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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