To my horror, I see that the last time I wrote was at midsummer - where has the time gone, I constantly lament?? Here we are at the beginning of August and very nearly at the end of the crop circle season. Having said that, many has been the time that the most spectacular event of the whole summer has suddenly appeared just as we thought everything was finished, surprising us all and taking our breath away with its degree of complexity and size.
The fields are being harvested daily as I write and you can see the seed heads are hanging heavily on the stalks, showing that they are ready to be reaped, all the life having gone out of the stalks and into the heads. Sadly, due to the lack of rain and scorchingly hot weather we have had, farmers are in a bad state as not only is the grass burnt and scarce but in many cases they are having to give their animals the feed that they normally would have kept for winter. Also, in many cases, the seeds inside the seed heads are wizened and probably only good for animal fodder. A terrible year for farmers.
Since I last wrote, circles have been appearing. Maybe not as often as in some previous years, but nevertheless, they certainly have not abandoned us as many feared they might.
The last circle I wrote about, in my previous letter, was the second one to appear at Hackpen Hill. Near Broad Hinton, Wiltshire.
I have to tell you that this has been quite one of the most special circles I have ever visited. I have taken people into it at least four times and each time as we visited it, as one walks towards it, one feels as though it is stretching out it arms to welcome you. It has retained its energy longer than any circle I have known during my 28 years of crop circle investigation - quite exceptional. After spending time inside it everyone has told me (with one exception) how peaceful, relaxed and happy they feel; as though all the cares in the world have been washed away. Each time I have had to drag the visitors out as it seems that they could have stayed there forever. One time, I was taking my goddaughter (over from New Zealand) and friends; and by then it was four weeks old. As we came out, we were told that we had been in the circle for one and half hours - not possible but yes! We had no idea!!! A loss of time that happens with regularity inside certain crop circles. Another interesting feature is that if a circle is manmade you will find that it is trashed easily and quickly but - if the circle is genuine, people quite unconsciously treat it with love and respect, thus preserving it.
Circles have abounded since my last letter. I am going to give you a quick snapshot of some of them.
Yarnbury Castle close to the magnificent Hill Fort. We are told that ‘The main earthworks are thought to date from around 100 BC, with the earlier inner circuit being from about 300 BC, according to pottery finds from early iron age through to Romano-British, including for Samian of around 160 AD.`
Iron age pottery and Roman coins, and burials of human remains have been found. It also would appear to have been inhabited over a long period with evidence of an extensive settlement.
A weary ‘dragon fly’? came to rest at the very top of Waden Hill, part of the ancient landscape surrounding Silbury Hill; Avebury; Windmill Hill; the Sanctuary and East and West Kennett Long Barrows.
Coney Hill, close to Stonehenge. As you will note all these events seem to lie close to or in close proximity to ancient and sacred sites. This is not unusual as the energy lines on which these places lie play a significant part in the crop circle appearance.
Joy of joys, a circle was found on the A272 close to where I live in Hampshire. The lay inside the circle was interesting with fine arcs of crop underlying the top layer in an intricate and delicate manner. When a friend of mine managed to track the farmer down, he had no idea it was there! He was most intrigued!
Kingweston, Near Glastonbury produced one of the most stunning and complex events of the year to date. A series of circles resting on slender arcs around an elaborate centre. You will also notice the fine weaving of the crop in the close up image. Sadly it was harvested just before the Glastonbury Symposium; which, as usual, was well attended. The diversity of talks and subjects including crop circles was excellent and just as enjoyable as ever. This is a Symposium that has moved with the times, producing speakers of quality and renown. I particularly love going there as I meet friends of old, going back to the early 1990’s – swapping stories and reminiscing. Such a happy time.
I have taken my usual two crop circle tours this summer. The first one ending with an optional extra of a private entry visit to Stonehenge. We were blessed with a most glorious sunset behind the stones which depicted them in all their majesty and splendour. We had hoped for a new circle and lo behold one appeared at Fovant, not far from Shaftesbury. Sadly we did not know who the farmer was nor the exact location so were not able to visit it. To many this formation is the most significant and symbolic of the year. What a noteworthy circle, saying different things to each of us! What does it say to you, I wonder? A door opening up to new and exciting opportunities; or a door door giving us access to other dimensions? So many possibilities!
In my last tour there was an optional extra of flying over the circles. This is an incredible way of seeing circles in all their majesty from the air, together with the surrounding countryside, which - depending on where the circles are - might include flying over the famous stone complex at Avebury and the sacred Silbury Hill; the largest man-made hill in Europe.
Whilst at the airfield and people were flying, I chatted to Susan Dury who was part of my group. She had an interesting story to tell. ‘We made a wish to the crop circle makers for a door or window (as I want to move house). Very whacky suggestion and the next circle to be made was a circle with a door in the middle!”
Our scientific research day was held on Sunday 15th July - St. Swithun’s Day best known for a British weather lore proverb, which says that if it rains on St. Swithun's day, it will rain for 40 days. It was a scorchingly hot day and after conducting our tests in Avebury at the excellent Sports and Social Club, we made our way to the bottom of Martinsell Hill above Oare. The formation had appeared on 7th July and had been harvested out by the farmer at 8.43 am, shortly after it had been discovered. Please do not copy this image as it is not mine and is copyright Jane Barford https://cropcirclephotographs.co.uk/july-2018-crop-circles-lucy-pringle-crop-circle-photography-uk/#jp-carousel-11664.
Surely one of the most complex formations we have seen, a fractal image consisting of a series of pentagrams. “It consisted of 27 smaller pentagrams (16 pentagrams of standing crop and 11 pentagrams of flattened crop). These 27 pentagrams relate to an important number, namely 27 × 5 = 135, because 135 is also the exact number of segments of the formation.”
I traced the farmer, who after I had described our reason for entering, seemed interested and kindly allowed us to use his field. He met us at the entrance and showed us how best to approach the harvested circle. Despite this extraordinary complexity he was convinced it has been man made and word got around accordingly! Where was the evidence?
I maintain that just because a circle has been harvested, taking off the standing crop, does not mean that the crop circle force is not still present in the ground. We conducted similar tests in the beautiful harvested Forest Farm only a few minutes north of Marlborough with most interesting results https://cropcirclephotographs.co.uk/lucy-pringle-article-puzzles-a-plenty/
The Parkinson research results have just come through and show most fascinating and potentially significant differences between the preliminary tests at Avebury, the identical tests in the circle and second identical control tests taken some way outside the circle. I will write these up in detail in my annual article plus Hazel Drummond’s results - not yet analysed.
Finally, I have a couple of dates for your diary.
My talk at Petersfield Community Centre in Petersfield, Hampshire will be held on Saturday 20th October starting at 7.30 pm in which I will discuss this year’s events and intriguing research results.
I have heard from Windfall Films regarding the Hidden Britain by Drone programmes, with the information that the crop circle episode, in which I make a brief appearance, will be shown on the 26th August 2018. There are going to be 12 interesting and varied episodes starting on the 5th of August.
A few are as follows Nuclear Bunker – Dounreay; Bats; Goonhilly; Crop Circle; Blackpool; Willington power station; Plastic on beaches plus save the whale; and Scotland.
I send you my love and best wishes,
Lucy.