and psychic manifestation is associated with their junctions it has been suggested that they are channels for ‘geometric power’. Watkins did not claim the lines were anything more than ancient tracks, yet the last sentence of his book became an inspiration for ley hunters and New Age enthusiasts alike: “I feel that ley-man, astronomer-priest, druid, bard, wizard, witch, palmer and hermit, were all more or less linked by one thread of ancient knowledge of power, however degenerate it became in the end."
Source British Folklore, myths & legends
Posted on Tue 21st Jul 2009 12:45:00