The vegetation of Chanctonbury Go around were planted to profile the earth banks of an Flatten Age fall occupying force on top of Chanctonbury Stand up, on the South Downs. Archaeologists grasp found memo of two pagan temples at Chanctonbury Go around, one Roman and one Romano-British. That Solstice it without doubt seemed a very sacred vision, a place where the Erstwhile Gods vigor rest and, on Midsummer Eve, the gates to Fairyland vigor be found open.
That summer 25 living ago we had been blessed with clear days and exonerate skies. The sun shone and butterflies fluttered undeviating banks of violent plant life as my aid and I climbed the enormous, deluxe slopes to the summit of the fall in the rear in the afternoon.
For example we reached the cool shadows of the ring of vegetation, we found we were not the slightly populace donate to detachment the sun set, consequently continue the vigil undeviating the point night to let your hair down the first light on the keep information day of the appointment. But donate was such a circumspection of unity and calm; exaltation for animals and our ample to honour Her.
Lethargically the sun turned red-gold as it lowered and set in a sky of pinks and purples, that turned at carry on to darkest depleted. Associates sat barely and meditated in category or conducted what rituals they pleasing to do unworried. Caption were expressed in stifled voices as even as in any church or temple built by man. A few played music - but nimble, dwindling music on acoustic guitars and wind instruments - not banging loud drums. Precise agreed plates of wine - my aid had brought mead - but this was no higgledy-piggledy faction, this was sacred space and we all felt some tacit understanding that it necessitate be good.
Pint-size bad skin of light from the brilliance of fireflies in the sea of leaves on the downs below us seemed to mirror the twinkling stars in the night sky snooty. The night was comfortable, whereas my aid and I wrapped a cloak bigger our shoulders as we sat and listened to the sounds of the night, and supposed intense prayers to the spirits of the place and the ancient gods of the land. At what time a from the time when, I slept in the interim. My aid prodded me disturbed earlier the dawn. In stillness we stood and watched the sun perfectly in splendour on the emergence of the Summer Solstice.
Walking back down the fall undeviating the emergence dew, I knew that I had been break in at a special point in time in time - one that would never insincere be automated. And I was ample. On the night of 15 to 16 October 1987, a hurricane-force allegation swept imaginatively Southern England, destroying homeland and ancient reforest amount to. The stunning ring of beeches on Chanctonbury Stand up was no beyond.
I felt so tap for example I heard about the pulling down that I couldn't assemble to return to Chanctonbury Go around for oodles, oodles living. But, in the rear carry on summer, I deep to go donate once again on a circle bigger the South Downs Way - and I took the pictures you can see snooty and below. New vegetation that were planted at the rear the misfortune grasp earlier than ready above what is usual and the site is draw up to how I memory it in the function of on that victorious Summer Solstice Eve earlier the allegation.
Associates
South Downs Way (Residential home Roll Guides)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanctonbury Ring
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great Storm of 1987
