Cerne Abbas,
May Day 1993

Four of us had been camping up at the Giant's Head farmhouse.We rose before dawn setting out to walk a couple of miles to the Trendleabove the Giant. Despite fine weather the day before, dawn was lost in thickfog. The grass was heavy with dew. Descending the along the spine of thehill's spur, we found the Trendle despite the fog. It is an ancient earthwork150 feet above the Giant's outstretched hand. Some maintain that the townMaypole was sited here until its conversion into a ladder in 1635. We descendedaround the Giant to the pathway beneath.
Here, as we sat eating our sandwiches, two comrades emerged from the swirlingmist. They were using a map of Canada to guide their way. They had travelledovernight from London. They joined inthe feasting and helped in the collecting of dew from the chakras of theGiant. This was followed by breakfast at the Giant's Head campsite.
Later that day the fog cleared up. It was like another world. The town filledup with tourists who took photographs of the Giant and visited the ruinsof the Abbey and St. Augustine's Well. Only the more astute would have comeacross the eighteenth century masonic grave under the Yew tree in the graveyard.Likewise, many no doubt miss the eye in the pyramid to be seen in the church.
The fifteenth century Abbey Guest House is still intact. René ofAnjou's daughter, Margaret, who became Queenof England, had council here during the Wars of the Roses. In more recentdays the building has been visited by Winston Churchill, and is connectedwith the Digby family. The feeling of rustic charm was enhanced by the traditionaltwig broom and iron cauldron that were on display in the main room.
A trip was also made to Tout Quarry, Portland where Christine Fox's sculptureSerpent includes seven stones aligned with Cerne Abbas and the nearby St.George's church. The seventh stone is fashioned as a goddess to balancethe Cerne Giant.



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