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Earth Mysteries Henges Megaliths
Wayland's Smithy, Oxfordshire, British Isles

Wayland Smithy was located on the Ridgeway near Uffington White Horse in Oxfordshire in the British Isles. The Ridgeway was an ancient prehistoric path across high ground that extends from the Wash to Axmouth, Devon and includes Avebury about ten miles to the southwest, and the nearby Uffington White Horse.

Situated in a Sacred Grove of Beech trees, the Neolithic earth covered long barrow and passage chamber date back to at least 5,500 years ago. The trapezoidal, wedge shaped mound was around fifty feet at its widest point and about one hundred ninety-six feet long. The small passage chambers were topped with a capstone.

There were four gigantic sarsen stone megaliths that stood watch over the long entrance chamber, which lead to two opposing transept chambers and a terminal chamber.

Archaeological excavations have found that the existing stone chambered, long barrow shaped mound was built about 3400 BCE upon the site of a smaller oval shaped timber chambered mound dating from around 3700 BCE.

Wayland's Smithy, Oxfordshire, British Isles
Image Courtesy of Chris Tweed, prehistoric.org.uk

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According to Scandinavian legends, a shamanic smith named Wayland lived there. If a traveller left a horse who had lost a shoe at the mound overnight along with a coin in payment on the top of the capstone, the horse would be re-shod by the morning and the money taken.

Over the years, ancient Britons continued to follow the custom of making votive offerings to Wayland as a local god. Today offerings of flowers, grains, nuts and fruits are still left there by those who still follow the ancient ways.

Holy Ground and Sacred Site Spaces suffused the "trifold land-sea-sky divinity" that was intrinsic to the Wholeness of the British Isles Natural World Natural World. The divine radiance and empowered grace of Sacred Groves, Healing Springs, Holy Lakes, and Hallowed Hills further sanctified the Druidic Celtic landscape.

Some of these blessed countryside settings were further enhanced for ceremonial connectivity purposes by the addition of Megalithic Standing Stones, Passage Cairns, and Stone Circles... Continue on

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Earth Mysteries Henges Megaliths © Copyright © 2002-2008 Maureen Grace Burns, Blessings Cornucopia. All Rights Reserved. Permission given to use Image Wayland's Smithy, Oxfordshire, British Isles Courtesy of Chris Tweed © prehistoric.org.uk, [http://www.prehistoric.org.uk/oxfordshire/waylands_smithy.html]. January 23, 2007.

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All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2002-2008
Maureen Grace Burns, Blessings Cornucopia.