Wholistic Arts

To Checkley to see saxon cross and font. The church was closed so unable to see font. Also planned to go to Farley but it looks as though this is part of Alton Towers. Found the three saxon crosses leading to entrance to church. Checked for leyline, it ran N-S. Saxon crosses obviously had been moved but were precisely placed on East side of ley. This leyline is probably the one I found on hedgedruid.co.uk website. It shows various sites on the leyline of which Farley and Checkley are first sites emanating from Arbor Low (The South-Western Ley) finishing the mouth of the river Erme. I later realised I had visited before in 2018 for the Autumn Equinox but at that time did not realise the connection with Arbor Low.

Started on track along river, monsal valley, past viaduct. Then followed track up hill. Up to Hobbs House. Continued past but very heavy going on scree. Felt trapped i.e. kept slipping but going back even more treacherous! Persevered. Past scree. Then terraine difficult with brambles, thorns and holes. Then in front a fence! So decided to follow it up the hill. Clinged on to the fence, very heavy going, could barely pull myself up (a bit at a time) amongst foliage. Also very steep. Estimated 100 posts at least about 10ft apart. Slid round past last tree and then found another fence i.e. got to the corner of fence Decided to try to go over wall (everything trembling because of the strain) but made it! Sheep land. Photo of bit I thought might be part of it but at this point so exhausted couldn't think about exploring further. So headed back, normal'ish terraine. After a few long fields came to trail. Monsal Dale to Ashford. Got to car drained. Ate. Then to Greater Longstone to vi...

 ROCHE ABBEY...set off at 11ish. R made me flask and sarnies, then remembered Wimpy! After Roche found Wimpy in a bowling alley, no international tho', just burgers. At Roche bought ticket £6.20 and book, probably already have it! No sign of rods crossing, then, at two largest buildings left found N-S leyline. Dropped a rod, retraced my steps, found. Excellent feeling about the place. Started in 12th century then rejigged later by Capability Brown. Well laid out. Could feel as though some stone had not been moved. Nice water moat...had been there as a source for the monks.." Roche Abbey, founded in 1147 as a monastery of the Cistercian order, is most notable for the remains of its early Gothic church and for its early 13th-century great gatehouse. At its peak, about 1175, Roche had about 50 monks and 100 lay brothers and servants. The monastery was suppressed in 1538 – an event recorded in remarkable detail by a local clergyman – and many of the buildings were dismantled. Two ...