Mass Rocks: Generally, a “Mass Rock” was used as an altar in the mid-17th century for Catholic masses in Ireland and Scotland or regions where the Protestants persecuted the Catholics. In Irish they were called Carraig an Aifrinn. These were popular occurrences during the Penal times (the 1690s to 1750s AD) (or 1690-1750 C.E.). England’s King Henry VIII started a massive religious persecution of the Catholic Church in Ireland, forbidding Catholics from holding mass. This ended during the Catholic Emancipation of 1829 CE. During this time, the Irish Catholics “clung to the Mass, crossed themselves when they passed Protestant ministers on the road, had to be dragged into Protestant churches and put cotton wool in their ears rather than listen to Protestant sermons,” stated Marcus Tanner in his 2004 book “Last of the Celts.”
As a result of persecution, clergy and their congregations sought out remote, hidden, isolated locations to hold mass and other ceremonies to observe Catholic Mass. Many of these locations were marked by large stones with etchings of a cross marked into them. It was extremely risky to be caught practicing during the persecution, resulting in harm, especially during Cromwell’s campaign and the Penal Law 1695. Under the 1704 Registration Act, Bishops were banished, and priests had to register to preach. “Priest hunters” were employed and set out upon the countryside to arrest unregistered priests and Presbyterian preachers under the Act of 1709.
The Penal Act made laws and enforcements based on:
Restrictions on how Catholic children were educated
Bans on Catholics holding public office
Bans on Catholics serving in the Army
Bans on Catholics voting
Bans of Catholics inheriting Protestant lands
Bans on celebration of Catholic Mass
Execution or Expelling Catholic clergy from the country
Taking Catholic land and distributing it amongst British Lords
Dividing inherited lands equally between children to reduce land size held by individual Catholics
The Mass Rocks of Ireland
Again, while some occurrences are found in other places in the Western World with archaeological cross glyph remnants of crosses etched into stones, the “Mass Rock” concept is primarily found in Ireland and some occurrences in Scotland. It is defined as a “rock or earth-fast boulder used as an altar or stone-built altar used when Mass was being celebrated during the Cromwellian period (1650’s) and Penal times (1690-1750), with a recurrent use during the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020-2022. Many of these rocks/boulders often possess a inscribed or scratched/etched cross into the stone. (Archaeological Survey Database of Ireland) These are found in isolated places where religious ceremonies such as the Catholic Mass would be celebrated by the congregations, often in secret. Starting with Oliver Cromwell’s decimation of Ireland followed by William the III’s victories at the Boyne and Limerick under the Penal Laws, it was a dangerous time for the Catholics.
The infamous “Cathedral Cave” at the Isle of Eigg in Scotland is a good example. In 1698, the Inner Hebrides was predominantly Catholic, and the laity secretly attended mass at a Mass stone inside a large high-roofed coastal cave known as “the cave of worship.” These sites, too, have “mass stones” or “mass rocks” called Clachan Ìobairt, meaning “Offering Stones.”. These are remnants from when Roman Catholic priests were outlawed in Scotland.
Mass rocks had symbols of the cross either carved, scratched, or drawn upon them. Sometimes, a stone would be taken from a church ruin, brought to an isolated location, and have a simple cross carved at its top. This would mark the location of these secret masses.
Often held at night, the celebrants would trek out to the Mass rock in darkness with the clergy. They would kneel on the ground before the mass rock while others stood guard. A curtain was often drawn around the makeshift altar upon which a book, tablecloth, wine, water, and bread would be placed. The curtain would hide the identity of the person offering the Eucharist.
In addition to remote locales in the woods, cross-etched stones can be found at holy wells and graveyards, other locations where mass was found to be held.
Much historical and urban lore is associated with mass rocks, ranging from miracles to ghost stories. In the story of the widow’s hunger, cures, miracles, and protestant neighbors hiding or helping priests, the priest cannot stop for any reason with mass, or they’d follow in the tragic death of being shot or killed at the moment of transubstantiation. According to author Tony Nugent, the last Roman Catholic Priest to be killed at a mass rock was in 1829 at Inse an tSagairt, near Bonane in County Kerry. He states in his 2013 book Were You at the Rock? The History of Mass Rocks in Ireland that the priest was captured by a local woman and her five accomplices who ran a nearby shebeen splitting the 45-pound bounty. They beheaded him at a house near Kenmare, taking his decapitated head to Cork, and were denied the award because the Catholic Emancipation had just been signed into law, so they threw the head into the River Lee.
Penal Mass
By the late 17th century, many were moved into thatched Mass houses. The Archaeological Survey of Ireland maintains a database for pre-1700 sites, and the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage maintains one for post-1700 sites. In 1979, the Pope recognized the importance of Mass Rocks as a historical reminder of the past persecutions that the Irish faced. After these outdoor sites stopped hosting open-air masses, they continued to have some use for pattern days and Christmas. Many of these sites were re-used when the 2020-2022 COVID-19 pandemic outlawed indoor gatherings, so many returned to mass rocks to celebrate mass. They are often used today for celebrations and Mass. Today, it is commonplace to find celebrations at Mass Rocks on June 20th for the Feast of the Irish Martyrs.
Mass Rock Sites:
Pike Woods Mass Rock, County Kerry, Ireland A 23-hectare compact wood on the outskirts of Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland. Within a mature stand of mixed conifer and deciduous trees such as Sessile Oak, Ash, and Scots pine. Woodford River flows through Pike Wood, creating a microclimate that encourages numerous plant species to grow and critters to dwell. A “Mass Rock” can be found midway through the forest as an early 16th-17th century location for secret Catholic Masses. The 3d model sketch fab of the rock is here: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/mass-rock-killarney-pike-wood-598a95e5c6814bd189e359646eec6726
1ST WELL: ST. ABBAN’S WELL OR ST. GOBNAIT’S WELL As you drive up to the Tobar Ghobnatan Statue, Well, Hut, Grave, Church ruins, and yard, you will see on your right a wrought iron archway with the letters spelling “HOLY WELL” along its top. Another sign labels it as the “Tobar Ghobnatan Holy Well”. When I walked through this archway, I immediately spied a 3/4 large ring of mushrooms known as a Fairy Ring. I had to walk around it 9 times to see if a gateway to the land of Fae would appear. Magical as the site was, alas, no gateway appeared that I was aware of. A short walk down the path you will find the well at the base of a wishing tree.
The tree is covered with rags or clouties, as well as many other trinkets placed there or tied to the branches as offerings and prayers. These are often cleaned up and removed by the church, occasionally, some say online. The well has steps down into it, but it can often be difficult to access without crawling on your knees to get to the magical waters.
There are two taps nearby where one can retrieve the water. This well is believed to be a lot older than the Christian occupation and creation of this monastic site, probably as a Fairy Well or Pagan Shrine. Today, visitors claim it is either St. Abban’s Well and/or St. Gobnait’s Well. From the Cult following, I would think it has more to do with St. Gobnait than St. Abban, even though technically, I’ve read it is primarily called St. Abban’s Well. The Other well is up the hill by St. Gobnait’s Hut and Statue. It’s unclear which Saint claimed which Pagan well when they took the land.
In Neo-Pagan practice and visitations of the site, the well is circled either three times clockwise, or in a trio set of three times three. It is conducted clockwise to gain something, pay tribute to the well, or weave a certain kind of magic. It is done counter-clockwise to unwind something, to banish something, or to undo a spell, curse, or action. It is common then to make an offering to the well or tree. The participant then goes to the well, collects water, offers it back to the earth, and then either takes a sip of the magical waters or splashes it on their face.
It is common to fill a bottle with the magic waters to take home. A bin of empty clean water bottles for those who forgot to bring a bottle is located along one of the rock walls. This well is a very common location for seamen to collect water from to bring to their boats used for safe passage during their expeditions.
In Christian/Catholic observation of the rounds, the “Our Father”, the “Hail Mary”, and the Glorias are spoken at each of the stations. At this station, they do a decade of the rosary and drink the water from the Well. According to the stations, the rounds, or the turas, this is station 10: St. Abban’s Well. Every year on the 11th of February, the parish priest would bring out a 13th-century wooden statue of St. Gobnait, upon which pilgrims would measure a ribbon against the statue and wrap it around the figure, then take the ribbon home to use for healing magic.
Next to the well is a large tree called a Wishing Tree, which is part of any number of such trees found on this monastic site. Covering this particular tree are offerings to St. Gobniat (and the ancestral water spirits or Naiads of this well) in the form of rags (clouties/clooties – pieces of cloth tied around its branches), prayers, trinkets, tokens, pictures, charms, and/or a variety of personal effects from undergarments, hair ties, belts, shoes, rings, jewelry, toys, prayer cards, or other effects. The belief behind pieces of cloth is that they are to get rid of an illness, and once the cloth decays, so will the illness. It is a concept of leaving something behind of themselves or their loved ones in need of healing.
Along the stone wall and around the well is an assortment of cups, jars, and/or bottles that someone can use to gather water from the well for drinking and/or blessing. As far as I know, the well water is not tested or certified, so drinking from such is at one’s own risk. Anything can get into these public wells, and a variety of items, from coins, pins, and garbage, are sometimes found thrown into them. When I visited, there was a large bin of washed-out plastic bottles for visitors to fill up with holy well water and take with them.
SECOND WELL: ST. GOBNAIT’S WELL (or ST. ABBAN’S WELL)
Again, like the well above, no one is clear on who claimed this Fairy Well, but it seems to be primarily associated with Saint Gobnait since it is located in front of her house, hut, or kitchen. Both wells are part of the pilgrimage and rounds regardless.
In Christian/Catholic observation of the rounds, the “Our Father”, the “Hail Mary”, and the Glorias are spoken at each of the stations. At this station, they do a decade of the rosary and drink the water from the Well.
To complete the pilgrimage the pilgrim walks down the road to St Gobnait’s well (Station 10). The pilgrim recites 7 Our Fathers, 7 Hail Mary, and 7 Gloria, one decade of the rosary, and drinks the water from the well. Like many holy wells in Ireland St Gobnait’s well is associated with a rag tree, and there is a tradition of leaving votive offerings at this tree.
Below is a photo of the tree taken when I last visited here in 2006, as you can see is covered with rags beads, and tokens left by pilgrims. I think it looks quite lovely. Since my last visit, most of these offerings have been removed, but a few are still to be found. This well seems a bit questionable as to the safety of the water but is still one apparently drunken from.
This well is in front of the round circular stone hut north of the statue called the “House of St. Gobnait” or the “St. Ghobnatan’s Kitchen”. Earlier evidence suggests that the site was an early pre-Medieval to Medieval bronze and ironworking site which operated out of this hut. Evidence for this comes from iron slag, a crucible, and other metalworking artifacts found during the excavation of the site. Evidence that the wells were Pagan shrines pre-dating Christianity combined with the metalworking has led some rumors to run wild that it could be the metalworking site of the Tuatha Dé Danann’s Smith known as Goibnui who share phonetic similarities to the name of Saint Gobnait.
There is no evidence found to this ‘hunch’ someone probably weaved online in a blog, but it does add a sense of urban lore to the site that would make it an exciting tidbit of the mythos. (Especially since there really exists no solid evidence of any of the Tuatha Dé Danann legend site locations except folklore) In this hut, pilgrims etch a cross into the stones atop this well as well as the entrance stones in the hut during their turas.Read more: Tobar Ghobnatan Holy Wells: St. Abban’s Well and St. Gobnait’s Well
BOTH WELLS:
Both of the wells are named after the Matron Saint of Ballyvourney and sacred Bee-Keeping mistress, Saint Ghobnatan(a.k.a. Saint Gobnait) of the holy pilgrimage site and monastic settlement known as “Tobar Ghobnatan“. This is the legendary home of St. Gobnait/Ghobnatan. It is located a kilometer south of the village of Ballyvourney where her church Móin Mór (a.k.a. Bairnech) was built. There are two holy wells at this site, both of which are believed to pre-date St. Abban and Gobnait’s arrival to the land, most likely Pagan shrines or Fairy wells. Today these wells are called “St. Abban’s Well” (most likely ‘FIRST WELL’) and “St. Gobnait’s Well” (most likely ‘SECOND WELL’).
There are several wells throughout Ireland (and other countries) dedicated to Saint Gobnait. There exists a dry well known as St. Debora, Deriola, or Abigails Well that is north of Ballyagran in a high field on the left of the road to Castletown which is believed to be the original Saint Gobnait’s Well. It is currently dry. Legends run wild of a white stag that can be seen at this well especially during February 11th, the Feast day of Saint Gobnait. There are other wells and shrines such as the church site in County Kerry at Dunquin which has a well near Dungarvan in Waterford.
How to get here: Drive West from Macroom to Kerry on the N22. As you pass through Ballymakerry (Baile Mhic Ire), you will pass a church on your right-hand side and will take the first left-hand turn after the church that has a signpost. Follow the road 400 meters, and you will see the first (and main) holy well on the right. You’ll need to go up the hill a bit for parking as it is a very narrow road. Take the next right-hand road (near where you can park by a graveyard) up the hill to see the other holy well, statue, hut, church ruins, and main graveyard. There is also a modernized porta-toilet in this parking lot so you don’t have to use the bushes. The GPS coordinates are 79: W 1967 7688. Longitude: 9° 10′ 5″ W, Latitude: 51° 56′ 18″ N.
Christmas morning 2023 I trekked out to a real-life Witch hunt or Changeling location. Was I to meet the Fae in the legendary ringfort or simply come to a dead end? A dead end it was, of course. The Ringfort I believed was the location of the body swapping was on private property, and there was no way to find a way in with the time I had available. We’re talking about Ireland’s infamous last burning of a Witch or killing of a Changeling: that is the 1895 murder of Bridget Cleary in Ballyvadlea, Ireland. Her body was dumped in a shallow grave in a bog then relocated to an unmarked grave in a local cemetery. I casually explored a few graveyards, but could not find the grave – the grave and marriage photo is from historical archives.
This is a tale of folklore merging with national identity, as often is the case with folklore and a nation.
Folklore is complex, it is the beliefs, customs, stories, and practices of a culture, depicting the cultural process and history of a people. It has no single definition. It does define national identity, especially in the case of countries like Ireland and the United Kingdom so riddled with legends and lore. It depicts the daily life stories of a people. Ireland manifests stories of leprechauns and fairies. In the 16th century, the traditional political and religious autonomy of the Irish was overthrown by English colonization. This was followed closely by the Great Famine in the 1840s. The Irish belief system was challenged as was its national identity. As Ireland strugged with its own self-government afterward it braved balancing a new state of affairs and horrors to deal with. As the famine ravished rural Gaelic areas with death and emigration, the traditional culture was demised under industrialization and English customs. They did share the belief in fairies with the United Kingdom. If anything cultural the Irish are famous in the world for their belief in the Fae.
As the lore was passed on orally through the generations finding its way into literature and defining the landscape, many superstitions regulated how the Irish would function in its new world and boundaries.
Particular reverence and avoidance were made of fairy trees especially hawthorns and ancient ring forts deemed fairy forts – all as places where the Fae relocated, and portals to their dimensions existed. No elder would disrespect the fairies or have to pay the price if they did. Roads were re-routed to avoid fairy trees, farmers left the ringforts in their fields to be avoided, and corners of houses were removed so as to not overlap a fairy path.
If the fae were angered, they were often hostile, mischievous, and troublesome – lashing out with curses, sickness, misfortune, and sometimes death. Of the Genus “Fae” there were thousands of different kinds of species in Irish fairy lore – all possessing their own supernatural aspects, characteristics, and traits all rooted to the ancient Celtic and Gaelic Pagan Gods and Goddesses.
The fae was normally invisible to most of the human species living in the air, swimming in the seas, underground, or in the woods. They sometimes were human sized and othertimes minute. Some resembled humans living life parallel to humankind while others replaced humans. The fae was known to steal children and young adults replacing them with rotting withered changelings as a replacement. It has been said, that humans who spend too much time with the Fae may lose sense of time, have hundreds of years pass before they return to this dimension, othertimes are curses, waste away or die after their return.
Often the changelings are moody, evil-minded, sickly, or just not right in the head. Their behaviors are noticeably intolerable – such as sickly babies who never stop crying, and adults who no longer communicate or become anti-social. The only way to get rid of a Changeling and bring back the stolen human was death by fire. Or so the belief at that time dictated.
Such was the case with the good-spirited young woman named Bridget Cleary who was burnt to death by her husband Michael in hopes that she would be returned to him. This gave birth to the folk rhyme “Are you a witch or are you a fairy, or are you the wife of Michael Cleary?”
Bridget grew up in Ballyvadlea, 11 miles from Clonmel, in a very small village – daughter of local farmer Patrick Boland, she was educated by the local nuns and apprenticed to a dressmaker in Clonmel. She married Michael Cleary the local Clonmel cooper at age 18. She oddly lived on a fairy rath (fairy fort) and traveled within the fairy landscape selling eggs to supplement her dress-making income. She often went up on the local fairy fort atop Kylenagranagh Hill to deliver to the local seanchai, Jack Dunne.
Early March 1895 after a bitterly cold day she caught a chill returning to her cottage bedridden for many days afterwards only worsening in health. She was visited by friends and family, even her customer Jack Dunne, who upon seeing her stated “that is not Bridget Boland.” Her husband Michael heard this and steadily became convinced the woman sick in bed was a changeling. Jack recommended the local “Fairy Doctor” named Denis Ganey to come to see her – he was unable to in person but sent Michael an herbal concoction mixed with milk that would restore the real individual.
Threatening the changeling with fire and persistent questioning could also reveal the Changeling. March 14, 1895 neighbors Minnie and William Simpson came to visit Bridget they encountered a frightful scene of Jack Dunne and cousins Patrick, James, and William holding her down on the bed, forcing the concoction into her while she screamed of its bitterness. The next night, her cousin Joanna Burke visited to find Michael and Bridget fighting and telling Joanna that her husband was trying to make “a fairy of her” only to be stifled by Michael. He kept asking her if she was his wife. He lost control, tore off her clothes, and brandished a brand from the fire into her face.
Guests were locked into the cottage, and Bridget’s head struck the floor, and moments later her chemise was afire. Michael fed paraffin to the blaze, sat in a chair, and watched her burn saying “She’s not my wife. She’s an old deceiver sent in place of my wife”. Her burnt body was buried on adjacent land, and all swore silence, rumoring her disappearance, that she had gone with the fairies. All believed she would reappear at the Kylegranagh ring fort racing among the fairies on a white horse – and if the men were quick, could cut the cords tying her to the horse so she could return to them.
The horrible murder took place in southern Tipperary in Ballyvadlea near Clonmel, Ireland – around the Spring Equinox of 1895. In the small village of nine houses and a population of 30 – the world was rocked with headlines about the savagery of the Irish as it was told she was “slowly roasted to death because she was, in her relatives’ belief, bewitched”.
March 22, 1895, the local police discovered the charred remains of a woman in a boggy field within a shallow grave outside of ballyvadlea – severely burnt, naked, a few strands of her undergarments and black stockings. Her head was hidden within a sack. It was Michael’s wife Bridget Cleary. It was discovered that she was abused and murdered by her husband and father as well as other family members. Within the court, it was conspiracy-ridden with tales of changelings and kidnapping by the Fae. All ten in the house were arrested, men involved were given sentences ranging from 6 months to 20 years. Michael was sentenced to 20 years and upon release moved to Liverpool, then to Canada. The news classified it as a “witch burning case” (Glasgow Herald, July 5th, 1895) rather than a fairy burning for sensationalism, and therefore marked as the last witch burnt in Ireland.
References:
Bourke, Angela 2001 “The Burning of Bridget Cleary”. Penguin: New York.
Cork Examiner 1895 various articles March 23, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30 and April 3, 5, 6, 1895.
National Monuments Service 2023 Archaeological Survey of Ireland: ESRI Heritage Historic Environment Viewer at https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8
Irish Place undated “The unmarked Grave: Brutal Murder or a Faery Killing the Slaying of Bridget Cleary” website referenced 12/24/23 at https://www.theirishplace.com/heritage/brutal-murder-or-a-faery-killing-the-slaying-of-bridget-cleary/attachment/the-unmarked-grave-of-bridget-cleary/
Irish Times 1895 Articles March 26, 27, 28th; April 2, 3, 6, 8th, 1895.
Kilkenny Castle undated “Folklore and Fairies and the Question of National Identity”. Website referenced 12/25/23 at https://kilkennycastle.ie/folklore-and-fairies-and-the-question-of-national-identity/
Munster Express 1895 “Johanna Burke’s testimony”.
Phil Cleary undated Bridget Cleary Murdered in 1895 in Ballyvadlea Just Another Little Murder. Website referenced 12/25/23 at https://philcleary.com.au/bridgetcleary/
Salaman, Redcliff N 2000 “The History and Social Influence of the Potato”. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.
Unknown 1895 “Witch-burning at Clonmel”. Folklore: Vol 6, no 4, pages 373-384.
Wilde 1979 “Irish Popular Superstitions”. Dublin.
Wildfire Films 2006 “Fairy Wife: The Burning of Bridget Cleary” TV Movie, director Adrian McCarthy and writer Angela Bourke. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0989816/
Suspected Ringforts:
Kylenagrana – Explorations around Eastern Ireland. Monday, 25 December 2023. Adventures in County Kilkenny and Tiippencary, Ireland. Photos by Thomas Baurley, Techno Tink Media.
One of the most infamous landmarks of Glastonbury is the Tor. It is extremely popular in the Arthurian legends. The Tor is a tall hill that ascends over 158 meters from Glastonbury and hosts panoramic views of the English countryside, viewing the three counties of Somerset, Dorset, and Wiltshire. During the legendary Isles of Avalon, this would have been the highest point on the isles. Geologically the Tor rises from Lower lias clays and limestones from the Middle and Upper Lias to a deposit of hard midford sand at the cap of 521 feet and is called the “Tor Burr”. The Tor has a conical shape made up of horizontal bands of limestone, and clay, and capped with sandstone. As erosional forces dug away with limestone and clays, the sandstone lasts resisting erosion and creating steep slopes. Historically, this Tor would have towered as an island above the flooded Somerset Levels, but as the levels were drained over the ages for agriculture and other uses, it is now a hill blended into the landscape. The terraces on the slopes date to Medieval times when the hillside was one of the few dry locations where locals could farm and graze animals. The Tor is believed to have been a sacred site of pilgrimage for over 10,000 years and is still used today. It is believed to be a gateway to the Otherworld. Lithics and other artifacts show the presence of humans here for thousands of years.
It was said that Joseph of Arimathea 63 C.E. founded a settlement here. Archaeologically the earliest found was a 6th-century settlement, the earliest found in Glastonbury and many believed was the first Christian community in the area founded by Joseph. Evidence from the 6th century was found during excavations of 1964-1966 that exposed occupation during this time, and the second phase of occupation from 900-1100 C.E. by the finding of a head of a cross that was probably monks cells cut into the rock on the summit, a tradition of a monastic site on the Tor was confirmed by the 1243 charter granting permission for a fair at the Monastery of St. Michael at this location.
During the 8th century, the Great Abbey was built on the site of the present abbey ruins in the 8th century and then rebuilt becoming the wealthiest abbey in Britain but destroyed in 1539 by the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
In the 13th century, it is said the first Church on the Tor to be built was St. Michael’s Church in the charter of 1243 C.E.
These ruins are what you see today the most notable part of which is St. Michael’s Tower. These ruins are from the 2nd church replacing the original that was destroyed in the 1275 C.E. earthquake. This second church lasted until 1539 until the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
The earliest legend after Joseph of Arimathea is the mid-thirteenth century story of St. Patrick coming from Ireland and becoming the leader of the hermits here. He was said to have discovered an ancient Oratory in ruins atop the Tor after climbing through dense woods.
In the historic era, this is the location where Richard Whiting, the last Abbot of Glastonbury, and some of his monks were hung.
“Glastonbury Tor, one of the most famous and sacred landmarks in the West Country. From the summit at 158 meters, you can get amazing views over three counties – Somerset, Dorset, and Wiltshire. What is the tor? “Tor” is a West Country word of Celtic origin meaning hill. The conical shape of Glastonbury Tor is natural – due to its rocks. It is made up of horizontal bands of clays and limestone with a cap of hard sandstone. The sandstone resists erosion, but the clays and limestone have worn away, resulting in the steep slopes. A historic landscape: Before modern drainage, the tor in winter would have towered as an island above the flooded Somerset Levels. The terraces on the slopes date back to medieval times when the hillside was one of the few dry places where people could grow crops and graze animals. A place of pilgrimage: The tor has been a place of pilgrimage for over 10,000 years. Many thousands of people still visit it each year, some for its links with religion, legends, and beliefs, and others because it is such a renowned landmark. History of the Tower: on the summit is St. Michael’s Tower, part of a 14th-century church. It was built to replace a previous church which had been destroyed by an earthquake in 1275. The second church lasted until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539. At this time, the tor was the scene of the hanging of Richard Whiting, the last Abbot of Glastonbury. The Tor was the site of a 6th-century settlement, the earliest yet found in Glastonbury. Some believe this was the first Christian community in the area, said to have been founded by Joseph of Arimathea in AD 63. 8th Century: The great Abbey: A stone church was built on the site of the present abbey ruins in the 8th century. It was rebuilt and became one of the wealthiest abbeys in Britain, but was destroyed in 1539 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. 13th century: A church on the tor – The first written record of St. Michael’s Church on the tor is in a charter of 1243. The building was destroyed in an earthquake in 1275. 14th century- St. Michael’s Tower – in the 14th century, a new church was built on the tor, which survived until the Dissolution. St. Michael’s tower is all that remains. Glastonbury Tor rises from the Lower lias clays and limestones through the Middle and Upper Lias to a deposit of hard midford sand on the cap, 521 ft. high known locally as Tor Burr. This is more resistant to erosion than the lower levels making the slopes steep and unstable. These steep sculptured slopes, rising dramatically from the isle of Avalon in the flat Somerset levels, have encouraged much speculation about the origin of the Tor in legend. The earliest reference is a mid-thirteenth century story of St. Patrick’s return from Ireland in which he became a leader of hermits at Glastonbury and discovered an ancient ruined oratory on the summit after climbing through a dense wood, scattered fines of prehistoric, roman, and later objects suggest the Tor was always used by man, but evidence for actual occupation from the 6th AD was uncovered in the excavations of 1964-6, the second phase of occupation between 900-1100 was distinguished by the head of a cross and what were probably Christian monk’s cells cut into the rock on the summit, the tradition of a monastic site on the Tor is confirmed by a charter of 1243 granting permission for a fair at the monastery of St. Michael there. The present tower though later modified is essentially the 15th century and is associated with the second of two major churches which stood on the summit. The second one was probably built after the destructive earthquake of 1275. The monastic church of St. Michael closely associated with the Great Abbey in the town below fell into ruin after the Dissolution of the monasteries in 1539 when Richard Whiting the last abbot of Glastonbury was hanged on the Tor.” ~ information signs on the Tor, Glastonbury, England.
So, while on an archaeological survey project in Ohio, I investigated local myths, legends, and urban lore. One of the sites of interest to pop up on my radar was the government take-over eminent domain of a town formerly known as “Boston, Ohio”. It is now fabled in urban legend and called “Helltown.”
I dismissed visiting because, according to Atlas Obscura, all town remnants had been bulldozed and flattened; there’s nothing to see there since 2016. It would have been a 4-5 hour round-trip excursion, so I decided not to go. Plus, rumors of a toxic dump are just not something my asthmatic ass needed during a pandemic. So, it was boxed away in my mind as a lost ghost story.
Then, upon returning to the Pacific Northwest while looking for something to watch … the pseudo-documentary by the Travel channel of Series 1, episode 1: Helltown, popped up on Amazon Prime. It was free since I was subscribed to Discovery Channel, so why not? It was the Blair Witch Project in a different light: the utterly false story, narrative, and made-up mythology based on actual urban lore and legend. No more than one episode was released in 2017. I assume they took a real video of the location before the Park System razed it.
Helltown, Travel Channel’s Documentary?
In 2017, the Travel Channel released a documentary/docudrama to explore the different theories and facts around what had happened to Boston, Ohio, in 1974 and why it was called “Helltown.” It’s true that in 1974, President Ford ordered the evacuation of Boston, Ohio. No one knows why, but the official story was for the preservation of natural beauty to turn into a National Park. There was a chemical spill, but that’s all that is known. Locals claim the Wendigo ran around the site, that there was a satanic cult operating in the town, that there were mutations caused by the spill, that it was a hangout for serial killers, and that it has a crybaby bridge. None of these stories have proof of them. So what did happen?
The docudrama by the Travel Channel claimed “Boston, Ohio,” aka “Helltown,” was inhabited by the “WW” cult that worshipped the wendigo. While the government was clearing the town in the 1960s, there was a Waco-style shootout between the Feds and the cultists, leaving 14 dead. In 2016 a local teenager investigating “Helltown” was attacked on a YouTube live stream and eaten by a Wendigo. According to Snopes, none of this occurred.
The Documentary followed stories of a military cover-up of a mutation causing a chemical spill, forcing the government to evacuate the town for a clean-up and restoration. At the same time, an Irish Catholic turned Pagan turned Satanic Cult started animal sacrifices to a wendigo in the woods, and a shoot-out happened between the military and the locals, leading to death. Not to mention the story of the all too common missing kids. The Docudrama included supposed interviews, re-enactments, fake newspaper articles, fake YouTube videos, and fake professors—all hogwash and “Blair Witch Project” style shock-journalism.
The local legends
All too famous in local lore, Helltown, Zombieland, and many stories run everywhere – especially during Halloween. Every state has satanic ritual stories, as do their intriguing crybaby bridges, missing children, and mutations. There is no evidence of missing kids or Waco-style shootouts between the Feds and cult members. The Army didn’t kill locals. No bear was dead. No teenagers were attacked or eaten by said bear. These parts were created by the “Helltown” docudrama. The locals, however, pre-filming, did have their legends and ghost stories. The 20-second-long YouTube video supposedly uploaded in 2016 depicting a girl screaming amidst flashing lights was faked.
The Satanic Church
There was a local church in Boston, Ohio, that had some upside-down crosses in its architecture, belonging to a typical Gothic style. There were no Satanists operating out of the church or in the town. It was a Presbyterian Church called “The Mother of Sorrows.” It was not formerly an Irish Catholic Church, as the fake documentary dictated.
The Crybaby Bridge
Every town has them. It’s a local bridge where one claims late at night, and you can hear babies crying, either coming from the bridge itself or the nearby woods. Some claim that tiny hand prints would appear on your car windows or hood.
The Murder Bus
Before the town was demolished, there was a graffiti-laden old school bus that locals claimed housed “serial killers.” It was, however, just an abandoned bus that a local family lived in while building their home. There is no evidence of actual serial killers living there.
The End of the World
Many dark roads, especially those with ledges along them, have this nomenclature. The one in Boston, Ohio, was a steep section of Stanford Road, so it could look like someone driving it was dropping off at the “End of the World.”
Mutations
Because the local Krejci Dump was known to have chemical contamination, numerous stories flooded the area with tales of mutated giant frogs, the Wendigo, mutated glowing people that were zombie-like, or glowing head creatures wandering the woods. The dump is genuine. The chemical spill was a problem. The National Park bought the landfill for their waste, but local rangers got sick and suffered chemical burns due to the heavy metals and chemicals in the ground. It was closed and cleaned up by 2015 after it was declared a Superfund site.
The Wendigo of Boston, Ohio
The local Algonquin tribes did have lore about a humanoid creature with deer antlers that would eat humans. The creature lives around the Great Lakes and/or Nova Scotia. However, there has been no scientific documentation of its existence nor real records of sightings in this area outside of what the docudrama claimed.
Real History:
The area’s original inhabitants were the Delaware or Lenape people, an Algonquin tribe known as the Mingo, who had a village next to Clear Creek in Ohio. There was bloodshed between the Euro-American settlers and the local Native Americans, and it was quieted with the Treaty Of Easton. They left in 1755. The settlement was re-founded in the 1770s by the Lenape and was called “Clear Town” after the “Clear Creek” it was established. Some claim that the German word for “Clear” is “hell” and it was nicknamed “Helltown”.
They abandoned the village in 1782 after struggles with Euro-Americans and Colonial American troops. The Gnadenhutten Massacre of 1782 occurred, killing 96 Lenape. After the bloodshed in 1782, the village was abandoned as it supposedly sits along a battle trail that stretched from Sandusky through the Cuyahoga River valley. After struggles vanished, Euro-American homesteaders settled the area and built the town of “Boston, Ohio”. According to archaeologists, in the late 19th century, the village was a high mound composed of sandstone rocks and packed earth. Supposedly, Lenape graves were buried there, but a local farmer plowed over them in 1881. The only artifacts recovered were an iron tomahawk, two iron knives, stone arrowheads, a stone ax, a gunflint, and some brass mountings from a musket.
The town was named after its township and officially settled by Euro-Americans in 1820. In 1821, it was home to a sawmill called Boston Mills. A post office was established in 1825 and remained in operation until 1957.
Congress passed Public Law 93-555 in 1974, permitting the U.S. Government to establish the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area. The government purchased the town of Boston and relocated its residents out of the area. This eminent domain action condemned hundreds of homes and businesses, closing the town of Boston. After clearing the town, the Government fell behind on the development of the National Park. This left the area a ghost town with abandoned buildings and empty streets.
Locals came up with their conspiracy theories, claiming the government felt the site was haunted, a wendigo was killing people, serial killers were hiding in the area, and a toxic spill was causing mutations. The government demolished the last structures in 2016. President Gerald Ford claimed the area needed to be turned into a National Park to preserve the environment, taking large swaths of land surrounding Boston, Ohio. However, while by 2016, they finally demolished all remnants of the town, they didn’t turn it into a park for over half a century after taking it from its residents. The U.S. government took it from the indigenous tribes and then took it from its people.
Visiting Helltown
According to Atlas Obscura, nothing exists in Boston, Ohio. It is, however, in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and, therefore, easy to visit, though there is nothing to see. It is in the Boston Township just west of Brandywine Falls. Travel to Brandywine Falls, exit 271, and find the “road closed” sign.
Case, H.B. “Description of Mounds and Earthworks in Ashland County, Ohio.” In Miscellaneous Papers Relating to Anthropology. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1883. p. 74.
Didymus, John Thomas 2019 “Is Helltown Real or Fake? Was Ohio Teenage Girl Killed in Wendigo Attack?” Monsters and Critics 23 September 2019.
Evon, Dan 2019 “Does Helltown Film Document Weird Happenings in Abandoned Ohio Town?” SNOPES. Website referenced: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/helltown-document-real-events/ on 5/19/21
IMDB 2017 Helltown, Season 1, Episode 1 viewed on Amazon Prime.
Urbex Underground n.d. “The Actual Truth About Helltown Ohio”. Website referenced 5/19/21: https://urbexunderground.com/helltown-ohio/
Spirits and Entities of Alcohol by Thomas Baurley, Leaf McGowan, Technogypsie Productions
It always amazes me how the world really doesn’t understand the “root” of all things, nor pay attention to the “history” of various items or substances that they use occasionally or daily in life. I strongly believe it is very important to know the “root” and “makeup” of anything one puts in their bodies. Regardless of whether one is religious, spiritual, or scientific – the role of religion and spirituality in all aspects of life has some intriguing elements that should not be ignored.
The proverb “You are what you eat”; has a lot of elements of truth in that saying because what you put in your body affects it chemically, physically, mentally, emotionally, and yes, spiritually. I won’t debate between science and religion in this article and for those readers that are atheist and don’t believe in spirituality – while reading this – simply ignore the spiritual overtones of this article and focus on the chemical aspect of what is being put in your body and understanding the elements you allow into your temple. For those readers that are avid drinkers – think about the drink you are putting in your body and go for higher quality substances as one really should consider changing to “organic” and “triple distilled” spirits instead, and for the spiritual user – know the entity or “spirit” you are inviting into your being.
This is not a negative article on drugs, substances, or alcohol, but rather a spiritual understanding of why we use them, the benefits, and the dangers associated with them. Alcohol use needs to be practiced responsibly, for abusing it can lead to serious consequences. There really is more to “being under the influence” than you can rationally understand. Historically and spiritually, in all world cultures and religions, in folklore and mythology, every substance, every herb, every mineral, and every plant has a “spirit” or “entity” or “deity” assigned or associated with it. Drugs – Alcohol, barbiturates, hallucinogens, chemicals, or what-not are made of compositions of plants, herbs, minerals, and living matter.
Drugs are medicines as well as poisons, with positive and negative effects on a living host that ingest them. Side effects from these drugs create various moods, effects on the body, mind, spirit, and persona. Many of these effects are utilized for spiritual visions, trances, omens, oracles, prophecies, messages, or communication with the beyond in the realms of religion. When abused, they often consume the body and the soul and will create a degradation of a being. Regardless of the substance: alcohol, marijuana, psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, barbiturates, etc. – Each substance has its own entity or spirit that culture attributes certain persona and effects to. It is pretty important to understand what entities you are dealing with, and how to gain advantage from a temporary relationship with them, and how to avoid them taking advantage of you.
Dr. Mangor’s Absinthe Collection, Los Angeles, California
For this article, I’m focusing on “spirits” or “alcohol”, as it is the most common grouping of entities that the mass population deals with. Why is “Alcohol” given the name “spirits” in the annals of history? The words “alembic” and “alcohol” are metaphors for “aqua vitae” (Life Water) and “Spirit”, often refer to a distilled liquid that came from magical explorations in Middle Eastern alchemy. “Alcohol” comes from the Arabic “al-kuhl” or “al-ku??l”, which means “Body Eating Spirit”, and gives the root origin to the English term for “ghoul”. In Middle Eastern Folklore, a “ghoul” is an “evil demon thought to eat human bodies”, either as stolen corpses or as children.
Since the root of the name “alcohol” is related to the concept of “body eating spirit”, this is also one of the early roots to traditional taboos on imbibing alcohol in the beginnings of Islam and similar prohibition faiths. In Islam, consumption of any alcohol is punishable with 80 lashes. To many “Pagan” or “Heathen” faiths, the imbibing of spirits and the temporary relationship with these entities gives definition to the “aqua vita” beliefs or “life water” or “connection/communication with spirits” that can be quite beneficial. In fact, faiths that had their roots in Paganism, such as Christianity and Islam, have carried over beneficial beliefs about the consumption or imbibition of alcohol.
As Middle Eastern alchemists ingested alcohol they reported that their senses deadened and this is why they saw the elixirs produced as possessing “body taking” qualities. This is where the Europeans are believed to have derived the use of “spirits” for “alcohol”. What is ingested affects a living body spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. Some believe it will affect the soul as well and that it is all about relationships. Some faiths and cultures have credible valid positive reasons to abstain from drugs and alcohol, while others have equal reasons to promote them.
Many cultures see drugs and alcohol as negative, but if one looks into the history of these elementals, there exist many positive elements in their usage, especially when balanced with spirituality and religion. Many cultures and faiths traditionally ingest something in order to commune with the Divine, God/desses, and/or spirits. Whether the wine and bread of Catholic Mass or the trance induction of peyote with South American Shamans, the use of these substances have an honored tradition throughout history.
Shamanic use of trance-inducing drugs are not considered destructive, but rather gifts of the Gods that allow the body and spirit to commune with higher planes of existence. Peyote, ayahuasca, Salvia Divinorum, absinthe, psilocybin, and other substances are assigned to induce spirit communication, clairvoyance, and the ability to heal. Most forms of Christianity consume alcohol as part of everyday life and nearly always use “wine” (fermented grape juice) in their central rite with the Eucharist or “Lord’s Supper”. The beliefs surrounding this practice state that Christian Tradition and/or the Bible teaches that “alcohol” is a “gift from God that makes life more joyous, but that overindulgence leading to drunkenness is a sin”. The key of Christianity is “moderation”.
19th century Protestants attempted to move from this earlier position of thought and pursuing “abstention” or “prohibition” of alcohol believing its use to be a “sin” even to the extreme of a sip (i.e. Mormonism). The Bible repeatedly refers to alcohol in use and poetic expression, and while mainly ambivalent to it, still states them to be both a “blessing from God that brings merriment” and a “potential danger that can be unwisely and sinfully abused”. “Wine” is often portrayed in daily life as a symbol of abundance and physical blessing, and negatively as a “mocker” with beer being a “brawler”, and drinking a cup of strong wine to the dregs and getting drunk can be presented as a symbol of God’s judgment and wrath. As puritans often spoke in their sermons that “Drink is in itself a good creature of God, and to be received with thankfulness, but the abuse of drink is from Satan; the wine is from God, but the drunkard is from the Devil”. Bible warns that alcohol can hinder moral discretion, and that alcohol can be corrupting of the body and a substance that will impair judgment and distract one from God’s will of life.
While the Ancient Egyptians promoted beer and wine, they did warn of taverns and excessive drinking. However, the Greek Dionysus cult promoted intoxication as a means to get closer to their Deity. Macedonians viewed intemperance as a sign of masculinity and were well known for their drunkenness. Alexander the Great was a proponent of the Cult of Dionysus and known for his inebriation. Ancient and Modern Roman celebrations on March 15th of Anna Parenna celebrates the Goddess of the Returning Year by crossing the Tiber River and “go abroad” into Etruria and picnic in flimsy huts made of branches, drink as much alcohol as they could, as it was thought that one would live for as many years as cups of alcohol one could drink on this date. Once finished they would return to their homes in Rome.
Most Pagan religions encourage alcohol use and some pursue intoxication promoted as a means of fostering fertility. To Pagan faiths it is believed to increase sexual desire and to make it easier to approach another person for sex. Norse paganism considered alcohol to be the sap of Yggdrasil and drunkenness as an important fertility rite in this religion. Alcohol was also used for medicinal purposes in biblical times as an oral anesthetic, topical cleanser, soother, and digestive aid. Problems associated with industrialization and rapid urbanization were also attributed and blamed on alcohol including urban crime, poverty, high infant mortalities, though it’s likely that gross overcrowding and unemployment were the actual root cause.
The modern world then started blaming personal, social, religious, and moral problems on alcohol. This led to modern movements of prohibitionism. A typical Buddhist view on Alcohol use is as a shortcut for the pursuit of happiness as it produces a short-term euphoria or happiness and this is the reason millions of people drink it repeatedly every day. Buddha teaches alcohol as well as all drugs, leads to misjudgment, blocks rational thinking, and therefore preached against amongst its disciples even though in some Buddhist disciplines it is used as offerings to Deity and spirits. Islam, Jainism, the Bahai’ Faith, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the Church of Christ, Scientist, the United Pentecostal Church International, Theravada, most Mahayana schools of Buddhism, some Protestant denominations of Christianity, and some sects of Hinduism – forbid, discourage, or restrict the drinking of alcoholic beverages for various reasons.
Science tells us alcohol releases dopamine into the brain, stimulating the pleasure sensation. There are a lot of “expectations” with alcohol, and many of these will still operate in the absence of actual consumption of alcohol when the individual believes they are consuming alcohol. Research in North America shows that men tend to become more sexually aroused when they think they have been drinking alcohol, even when they have not been drinking it. Women report feeling more sexually aroused when they falsely believe the beverages they have been drinking contained alcohol. Men have shown to become more aggressive in laboratory studies when they are drinking only tonic water but believe it contains alcohol, they also become less aggressive when they believe they are drinking only tonic water, but are actually drinking tonic water that contains alcohol.
In Magical Views, the use of alcohol, especially in ritual and rite, is a very powerful vehicle for altering states of consciousness, communicating with spirits, Deities, Ancestors, and entities. It aids in relaxation for ritual. It frees the mind of responsibility and control, and is a great aid to those very logical individuals that have to be “in control”. However, it can be detrimental to those who have a lot of natural psychic or medium-ship abilities that have been raised in families or cultures that demonized or invalidated these gifts. As alcohol and drugs impair the left brain first (logical) and enhance right brain activity (where spirit communication and psychic abilities reside), thereby increasing psychic or mystical experiences while under the influence.
The effects are dependent on the individual and their type, as it can be dangerous with some people – those susceptible to possession and toying by spirits, excessive drinking is similar to “throwing open the saloon door and calling out to a crowd of alcoholics – ‘Bar is open, drinks are on (in) me’”, which will attract lower astral entities to enter the body and soul to experience the alcohol vicariously through the person. It is easier for spirits to influence one when they are intoxicated, some of which are very “low life” or “demonic” entities. (Many are good and powerful, including Deities like Dionysus, Maeve, etc. but usually, associate with the particular elixir being imbibed) Mixing of “Spirits” can be dangerous and very toxic on the body and spirit, as the doorway to the soul can be an orgy of spirits that the person cannot handle, often leading to alcohol poisoning, sickness, illness, and/or death.
Historical: Ancient China had wine jars in Jiahu dating to 7,000 B.C.E. and considered a spiritual food rather than a material food with high importance in religious life. Neolithic wine making was found to date from 5400-5000 B.C.E. as archaeologists uncovered a yellowish residue at Hajji Firuz Tepe in a jar that analysis determined came from winemaking. Early brewing dates in Egypt showing alcohol was presided over by the God Osiris. Chalcolithic Era Indus Valley civilizations in India date from 3000-2000 B.C.E. with Hindu Ayurvedic texts describing beneficent uses. Babylonians in 2700 B.C.E. worshiped a wine Goddess and other wine deities. Xenophon (431-351 BCE) and Plato (429-347 BCE) praised moderate use of wine as beneficial to health and happiness but were critical of drunkenness. Hippocrates (460-370 BCE) praised it for its medicinal properties (wine).
Some Native American peoples developed an alcoholic beverage called Pulque or Octli as early as 200 C.E. that was used for visions, religion, and prophecy. The first distillations of spirits came from the Medieval Period, with the School of Salerno in the 12th century, and fractional distillation developed by Tadeo Alderotti in the 13th century. Distillation of whiskey first performed in Scotland and Ireland for centuries, and the first written confirmation of whiskey comes from Ireland in 1405, Scotland in 1494.
Alcoholic beverages are drinks that contain “ethanol” (a.k.a. “alcohol”). They are divided into three classes: beers, wines, and spirits. “Spirits” often related to distilled beverages low in sugars and containing a minimum of 35% alcohol by volume. These are often referred to as Gin, Vodka, and Rum. Alcohol is legally consumed in most countries, though regulated by over 100 countries in terms of production, sale, and consumption. In most countries and religions, alcohol plays a major role in social events, rituals, and traditional celebrations. Alcohol is a psychoactive drug with a depressant effect that reduces attention and slows reaction speeds. It can be addictive and those addicted are considered to be under the sickness called “alcoholism”. Science shows that alcohol is beneficial in moderate amounts, especially a glass of wine drunk daily as it aids in digestion. If food is eaten before alcohol consumption, it reduces alcohol absorption, and the rate at which alcohol is eliminated from the blood is increased. The mechanism for faster alcohol elimination appears to be related to types of food especially those with alcohol-metabolizing enzymes and liver blood flow. Consumption of alcoholic drinks during Medieval times was a method used to avoid water-borne diseases such as cholera as alcohol kills bacteria.
Beer: is the world’s oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic beverage, and the third most popular drink after water and tea. It is produced by brewing and fermenting starches derived from cereal grains – most commonly by means of malted barley, though sometimes with wheat, maize, or rice. There are two main types of beer: Lager and Ale. Ale is classified into varieties such as pale ale, stout, and brown ale. Most beer is flavored with hops adding bitterness and as a natural preservative. Beer is usually 4-6% alcohol by volume but can be less than 1% or more than 20%. It is a stipend of the drinking culture of most nations and has social traditions such as beer festivals, pub culture, pub crawls, and pub games. The Christian Bible refers to beer as a brawler. Medieval monks were allotted about five liters of beer per day – allowed to drink beer but not wine during fasts. Many Saints and Deities were associated with Beer, such as St. Adrian, the patron saint of Beer; St. Amand, patron saint of brewers, barkeepers, and wine merchants; and The Ancient Egyptians believed Osiris gave their people “Beer” as he invented it and it was a necessity of life, brewed in the home on a daily basis. In Ancient Egypt, Cellars and wine presses often had a God who was associated with each of the 17 types of beer they created. These were used for pleasure, nutrition, medicine, ritual, remuneration, and funerary purposes. Babylonians often offered beer and wine to their Deities as offerings.
Wine: Alcoholic beverages distilled after fermentation of non-cereal sources like grapes, fruits, or honey. It involves a longer complete fermentation process and a long aging process (months or years) that create an alcohol content of 9-16% by volume. Sparkling wines are made by adding a small amount of sugar before bottling, creating a secondary fermentation in the bottle. The Bible refers to wine as a symbol of abundance and physical blessing, bringer, and concomitant of joy, especially with nourishment and feasting; as well negatively as a mocker. It is commonly drunk with meals, as the Old Testament prescribed it for use in sacrificial rituals and festal celebrations.
Jesus’ first miracle was making copious amounts of wine at the wedding feast of Cana where he instituted the ritual of the Eucharist at the Last Supper during a Passover celebration that “wine” is a “new covenant in his blood”. Under the rule of Rome, the average adult male who was a citizen drank an estimated liter (1/4 of a gallon) of wine a day. Thomas Aquinas, a Dominican monk and the “Doctor Angelicus” of the Catholic Church said that moderation in wine is sufficient for salvation but that for certain person perfection requires abstinence and this was dependent upon their circumstance. Wine has been associated or assigned to various Saints, Deities, and Spirits such as St. Amand, patron saint of brewers, barkeepers, and wine merchants; St. Martin, the so-called patron saint of wine; St. Vincent, and patron saint of vintners. In Ancient Egypt,
Cellars and wine presses often had a God who was associated with each of the 24 varieties of wine they created. These were used for pleasure, nutrition, medicine, ritual, remuneration, and funerary purposes. Babylonians in 2700 B.C.E. worshiped a wine Goddess and other wine deities. Babylonians often offered beer and wine to their Deities as offerings. In Greece, the art of winemaking reached the Hellenic peninsula by 2,000 B.C.E. – the first of which was Mead, and by 1700 BCE wine making was commonplace and incorporated into religious rituals. Balche’, a Mayan Honey wine, was associated with the Mayan deity Acan.
Spirits: Unsweetened, Distilled alcoholic beverages that have an alcohol content of at least 20% ABCV are called spirits. These are produced by the distillation of a fermented base product, which concentrates the alcohol, and eliminates some of the congeners. These can be added to wine to create fortified wines such as ports and sherries.
These are often Vodka, Rum, Gin, Whiskey, Whisky, Tequila, and other spirits.
Some commonly believed changes in personality with ‘types’ of alcohol:
Tequila: Boldness, wildness, sexuality, aggression, and lush behavior.
Absinthe: Creativity, Inspiration, Desire to do Art, Write, or Music; imaginative thought. Rumored to be psychedelic and produce hallucinations. Inspires oracles, omens, and prophetic thought.
Rum: Wildness, craziness, boldness, and lust.
Gin: Intellectual thought, healing, lethargy, and numbness.
Breckenridge Fairy Forest – Exploring Breckenridge, Colorado: September 30, 2020.
This was a major bucket list item of mine, but I snoozed, and loss. The city has “closed” the Fairy Forest. “Fairy Lives Don’t Matter” as per Will Smith’s humor in the movie “Bright”. They claim it is being revegetated, though that’s government speak for “you’re not welcome”. It’s a sad loss for Breckenridge, mainly because residential property owners, don’t want tourists or hikers invading their local trails, “polluting” it with kid-made art in this gully behind homes.
What it was like
Apparently it was an artistic fun-filled joyous space in nature for kids of all ages (and adults to) to embrace their imagination and creativity, creating homes for fairies, gnomes, elves, and creatures. Apparently someone maintained the neighborhood and protected the art from the snow and weather, where it would dissapear just before snow arrives, and magically appear in June again. But this time, it is said, it won’t be coming back. Supposedly the neighborhood changes dwellings every year as well, and it always looks different. Like a Fairy Burning Man city in miniature scale. “Leave no trace” during the winter periods, seems to be the rules, and no litter year round. But the city believes it’s all trash, and shouldn’t exist.
It is said it was started by a neighbor a few years ago and just kept growing. So I’m not sure how the forest is disliked by the human neighborhood around them. It’s gotta be the bias against outsiders or tourists that made it come to an end, much to the same degree as why the Breckenridge Troll had to move hoods.
Hopefully it will be reclaimed and rebuilt, not treated like a homeless camped being cleared out repeatedly by the government. Poor fairies. From Breckenridge, take 4 O’clock Road, park at the Snowflake Lift, hike down the Sawmill Trail 1.5 miles. Take right at end of Sawmill Trail, hike up a bit, take 2nd right, you’ll see the boardwalk to cross the creek. Turn right on Four O’Clock trail, trail will veer to left, and head up hill under the ski lift, across an open hill, and you made it.
The official word: City of Breckenridge said that due to the popularity of the area, damages were caused to the trail and surrounding forest. The single-track trail has expanded to 30′ width in some areas. Claims that many unnatural material including plastic has been left along the trail (though I’ve never seen such things in any published photos). They closed it Summer of 2020 to revegetate and reduce the trail back to a single track. The trail is now closed to public access. They state: “The single-track trail grew, in some areas, to 20-30 feet across. This resource damage has grown to the point that necessitates a trail closure. There are several critical reasons for this closure. First, extensive re-vegetation needs to be completed in the area. Second, the trail needs to be narrowed and re-worked with proper drainage and tread. Third, all unnatural materials need to be removed. This area has seen a lot of impacts, and now it needs time to heal and recover.” Officially the future of the Fairy Forest has come to an end. The Town of Breckenridge made the decision NOT to restore the installation. Because they do not own the land underneath Four O’Clock Trail, “we cannot construct or manage anything other than trail infrastructure”.
These Fairy forests exist in many places. There is one in Utah as well.
References:
9news n.d. “Fairy Forest is a Delightful Hike for Toddlers” Website referenced 3/18/21 at https://www.9news.com/article/features/fairy-forest-is-a-delightful-hike-for-toddlers/73-583967169
Bookbreck n.d. “Breckenridge Fairy Forest” website referenced 3/18/21 at https://www.bookbreck.com/breckenridge-fairy-forest/
Sienkiewicz, Taylor 2020 “Breckenridge Fairy Forest to be removed as town closes Four O’Clock Trail for Restoration” website referenced 3/18/21 at https://www.summitdaily.com/news/breckenridge-fairy-forest-to-be-removed-as-town-closes-four-oclock-trail-for-restoration/
Town of Breckenridge 2020 “”Fairy Forest ” Will Be Closed to Public Access” Website referenced 3/18/21: https://www.townofbreckenridge.com/Home/Components/News/News/2041/
The Breckenridge Troll – Exploring Breckenridge, Colorado: September 30, 2020. The Adventures of Sir Oisin Leif: https://technotink.net/adventures/?p=3015
Isak Heartstone – The Troll of Breckenridge
There’s a troll in the woods, and his name is “Isak Heartstone”. He’s been a resident of Breckenridge for quite some time, and recently changed hoods. He’s 15 feet tall and is a recycled wood art sculpture created by infamous Danish artisan Thomas Dambo. He is an icon for upcycling and recycling. Today, Isak lives off the Trollstigen Trail in Breckenridge Colorado just southeast of the Ice Arena parking lot. He was manifested through the annual Breckenridge International Festival of Arts in 2018. He was moved from his original location to one that was closer towards town and parking, as parking issues as well as maintenance, monitoring, and care was too difficult before. He and the trail will still not be maintained during the winter months. The troll is a fantastic family fun-filled adventure for all visitors large and small. A quick walk from the ice arena, he’s not to miss if you’re in Breckenridge.
The artist Thomas Dambo believes that the world is overwhelmed with overconsumption, and that’s why he focuses on creating something from the trash and recycled materials that can be appreciated. The trash does not need to be what the world is drowning in. He has created over 51 recycled/upcycled artistic creations around the world, including many other trolls. Isak is merely one of them. His first troll, Hector El Protector, was created from recycled pallets in Puerto Rico in 2014. Because of his popularity, Breckenridge was bombarded by tourists seeking out the troll and created a liability. Breckenridge in the silence of the night chainsawed Isak and removed it. The public outcry would not let them get away with it. Breckenridge worked with BreckCreate to relocate it, asking for Dambo to come back and rebuild the troll in the new location near Illinois Gulch. Much the same happened with the Fairy Forest, but whether or not it will be restored, as most likely it will be lost. Great gratitude to those that saved the Troll. Isak won’t be troubling the neighbors, landowners, and residences any longer – he’s next to public transportation and parking.
The new location doesn’t fully serve Dambo’s idea – of creating and putting sculptures in nature to represent the forces of nature. He still has an audacious idea of building 5-10 trolls in different faraway places across Colorado to encourage a network of hikers to travel there by foot.
To visit: From the Welcome Center, 203 South Main street, Breckenridge, Colorado – head south to Peak 9, take a left on Boreas Pass, go past the Railroad Park to the Stephen C. West Ice Arena parking lot, go to the southeast corner of the lot, by the Illinois Gulch Trailhead, and follow the Troll signs.
References:
Anderson, Corrine 2019 “THE DANISH ARTIST WHO BUILT THE GIANT BRECKENRIDGE TROLL (TWICE) HAS SOMETHING TO TEACH US” Website referenced 3/18/21 at https://303magazine.com/2019/05/breckenridge-troll-thomas-dambo/
Breckenridge Creative Arts n.d. “Exhibitions: Isak Heartstone”. Website referenced 3/18/21 at https://www.breckcreate.org/exhibitions/isak-heartstone-2/
Englert, Chris n.d. “A Troll in the Woods”. Website referenced 3/18/21: https://eatwalklearn.com/breckenridge-troll-walk/
GoBrek n.d. “How to Find the Breckenridge Troll”. Website referenced 3/18/21: https://gobreck.com/experience-breckenridge/arts-and-culture/how-to-find-the-breckenridge-troll/
The stacking of stones is a widespread cultural practice all around the world. You know it is a remnant of modern, historical, or prehistoric cultural manufacture because they were not placed there by nature. Most likely a human moved one stone atop another. They vary in size from one or two rocks or more stacked on top of each other in simplicity to complexity of mounds, cairns, pyramids, tombs, and massive megalithic complexes.
The meaning behind the practice varies between cultures and time periods throughout history. Archaeologists however, are only interested in those that are at least 50 years old (historical archaeology in America), 100 years old (Europe and other parts of the world), or prehistoric (hundreds to thousands of years in age).
They can be field clearing piles, fence piles, burial mounds, markers, signifiers, monuments, spiritual tools, graves, food stores, game drives, rock alignments, power quest markers, altars, shrines, prayer seats, hearths, circles, and/or memorials. Their uses can vary from remnants of field clearing for plowing, stabilizing fences, make walls, clearing or road construction, markers of a road trail or path, survey markers, memorial, burial, vision quest marker, or part of something bigger like a structure, burial, tomb, underground chamber, prayer seat, tipi ring, or offering to Gods, spirits, entities.
These commonly can be found along streams, creeks, lakes, springs, rivers, waterways, sea cliffs, beaches, in the desert, tundra, in uplands, on mountaintops, ridges, peaks, and hilltops. In underpopulated areas they can represent emergency location points.
North American trail markers are often called ducks or duckies because they have a beak that points in the direction of the route. Coastal cairns or sea markers are common in the northern latitudes can indicate navigation marking and sometimes are notated on navigation charts. Sometimes these are painted and are visible from offshore. This is a common practice in Iceland, Greenland, Canada, and Scandinavia.
Cairns / stacked rocks Public Lands near Malin, Oregon – Bryant Mountain.
ROCK STACKS Often the practice of stacking rocks is used to mark a trail, path, or road. Many say without these markings, it is often hard to follow a laid out trail, especially in areas that receive deep snowfall. When modern cairn builders place their art or message of ego along a trail they can be causing harm, hiding the true trail markers and if placed in a wrong place can lead a hiker astray or get them lost.
Original use is often a route marker and it’s important to preserve that integrity. Modern application of this practice can not only lead people astray but disrupt cultural studies, archaeology, geology, and the environment. Moving stones can upset plant life, insect habitats, as well as homes of lizards, rats, mice, and other creatures.
Other times these rock stacks have spiritual or religious purpose. These are sometimes offerings to the little people, fairies, faeries, nature spirits, Saints, entities, or God/desses. Sometimes these are arranged for a vision quest, other times as a prayer seat, or part of a stone circle.
Many times if found around rivers, streams, creeks, or springs they are offerings to the nature spirits, water spirits, nymphs, naiads, and/or dryads. Sometimes these are markers for portals, vortexes, gateways between worlds, lei lines, or places of spiritual importance. They honor spirits, Deities, Ancestors, or the Dead.
Sometimes these stacked rocks are considered art, a meditative exercise, or something someone does out of boredom.
Prince Cian making Cairns
In spiritual new age hotspots, modern creations of these cairns or rock stacks are actually quite problematic because they have become invasive upon the landscape, blocking access or movement. In addition, modern creations of them destroy, hide, or change importance of historical or prehistoric ones that existed before.
This is a similar impact between modern graffiti and rock art. This has become a major problem in places like Sedona Arizona; Telluride, Colorado; Arches National Park, Utah.
Prehistoric use Aborigines, Natives, Tribes, and Original Peoples have utilized cairns and rock stacks all over the world. Mostly the intent was as a marker. In the Americas, various tribes such as the Paiutes as well as early Pioneers left them to mark important trails or historic roads. The Inuksuk practice used by the Inuit, Inupiat, Kalaallit, Yupik, and other Arctic aborigines in North America ranging from Alaska to Greenland to Iceland are markers for wayfinding and to locate caches of food, supplies, and other goods.
Cairns and rock stacks have been used prehistorically for hunting, defense, burials, ceremonial structures, astronomical structures, or markers. (more…)
In the heart of the Ute and many Algonquian Native American groups, the closest equivalent to the Christian concept of “God” would be the “Great Spirit” or “Manitou”, A God of many names. It is the spiritual and fundamental all-knowing life force, omnipresent, all-seeing, all-existing, and the combined spirit of all organisms, their environments, and life events.
“Aasha Monetoo” – The Great Spirit, divided by “Aashaa monetoo – “The Good Spirit” and otshee monetoo – “the bad spirit”. It is S/he of no sex that gave humanity the land, the sky, and the sea to the people. It was a well-known concept amongst many tribes, especially within the Algonquian family groups, even pre-contact and pre-Christianization by Euro-American contact.
European explorer Thomas Harriot recorded in 1585 in his glossary of the Algonquian language Roanoke the term “mantoac” meaning “Gods”. “Gitche Manitou” in Algonquian refers to “Supreme Being” or “Great Spirit”. In Shamanism, “manitous” (aka “manidoog” or “manidoowag”) are connections that are connected to achieve desired effects such as buffalo manitou for a good hunt, plant manitous for healing, and manidoowag as an aspect of the Great Connection.
The derivatives “manituw” are underwater creatures that were appeased with offerings from hunters for safe passage amongst the Iynu. The Canadian province “Manitoba” is named after Lake Manitoba coming from “manitou-wapow” – the Straight of the Manitou, divine passage through the rocks by the Creator. Manitoulin Island, or “spirit island”, is a very sacred place to the Ojibway or Anishinaabe tribes where they have placed sounding rocks and created sacred sites.
Fox Indians believed the manitou lived in the grandfather stones of the sweat lodge. When one heats the rocks, the heat of the fire forces manitou to come out of its place within the stones. It is released from the stones when water is added, following the steam, and entering the human body. Once inside, it moves all over the body driving out everything that inflicts pain. Before it returns to the stone, it imparts some of its nature to the body. This is why “manitou” is seen from volcanic waters, heated waters, or mineral springs as carrying a ride within the waters, entering the human body when it is drunk, and then healing the body in the process. The Colorado village of “Manitou Springs” is named after the local tribes’ belief that Manitou – the Great Spirit blessed itself in the mineral waters that rise up from the karst topography as a healing spirit – once drank into the body, cleansing, purifying, and healing the body as it travels within.
Manitou is also called “Wakan Tanka” amongst the Sioux tribes, Gitche Manitou in Algonquian, and other names around the varying peoples. Even though there is much evidence that many tribes and peoples, mostly Algonquian, believed in this concept, and being before Christianity affected their belief systems, other scientists believe that not all tribes believed in a supreme being until after the 18th century. It was during the 18th century that many saw the “Great Spirit” an anthropomorphic celestial deity who ruled over the world.
