MAGICAL LANDSCAPE' IS ALL AROUND US

No-one knows this better than Philip Carr-Gomm, a Lewes author and psychologist who has the odd distinction of teaching magic by post.

The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, which he has led for 18 years, has attracted more than 10,000 members.

ars ago, he started walking the hills around Lewes and began researching its history and folklore.

The result? He found that he didn't need to travel to Glastonbury or the Himalayas for spiritual inspiration '“ it was right here in his home town.

He wrote a book, The Druid Way, about a walk he took from the Mount by Lewes Priory to the Long Man of Wilmington and back.

And it seems he isn't alone in wanting to find a magical landscape that he can explore.

Just two weeks ago, some 50 people, including Lewes District Council chairman Marina Pepper, assembled on the Mount to celebrate the winter solstice sunrise - the shortest day of the year - and the sun duly rose over Beddingham Hill, complete with aligned burial mounds '“ although it was covered by cloud that day.

For the record, from The Tump the winter solstice sunset is aligned with Swanborough Hill; the summer solstice sunset with Black Cap and the summer solstice sunrise with the long barrow on Cliffe Hill.

'A lot of people are drawn to Lewes because they sense it is somewhere very special,' Philip added. 'Sometimes they are a little scared of it, but there is nothing frightening about the kind of magic I'm talking about.

'It's all about seeing beyond the every-day to recapture the wonder we felt as children.'

Now, after 13 years The Druid Way has been republished by Thoth Books.

Philip has re-written much of it and added in more material he has since discovered.

It is on sale (together with a free map) at the Lewes Tourist Information Office in the High Street.

His advice? 'Go walking on the hills and footpaths around the town. Read a little about the local folklore and history. Come up to The Tump on one of the eight ancient festival days.

'The next one is Imbolc on February 1, followed by the spring equinox on March 21.

One of the suggestions Philip made in The Druid Way found support, when in 1997, local archaeologist John Bleach published a paper in the Sussex Archaeological Collections, which revealed the existence in ancient times, of four mounds in the town which, if included with the three existing ones, suggests that Lewes was once home to at least seven sacred mounds.

Two Druid groups have formed in the area; the Anderida Grove and the Avronelle Seed Group of the Order of Bards Ovates and Druids.

The Anderida group also began holding open gatherings to celebrate the eight festivals beside the Long Man, and in 2003, with the co-operation of the Sussex Archaeological Society and with paint donated by the Order, members of both local groups re-painted the concrete blocks which outline the figure.

Concluded Philip: 'Looking back, it is surprising to see how much activity this enigmatic figure in the landscape has inspired.

'Perhaps it is because although the figure seems to be simply holding two staves, we feel that something more is going on '“ that a doorway is being held open, and we are simultaneously being invited in and at the same time being barred from entry.'