On a sunny day while frost still lay on the ground in early January, we made our first trip of the year.
We had two reasons for going: One to meet an eccentric character known affectionately as Jim the Bee and secondly to visit an unmapped circle of stones, which a friend had spotted while out and about.
What we did not know at the outset was how the two were inextricably linked.
We spent a happy two hours or more in Jim's home drinking tea and talking of the things about which we had a mutual interest. People's bookcases are always a good lead into conversations and in Jim's library we saw a collection very similar to our own.
During our conversation the subject of sacred sites cropped up or as archaeologists refer to them 'Sites of Special Interest' which are scattered widely throughout this land.
Jim used to work as a supervisor for a government sponsored scheme which brought benefits to his locality in numerous ways via employment and the training of younger persons. This work sometimes included the rebuilding of boundary walls adjoining the roads and the tidying up of overgrown areas.
About a couple of miles from Jim's home was a moderately sized Ring Fort, which had become neglected with numerous self seeded trees and brambles etc.
It was an ideal place for such a scheme to reclaim for posterity.
More was known about this place however: For here was an unofficial burial ground that had been used for generations and right up until recent times, for the internment of unbaptised babies. The Church had denied these special babies burial in the consecrated ground of their cemeteries.
The Memorial
Out of respect for those whose loved one's had been interred in the ring fort Jim created a quiet loving space by collecting and placing several large stones in a circular form.
He also had a large stone memorial plaque in the shape of a flame erected within its confines.
I feel that this was a generous act of Love from Jim the Bee and rightly deserved
by the community as a memorial to the unnamed.
To me as a pagan All Land is Sacred.
How very wonderful of him to do the world should be so lucky a to have more like him in it..as for the church, I won't comment because it gets me too blooming fired up! thanks for the posting Mel as always very interesting :) Debs
ReplyDeleteWonderful bit of knowledge you have given us, Mel. I always look so forward to your informative posts. It is like, well, it is hard for me to put into words, but it is like there is a link with the past and sometimes the ancient that I see through your eyes.
ReplyDeleteA Ring fort, my husband would go mad! I think we've visited nearly every standing stone, hillfort and burial chamber in England, Scotland and Ireland.
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by my Blog, yes the helicopters are radio controlled and the only wild life we have to worry about are the turtles and alligators in the lagoon.
Wondeful post as always! And kudos and a big hug to Jim the Bee next you meet from me please.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of the stone in the shape of the Flame as well (perhaps a bit of Brighid snuck in there somewhere as well?) I will tell Mr Bear about his ring fort so he can write it down as the next place to visit once we get traveling. BBlessings as always. LN
That was a lovely post, I enjoyed reading so much. What a beautiful thing for Jim the Bee to do!
ReplyDeleteJim the Bee is a wonderful soul for doing that in such a dignified and respectful way. There is much to right, but I like the way he went about it.
ReplyDeleteThe world is full of good people never mind what the tabloids say!Good stuff.
ReplyDeleteOf course all land is sacred, and of course there are good people everywhere. But why are there so many dreadful people in the church? The very idea of burying babies/children apart because they haven't yet signed-up is appalling. In a village near where I once lived in Sussex, there was a churchyard with just a few graves beyond the walls; these were the graves of Catholics. People not seen fit to be buried amongst good Protestants... What a state of affairs!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, as always Mel
ReplyDeleteWonderful Heron...and I'm with you...all of this beautiful earth is sacred.
ReplyDeleteYes, the land is sacred and the babies are sacred....
ReplyDelete