Seven Sacred Sites in the UK
By Kate Everson
Copyright 2011 Kate Everson
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1: Callanish Stone Circle, Outer Hebrides, Scotland
This stone circle is not easy to get to, but worth the trip. You have to take the ferry, the Caledonian MacBrayne, from the port of Uig on the Isle of Skye and hope for good weather. The Outer Hebrides (Western Isles) have some of the stormiest weather in the UK and sometimes it doesn’t let up for days ... or weeks! But if you’re lucky, you will get some sunny skies and it will make it all worthwhile.
Take the ferry to Tarbert on the Isle of Lewis. The ride only takes an hour and a half and there are two ferries a day (except for Sunday when there are none!). Before taking the road to Callanish (Callanais in Gaelic) take a little side trip to the stone St. Clement’s Church, in Rodel, just south of Tarbert on the Isle of Harris (famous for Harris tweed.) There is an ancient 16th century chapel overlooking the sea, which is absolutely remarkable.
The old tombs are covered with carvings and you can feel how special it must have been to the residents on this remote island before it was abandoned in 1560 after the Reformation. One tomb is dedicated to Alasdair MacLeod, the builder of the church, and it shows him clutching a skull, surrounded by various carvings including everything from saints to hunting dogs. Alasdair was nicknamed Crotach, hump-backed, as a result of a battle with the MacDonalds. The tomb shows his effigy in armour, his feet resting on a crocodile. The arch is decorated with angels, saints and symbols of the apostles.
Driving back to the Isle of Lewis, you will find the stone circle of Callanish located inside a fence next to a small lunch and tea room. If it’s raining hard, you will be glad for this shelter! There is no admission fee to the stone circle. You just pass through a small gate and you are on your own. Not at all like the hoards of tourists at the famous Stonehenge, Callanish remains aloof and alone.
Callanish is one of the most complete stone circles in Britain. There are 13 large stones of banded gneiss arranged around a central monolith 4.5 metres high overlooking a chambered tomb. About 40 smaller stones radiate from the circle in the form of a cross. This stone circle is said to date from between 3,800 to 5,000 years ago, roughly contemporary with the pyramids of Egypt.
The stones are tall and regal and as you walk around them you get a feel for their mystery. Who knows why they were erected and how? They definitely have a presence all their own. If possible, put your hands on some of the stones and just stand there for a few minutes, absorbing that energy. If you listen with your heart, the stones can be heard. Callanish is celebrated by some groups as the home of the goddess Brigit, whose special day is February 2.
While in the Hebrides, check out some other ancient sites you can find listed in your guide book. Make sure you have booked accomodation at a local B&B, as the weather could change at any moment.
2: Fortingall Yew, Glen Lyon, Scotland
The yew tree in Fortingall, Scotland is said to be the oldest in the world, dating back over 5,000 years. Situated in the village of Fortingall in the valley of Glen Lyon in Perthshire, the site is as beautiful as it is ancient. The yew is surrounded by a stone fence so that visitors will not destroy any more of its branches, as was done in the past. You can still stand in front of it, or peek through the fence. It feels like your great-great grandmother and you don’t want to disturb it!
The yew stands in front of an ancient church which visitors can enter and see all the relics that are still used in services today. The stone walls are original as is the font, the 7th century monk’s bell and the stained glass windows. The chapel feels like a holy place from hundreds of years ago.
The yew is the reason the small kirk (church) was built here. Known as the “tree of eternity” a yew regenerates after 500 years and starts to grow again. People revered the longevity of the tree. At one time this tree had a girth of over 17 metres, but souvenir hunters kept plucking away at it, reducing it to two smaller trunks.
Beside the church is a small graveyard with the most magnificent Celtic Cross. The figures or saints and religious figures are lovingly carved into the stone, and it takes your breath away.
The village of Fortingall is tiny, but it feels special. A thatched cottage is just across the way from the church, and there is a hotel where you can have a cup of tea or lunch. The Fortingall Hotel dates from 1300. Across in the field are three standing stones, another remnant of ancient times.
3: Rosslyn Chapel, Scotland
Just south of Edinburgh is the most amazing ancient stone church, filled with carvings of saints and demons, angels and gargoyles and huge intricate pillars reaching up to a painted, carved ceiling. This is the chapel that was featured in the book and movie, The DaVinci Code. It was founded in 1446 by Sir William St. Clair, the last St. Clair Prince of Orkney. It took 40 years to build.
Take the small group tour of the chapel, because the leader will point out things you might not notice yourself. There are so many things to see and interpret. At the north door, two water spouts in the form of gargoyles peer down menacingly. Near the window is a soldier on horseback, near two rams locking horns. Underneath is a hunched figure with a stick pressed behind its bent knees. Across the door is a fox making off with a goose, with the farmer in pursuit. On the opposite corner is a cherub playing a musical instrument.
Inside the chapel, sit in the centre of the building and look towards the main altar, facing east. The ceiling is divided into five compartments, with rows of daisies, lilies, flowers, roses and stars. The whole ceiling is covered from end to end with these elaborately carved stone bands. You can’t imagine what this looks like until you are actually in that room, looking around up, across, and over. There is not one inch of that chapel that is not a work of art, painstakingly and lovingly created by the amazing stone masons of the day.
At the top of one pillar is an enormous lion’s head with a pair of hands forcing open its jaws. On another pillar is an angel holding the seal of the lamb of God, an emblem said to be associated with the Knights Templar. The engrailed cross held by another angel is the coat of arms of the Sinclair family, and the earls of Rosslyn. An angel also holds the heart of Robert Bruce.
Look down at the floor. Between the pillars is a stone slab with a carved image of a knight in armour. On each side of his head is a small shield with a lion, and at his feet lies a greyhound. This is believed to be the burial place of William St. Clair.
The chapel is rich in carvings of the “green man,” a pagan symbol influenced by the Celtic tradition. Over 100 have been counted in the interior of the building. One of the finest examples is in the Lady Chapel, between the altars to the Blessed Virgin and St Andrew. If you stand directly under it, you will see the green man full face. The green man symbolized the capacity for great goodness and the parallel scope for significant evil. The St. Clair family were sympathetic to the gypsies who performed plays about the origins of this legend, associated with Robin Hood, in the 15th and 16th centuries.
The heads of the St. Clair family were Grand Master Masons of Scotland, and throughout the chapel you will see figures of angels significant in the rites of freemasonry. To the left of the altar to the Blessed Virgin is a carving of Lucifer, the fallen angel, bound and upside down.
The ornately carved Apprentice Pillar and the pillar of the Master Mason have a story all their own. The Master Mason was jealous of the work done by the apprentice and struck him on the head with his mallet, killing him. In the corners of the chapel, you will see the faces of both masons, staring at each other across the room. The apprentice has a scar on his right temple. Between them is the grieving mother of the apprentice.
While visiting the area, walk into town and enjoy the quaint village that has become a living legend because of this very unique and dramatic chapel.
4: Machrie Moor Stone Circle, Isle of Arran
Most people don’t go to the Isle of Arran to see the stone circles. They go for the scenery and the beaches. But, for me, the motivation was a little different. I have always sought out the places less travelled, the ones that have that special feeling, even if it gives me goosebumps. So, when I heard about Machrie Moor on the Isle of Arran, it intrigued me. I had to check it out.
I took the short ferry ride from Ardrossan Harbour on Scotland’s west coast, south of Glasgow, to the town of Brodick on the Isle of Arran. I didn’t follow the dozens of tourists to Brodick castle or south to the most populated beach areas. Instead, I headed inland across the String Road. The narrow, winding road was almost empty of cars. I spotted a small signpost that said Machrie Moor, so I parked along the road and set out. Walking down the trail I saw sheep everywhere, mothers with their lambs, lying on the path or peering at me. Only a few other people were walking along the trail, and fortunately, a couple had a map that showed more stone circles than I knew were there. The tall standing stones were huge, pointing up to the perfect blue sky. I was impressed. Indentations in the stone let you put your ear up to them and hear the sound of the stone itself.
Machrie Moor is said to have been in use in the second millennium BC, abandoned after 1200 BC in a period of deteriorating climate. The first stone circle, near Moss Farm, is over 62 feet in diameter, made up of granite blocks standing three feet high. Nearby is another more complete circle of two concentric rings of stones, the inner ring of eight blocks and the outer of 15 smaller stones. A burial cairn has been found in the centre. About a hundred yards to the east is a four-poster, four stones aligned to the compass. To its north is an oval ring of six slabs of red sandstone. About 100 yards east are the dramatic massive sandstone pillars, the tallest 18 feet high. Two burials and some bronze age pottery were found at the site. Two more circles are found further along the trail. Traces of a timber circle were found there too, probably of an earlier date than the stones. The area is largely covered by peat, but all around are bronze age landscapes including cairns, standing stones, and hut circles. Some of the stones are neolithic, dating to before 3000 BC. Comparisons have been made with the Kilmartin river valley on the mainland of Argyll not far from Machrie Moor.
Do a circle tour of the Isle of Arran and be amazed at the dramatic countryside. It’s only 19 miles long and 10 miles wide, and the drive around the island takes two and a half hours if you don’t stop. But do stop. The 14 settlements and population of 4,700 are concentrated in small coastal resorts, and the scenery is said to be “Scotland in miniature” with all its diversity. It stretches from low farmlands to rugged coastlines, including lochs and cliffs. There are the remains of ten stone circles, of which seven are near Machrie.
Other interesting and sacred sites are the St. Molas stone in a wall of Shiskine Church in Lamlash. The town, just south of Brodick, was named after an Irish monk, one of many who brought Christianity to Scotland in the 6th century. The Isle of Arran was also visited by the Vikings, raiding the nearby Holy Isle at Iona in 795 AD. The Vikings may have named some of the sites on Arran such as Geita-fjall (goat mountain) and some of the bays such as Sannaig (sand bay) now Sannox, and Briedavik (broad bay) now Brodick.
5: Favourite Castles in Wales
Wales has over 600 castles, more castles per square mile than any country in the world. I drove west from Manchester to my first castle in Conwy. It blew me away. Having never seen a castle before, I kept pinching myself to make sure this wasn’t just a dream.
This castle is immense. What was even better, was that I could walk all through it, even up on the top of the walls. Built by King Edward I in 1287, it is called “one of the great fortresses of medieval Europe” by CADW, the Welsh Historic Trust. It has eight massive towers and is well preserved. Built by Edward as part of an “iron ring of castles” to subdue the rebellious Welsh, it now stands proudly with the Welsh red dragon flying. A suspension bridge entrance was added in 1826.
On the Isle of Anglesey is Beaumaris Castle in the town of Beaumaris, one of the cutest castles of all. Small in comparison to the others, its perfect symmetry makes it look beautiful reflected in the water with swans swiming around it. Started in 1295 it was the last to be built by Edward 1.
Caernarfon Castle is another of the most impressive of all the castles in Wales. Located along the Menai Strait between north Wales and Anglesey, Caernarfon (or Caernarvon as the English write it) is another of Edward’s iron ring of power. It is massive. Built on the shoreline in 1090 on the site of a Roman fort and then a Norman motte and bailey, you can climb the walls and look out on little sailboats in the harbour. On the other side is the town of Caernarfon itself.
Driving down the Pembrokeshire coastline is a delight in itself, but stopping in Harlech castle was the highlight of that journey. I arrived early in the morning and was the first to enter. Although not as large as the other two castles, it was impressive enough, perched on the edge of a rock cliff. You could look out on the hills of Snowdonia across the sea. Another of Edward’s iron ring, it was built around 1283. The hero of Wales, Owain Glyndwr once took the castle in 1404, but lost it four years later to the English forces. For me, this castle had the most presence of all, steeped in history and strength.
In south Wales, I discovered Pembroke castle, first built in 1093 during the Norman invasion. In 1189 the earth-and-timber construction was transformed into a mighty stone fortification. It even had a prison in the basement! I soon found the cavern beneath the castle, damp and covered in moss. From the round towers to the massive walls, it was a discovery every minute. There was even a tea room!
Dinas Bran is just the ruins of a castle overlooking Llangollen in north Wales but it’s one of my favourites. I climbed the hill to see a vista of hedgerows and green fields, and feel the wind blowing through the ancient castle. Dinas Bran is said to have been the home of the Princes of Powys in the 13th century but could well be related to the 8th century Valle Crucis Abbey in the Dee Valley below. This castle is as much fun to get to as to arrive. It is also said to be home of fairies. I think I felt them there.
6: Inside Stonehenge
You can’t really get a feel for Stonehenge unless you’re standing inside, right up against those ancient symbols to forgotten gods. I signed up with a group months ahead for the privilege of getting up at dawn and entering the stone circle before it opened to the rest of the public. It was pouring rain and the security guard in bright yellow slicker had a long list of “Don’ts” for everyone. In fact, he skipped most of the list and just said, “There really isn’t anything you can do inside Stonehenge except take pictures.” He warned us against even touching the rocks.
We had to wait an hour for a group of modern-day Druids to finish their ceremony before anyone else was allowed in. Whatever ritual was going on we had no idea, but we could see their long cloaks waving in the wind. Eventually, the guard allowed us through and we walked inside the circle of stones. The feel of the majestic ancient stones was worth the wait. They were amazing!
Several of us from outside the UK, unfamiliar with the ongoing rain, had brought umbrellas along. But taking a picture and hanging onto an umbrella is “a bit dodgy” as they say. Attempting to lay the umbrella down anywhere where it might accidentally touch a stone was not allowed, as the guards watched every move. Most of us just walked through the stones, feeling their immense power and feeling very fortunate to be there, rain or not.
Early mention of Stonehenge was made in 1135 by Geoffrey of Monmouth who claimed the stones were brought from Africa to Ireland by a tribe of giants. From there, the great wizard Merlin flew them across the sea to their current location on the Salisbury Plains in Wiltshire. That’s as good a guess as any!
The name Stonehenge could be Saxon for Hanging Stones, as they seemed to float above the ground in a magical way. Other medieval interpretations refer to the the stone circle as “the Giant’s Dance” designed to honour the dead.
The first person to make a serious study of Stonehenge was Inigo Jones (1573-1652) but it was William Stuckeley who in the 18th century declared it to be “a temple of the British Druids.” Only in the 20th century were archaeologists able to pin a date on the monument’s real age at much, much earlier, dating back to 3500 BC when the first work of three phases was done with the digging of a ditch and circular bank. The second stage involved transporting bluestones from Wales. These were later replaced with the mammoth sarsens, some weighing up to 45 tons, placed together by an army of skilled workmen.
After standing in the rain, it was nice to come inside the gift shop and tea room near Stonehenge. You could buy wonderful photographs, postcards or even T-towels of the stones, but somehow you knew the memory of what you had experienced inside those ancient stones would last a lifetime.
7: Avebury and West Kennet Long Barrow
After a trip to the world-famous Stonehenge, it’s really nice to be able to just go and touch some stones. You can do that at Avebury, seven miles northeast of Devizes in Wiltshire. It is the largest stone circle in the world, over 28 acres with 98 Sarsen slabs in two circles and avenues.
Touch them, sit on them, lie on them; these stones don’t seem to mind one bit. And neither does anyone else. You can wander through the stones in the middle of the night, if you like. The fences don’t keep you out. There is a small gate with a latch across from the pub. You open it and step into an other world.
Getting the feel of the stones is like connecting to the ancient spirits that brought them there. Who made them and why? They are said to be as ancient as Stonehenge dating from about 2600 B.C. All I know, is they feel like real people and look a bit like them too. Sit and be with a stone. In a few minutes, you will know what I mean. They really seem alive.
There are actually two stone circles, separated by a highway, and a long avenue of stones as an entranceway. Some of the individual stones are massive, like the 60 ton Swindon Stone. One is called the Devil’s Chair and I dare you to sit there!
One morning, early, I stood with the stones as people began arriving. Slithering through the ditch was a mist, curling up around and through, like a puppy eager to get ahead. You can’t tell me there’s nothing alive in the stones! Late that night, I walked through the stone circle and got a feel for their essence looming in the blackness. A couple of people stood between two huge stones, chanting, their arms up-raised. It seemed like a ritual that happened long ago.
I don’t know the names of all the stones, like some people do. I don’t know why they’re here. All I know is I feel a connection to them that is totally visceral and beyond explanation. You touch them, and they touch you.
But it gets even better. Avebury isn’t just about stones. It’s also about the huge man- made Silbury Hill and the West Kennet Long Barrow passage tomb just across from it. I have been inside that neolithic burial chamber on a couple of significant occasions. The first was on the morning of November 1, a day the Celts called Samhain, when the veil between the other worlds is very thin. The first to arrive at the the tomb, I was alone inside. But there was something else there. As I touched the walls of the innermost chamber, I connected to those ancient spirits. I felt they welcomed me. When I left the tomb and started down the hill, a low rumble came from the surrounding hills. I smiled back.
The next visit was two years later, on a clear summer night. My friend and I had small candles and a flashlight to shine into the chambers. Our voices resounded through the stones, bounced back, and returned. I chanted into one dark space and felt the peace.We went outside and stood on top of the mound over the Long Barrow. The stars were brilliant in the clear sky. Then we saw a falling star. And another. And another.
Near Avebury is a long, low hill they call Windmill Hill. You wouldn’t think much about it unless you actually went up there. I walked to the highest point and lay down in the waving grass as the sun began to set. I could have stayed there for a long time. But as I was walking back down, I spotted two hares running across a field. They stopped and looked at me, for a magical moment, then vanished over the hill.
On another occasion, I took a morning walk along a farmer’s roadway beside Windmill Hill. Some black Angus cows grazed in the field and I said hello to a man with a tweed hat and a walking stick, out with his dog. On the way back, I noticed part of a dead tree standing by the creekbed, looking at me like a cloaked Watcher with a sword. I was not alone.
There’s something about Avebury that makes you keep coming back ... something you had almost forgotten. But the stones know.
Conclusion: On all my journeys to sacred sites, I have tried to get in touch with the spirit of place. Sometimes you can feel it, other times you can’t. Sometimes, it’s so strong it almost shouts at you. The UK has amazing sites that can thrill you to the bone. They come alive when you stop, listen and connect.