#norfolk magic

[lailoken]

“Faunus

One named deity, who appears to have been venerated towards the end of the Romano-British period, is Faunus, a Roman god of fields and woodland, of nature, fertility and oracles, who is not unlike the Greek god, Pan. The name Faunus is found on twelve of the thirty-three exquisite, inscribed silver spoons, which form part of the hoard known as the Thetford Treasure, discovered in 1979, at Gallows Hill, just North of Thetford (Johns and Potter, 1983). The site had been a ceremonial complex, dating back to the Bronze Age, but rebuilt at around the time Claudius invaded Britain. The area is near the old Iceni tribal boundary, and the route of the Icknield Way, where many travellers would have passed by (Nash Briggs, 2012).

The spoons, thought to have been made for ritual use of a close-knit group of worshippers of Faunus, include epithets describing him as "Noble" or "Lord", "God of Hoards", "Bringer of Spring Blossoms", "Giver of Plenty" and "Shelterer" or "Protector" (Jackson, 1983). These epithets could just as easily be applied to the Lord of Norfolk and have been used in this way in our rituals. Amongst the other objects in the hoard are a ring with a horned face depicted on the bezel, and another with two Woodpeckers, probably a reference to Picus, the Woodpecker God who was father to Faunus. It is possible that the rites of Faunus may have been celebrated in natural places, rather than elaborate temples, with feasting, drinking and ecstatic practices (Johns and Potter, 1983; Marsden, personal communication).

Some archaeologists have suggested that Faunus was the Latin name applied to a more local Earth deity. This might be the character depicted on some Iceni coins, with grain in his hair and beard, and sometimes Ash leaves around him. He is also associated with the Wolf and the Boar (Nash Briggs, 2012). There has even been a suggestion that the practitioners whose magical names are also tantalisingly inscribed on the spoons, may have been part of a witch cult (Johns and Potter, 1983).”

—

Of Chalk & Flint:

A Way of Norfolk Magic

Chapter Three: ‘Spiritual Beings’

by Val Thomas

[lailoken]

“It is worth noting that in the context of East Anglian magic, the Bramble, although often associated with the Fair Folk, with making connections, and tying things together, is also used to make a sprite flail to banish unwanted spirits. The Rose has numerous associations with love, deities and alchemy, and is important in many traditions worldwide.”

—

Of Chalk & Flint:

A Way of Norfolk Magic

by Val Thomas

[lailoken]

“Also part of the magic and spirit of place, are the beings known as Land Wights. This is a term that is common to most of the country, but in East Anglia, they are known by different and more specific names and types. In Norfolk and north and east Suffolk, the Land Wight is known variously as the Hyter, Hydra, Ikey, Hikey, Hikey Strikey, Hikey Pike, High Sprite, Sprikey, or just the Sprikey Man. These are all looked upon as a type of pixie, goblin, hobgoblin, gnome or demon, although some people see them as a kind of fairy (however these tend to be seen as a specific type of being in their own right and I will look at these later on). They are solitary creatures, and are seen to be essentially benevolent and well disposed towards human beings if treated with respect, and can generally be found in and associated with wooded and grown up areas, rather than in the meadows. If glimpsed out of the corner of the eye (which is usually the only way they can be seen), they appear to be long and gangly, somewhat twig-like and very swift. On occasion they can appear as shimmering lights in marshy or boggy areas, but again, these are more properly Will O' the Wisps and are described later. Some people have called or likened them to Sand Martins, but this does not stand out in the oral record and is probably a literary allusion to some other, unconnected spirit. The Hikey Sprite will accept offerings such as a bowl of cream, or bread and milk and will create a open fields or calm and pleasant atmosphere for the humans in its vicinity. They are sometimes used to frighten unruly or ill-behaved children, much in the way of; 'if you don't stop that the Hikey Sprite will get you', or 'if you go in there/do that then the Spriker will have you'. That aside, they generally ignore or leave humans alone and are rarely glimpsed these days. A variation on this theme is known as the 'little hairy men', who are reputed to live in the Borley Wood/Linton district of Cambridgeshire. Traditionally they scare, frighten or make off with naughty or unruly children. Alternatively, they are known to pelt them with large things 'like apple dumplings', if they are caught out at night, after dark.

Much more badly disposed towards humans are the Yarthkins. These are also solitary creatures, but can be found almost anywhere, particularly on waste ground and uncultivated plots that have 'gone off' or refuse to grow anything productive. The Yarthkin, in East Anglian lore, is particularly inimical to humans and cannot be placated with offerings, however well presented, these actually increasing their antagonism. They can, however, be trapped and removed or disposed of by various means; such is the particular art and practice of various types of Cunning Men in East Anglia. Using such items as red thread, various shaped staves and sticks, blown eggs, runic symbols and talismans, the Yarthkin can be safely disempowered and their influence contained; however this is time consuming and expends a lot of energy and the traps and wards must be renewed at intervals. Much better avoid a Yarthkin altogether.

Also antagonistic towards humankind is the much-dreaded Jack O' Lantern. These Will O' the Wisps frequent any low lying, poorly-drained, boggy or marshy area in East Anglia and also go by the names of Lantern Men, Hob-o'-Lanterns or Jinny Burnt Arses. Said by the Men of Science to be self- igniting flames of marsh gas, the East Anglian native knows better and goes in fear of these wights. The locals know that they are there to lure them off the road and drown them in the watery landscape, in which East Anglia abounds. Nor can the lonely and wary traveller whistle to keep their spirits up as they walk along for it is said that if one man should stand at one end of a field and another at the opposite end and whistle, then the lantern man will always go to the whistler and the other man is safe. This is useful to know, as the lantern man will always try to come up against you and harm or kill you if he is able.

It is equally unwise to mock a Jack O' Lantern by showing him a light or trying to copy him. A Norfolk tale illustrating this goes as follows;

‘There was a young fellow coming home one evening and he see the lantern man coming for him and he run! And that run; and he run again; and that run again! Now there was a silly old man lived down there who didn't believe in none of them things and this young fellow he run to his house and say: "O Giles, for heaven's sake let me in – the lantern man's coming". And old Giles he say: "You silly fool, there ain't no such thing as a lantern man". But when he sees the lantern man coming for him, Giles let the young fellow in, and that come for them two, till that was the beginning of a pint pot! And old Giles he thought he would play a trick on the lantern man, so he got a candle and held that out of the window on the end of a pole. And first he held that out right high, and the lantern man he come for that, and he come underneath it. And then he held that out right low, and the lantern man he come up above it. And then he held that out right steady, and the lantern man he come for that and he burst it all to pieces! But they du say, if the lantern man light upon you, the best thing is to throw yourself flat on your face and hold your breath.'

So just you all be warned!”

—

‘Spirits in the Land’,

The Devil's Plantation:

East Anglian Lore, Witchcraft & Folk-Magic

by Nigel G. Pearson

[lailoken]

Of Chalk & Flint:

A Way of Norfolk Magic

by Val Thomas

[lailoken]

“Stones of Power:

The Flints which find their way to the surface of the land are beautiful and varied but nevertheless quite small. The few larger stones which are found around Norfolk are mostly glacial erratics. Due to their relative rarity, such stones are considered remarkable and are rich in history, often having been meeting places where significant decisions were taken. Unsurprisingly, they have much magical lore associated with them and retain considerable power, which can be drawn upon for magical purposes. This sometimes involves spells but is more often a means of developing our understanding of unwritten history. After all, the memory of stones is deeper and denser than the Mercurial gifts of pen and ink of of the whispered word. The sonorous voices of these stones have a language of their own, unfettered by grammar and vocabulary. They "speak’ to one another across the landscape, maintaining, not only their ancient kinship, but also an intricate pattern of silent power lines. The following examples represent just a small selection. There are more which can be sought out.

The Cowell Stone

This stone is to be found on Swaffham Heath, about 150 yards from the B1122 road to Downham Market. It stands at a truly liminal spot, marking a hundred boundary, as well as those of the parishes of Swaffham, Marham and Narborough. Part of the Icknield Way, marked as Peddersty or Saltersty, and the East-West Fincham Drove, which is a Roman road, pass very close to it (Clarke and Clarke, 1937). Its magic draws together the footsteps of the many who have trodden these paths and lived and died in the surrounding parishes.

The origin of the stone's name has a number of possibilities. Ben Ripper (1979) suggests it is named after Cow Hill, or a corruption of coal, since the stone once guided pilgrims to a beacon hill near Colkirk (Coalchurch). The stone used to be situated in a field nearby, where workers sat on it to eat their dinner. However, in the 1980s, it was moved by two local historians, Ben Ripper and Peter Howling, as it was considered to be at risk of damage from ploughing. The move seems not to have disrupted its energy in any way, perhaps because it was conducted with respect and honourable intentions. It has a warm, welcoming lenergy, one which encourages the seeker to both broaden and deepen their quest for knowledge, not just of stones, but of all aspect of the magic of the land.

The Merton Stone

The Merton Stone, nestled in a shallow marl pit, just off the Peddars Way near the boundary of the parishes of Merton and Threxton, is thought to weigh between twenty and thirty tons and to be the largest glacial erratic in the United Kingdom.

Some people say that to stand on it is a chilling experience, where the presence of malevolent spirits can be felt. However, on a warm, sunny day it is more likely to be a very pleasant, and indeed healing experience. It is well known that, continuing a centuries-old tradition, young ladies wishing to fall pregnant still sit on the stone and find its magic effective. The plants around it, especially the Mugwort, seem to derive extra energy from their proximity to such a powerful character.

There is a long-held local belief that, if the stone is removed, the waters will rise and cover the entire Earth (Clarke and Clarke, 1937). Moving the stone was apparently attempted by the 5th Lord of Walsingham, one of the ancient de Grey family. He assembled all the local men and women, together with much beer and many ropes, but the failed attempt ended in an "erotic debauch". Another attempt to move it, in the 1930s or 40s, this time using a large rotary plough, was equally unsuccessful (Burgess, 2005b), although I have been unable to find out whether this ended the same way as the previous escapade.

The Stockton Stone

The Stockton Stone currently stands on the raised grass verge of a lay-by on the A146, between Beccles and Norwich, just outside the village of Stockton itself. This lichen-covered, sandstone glacial erratic weighs several tons and is said by some to have been an ancient track marker. According to Michael Clarke, it marks the old meeting place of the Clavering hundred, possibly the place where the 10th century Danegeld was paid, although Geldeston, near Beccles, might be a more likely candidate, given its name.

Like the Merton Stone, the Stockton Stone has a curse upon it that anyone who moves it will fall victim to terrible misfortune or death. Much to the consternation of many local people, it was indeed moved, in the 1930s, to accommodate the widening of the road. Not surprisingly. one of the workmen involved collapsed and died.

In spite of its unfortunate location, so close to a very busy road, this stone retains an amazingly powerful energy and people still leave small offerings there. While paying our respects recently, a group of us found a rather attractive blue stone egg, which looked as if it had not been there for very long. Moved by the moment and by the atmosphere, one of our party suggested that we should hold hands and dance around the stone three times, which we duly did, much to the amusement of passing motorists!

The Great Stone of Lyng

This is another erratic brought to us by the glaciers of the Ice Age. There are many local tales surrounding this mysterious Stone, which is said to bleed if pricked with a pin. Some claim the blood is that of victims from a time when the stone was used as a sacrificial altar, while others are of the opinion that it is the blood of those who fell during a ferocious battle between King Edmund and the Danes. Others tell of treasure hidden beneath it and how the landowner has never been able to move the stone to unearth the spoils (Burgess, 2005a).

The grove in which the stone stands, almost hidden beside the path, does have a rather unnerving feel to it. One can "see" all too easily soldiers struggling up the steep escarpment and the bodies of the slain sprawled on the bank to the other side of the path. Rod Chapman informs me that, not so very many years ago, some of the children of the village had to walk through the grove, past the stone, in order to get to school and, in the winter, these children were allowed to leave school early so that they could walk through before it was dark. This is completely understandable. On climbing out of the hollow to the fields above, the atmosphere suddenly changes completely. There is almost a sense of relief and a feeling that one no longer needs to speak in hushed whispers.

There is a recent tale of a brave, tough, yet inexperienced witch who was determined to camp out for a night by the stone, in order to become better acquainted with the ghosts and spirits of the place. He pitched his tent right near the stone and was confident that he would have an interesting and informative night's vigil. However, he became so frightened by the eerie sounds and the terrifying atmosphere that he was forced to run from the place and ring a fellow practitioner to come with their car and rescue him! The stone does look something like a Dragon and has a hole in it just where the eye would be, which is deep enough for an adult to insert their entire arm. Quite a few people I know have done this and come to no harm, although it is not a pleasant experience.

Not far from the grove, in the middle of a field, are the ruins of a nunnery known as St. Edmund's Chapel, which was said to have been built to honour those who died in the battle.

It has been suggested that Blood's Dale, between Drayton and Hellesdon, on the slopes leading down to the River Wensum, where the Danes are also said to have fought the Anglo-Saxons, may have been the site of King Edmund's death in 896 CE. Abbo of Fleury (870 CE) tells us that King Edmund died at Hellesdon, and Joe Mason (2018) argues convincingly, that the unusual number of churches dedicated to St. Edmund along this stretch of the River Wensum is significant. The survivors, having found the King's severed head with the help of the Wolf, could have taken his body upstream to Lyng, to the aforementioned chapel. Although not fully excavated, some pottery dating from the time of King Edmund, has been found there. Furthermore, an old tithe map refers to the Grove as King's Grove and a map published in the Eastern Daily Press in 1939, names the Great Stone as King Edmund's Stone. Perhaps this would have been a suitable burial place for the miracle-working king? (Mason, 2018) Some of us would like to think so. Certainly, the Ash keys collected from a tree growing on the ruins of the nunnery are particularly effective in assisting those who wish to speak with spirits of the dead.

The Aldeby Rune Stones

Not all our standing stones are ancient, and just as exciting are those being erected now for the benefit of ourselves and of future generations. Aldeby, in South East Norfolk, is a wonderful such example. Here, seven standing stones have been carved with runes and with Christian symbols, and placed around the parish boundary as part of a Millennium project, known as "Pathways in Stone". The runes spell out the name of the village but are also related to the powers of the stones themselves. The Stone of Dawn, for example, features the Day Rune (dagaz) and a Medieval symbol of the World and the four Elements, while the Stone of Wisdom has the God Rune (ansuz) and the square and circle symbol for the material and spiritual worlds. One stone, the Stone of Destiny, combines all the symbols found on the outlying stones, with the addition of the othel rune, symbolizing ancestral land and heritage. The stones are carboniferous limestone, so had to be brought in especially for the project, but in spite of having been in place for a relatively short time, some of them are already giving off some very interesting energy.

These stones form a pilgrimage walk around the village and are best seen in the Winter when they are not obscured by vegetation.

The Druid Stone of St. Andrew's

When Ray Loveday pointed out to me his "Druid Stone", at the North-east corner of St. Andrew's Church, in the centre of Norwich, I was astounded that I had walked down St. Andrew's Hill so many times, admiring the cleverly-knapped Flint of the church wall, without noticing this stone. It is another of those magical items which are hiding in plain sight, but once the attention is drawn to it, the remarkable ancient power it holds becomes apparent. This stone, at least what can be seen of it above ground, is not large, and has a fairly flat top with a number of circular indentations which are often filled with' water, and work well as scrying pools. Ray is unsure whether they are a natural feature, were deliberately carved out or have developed over centuries as a result of water dripping from the church roof. There are several smaller, less well-rounded dips too, which tend to get rather muddy. The stone, which has a very feminine feel to it, welcomes small, discrete offerings, such as a ring of twisted Periwinkle stems or a little Daisy chain; nothing too elaborate or containing any artificial materials. It certainly deserves respect and attention, as it appears to form part of the magical foundation of the city.”

—

Chapter 2: ‘Sacred Places: Stories Within the Landscape’,

Of Chalk & Flint:

A Way of Norfolk Magic

by Val Thomas

[lailoken]

“The Lord and Lady of Norfolk

The magic of the land rises from beneath the rocks and I the soil on which we walk, and into which we allow our roots to grow. It is the basis of everything we do, for it is from this Earth that our trees spring and our herbs draw their nourishment. It provides building materials and the kinds of human activity which take place governs in any given locality, and so informs the culture which develops, in the mundane and the magical spheres. The solidity of granite or the smoothness of slate may suit the magic of some practitioners, who are then born to, or drawn to, such areas and landscapes, and learn to dance their spells to the ancient music which pulses from deep within the ground.

Those who work well in Norfolk are generally people who thrive on the magical twin influences of the white and grey powers of the Lady of the Chalk and the Lord of the Flint. If one peels back the geological layers of the county, there are other soils and rocks to be found here too. There is the Kimmeridge Clay from the Jurassic, which forms a fine, bluish-grey mud, the Lower Greensand of the Cretaceous, which forms the beautiful carstone, used for the distinctive buildings of parts of West Norfolk, or the Gault Clay, clearly visible as the red rock band in the wonderfully striped cliffs at Hunstanton. These have their practical and magical uses, often specific to the areas of the county in which they are found. The Chalk and the Flint, however, have a county- wide appeal, a greater visibility and much clearer mundane, practical and magical uses.

Of course, Chalk and the Flint are not exclusive to Norfolk. They are to be found in Yorkshire to the North, where the Iron Age Parisi tribe carved the Chalk warrior figures (Stead, 1988). They are present on the slopes of the Gog Magog Hills in Cambridgeshire, on the Downs of the South, the slopes of the Chilterns and all along that magical trackway, known as The Ridgeway. In Wiltshire, the Chalk is honoured with the magnificent Horse carvings in the hills, while Wilmington, in Sussex, has its Long Man and Dorset its Cerne Abbas Giant. However, such forces have a different feel, depending on other features of the locality, best understood by the practitioners of those areas. Their manifestation here in Norfolk takes on a special form, of far greater complexity than that of "mere" geology. That is why, when we call upon them, which we do in every ritual (for it would be rude not to), we refer to them by the titles of Lord and Lady of Norfolk, although they go by many names, some of which are known to us and others which remain a mystery. These beings are the most ancient ones, the Earth beneath our feet, our firm foundation; they profoundly influence what grows and flourishes on the land and what might just wither and die.

The Chalk and the Flint predate humanity by such an unfathomable length of time. When we pick up a piece of either from the ground, we feel that human beings are just children in the context of such ancient beings, and that our individual lives are miniscule in such a vast context. Yet these forces are also so much part of our everyday lives that they are, on one level, comprehensible and approachable. After all, since our arrival in these lands, they have shaped the development of our culture, what we grow, the tools we have used, how we build and express our spirituality, as well as the form and shape of our magic. We see and touch them every day, whether we choose to notice them or not; they are ordinary and yet hold the keys to the greatest of mysteries.

Revelations:

Sometimes the Lord and Lady of Norfolk choose to reveal their presence in a moment of drama or of great beauty. In the late afternoon, on a late Autumn day of blustering storms and spectacular bursts of sunshine, they may appear as a rainbow, or even a double rainbow, against grey white clouds. On a warm morning of sunlight, sand and gentle waves, they may show themselves in the dark and light sheen of a sea-washed Oyster shell. There is a clear and discernible distinction between the ordinary loveliness of the natural world and an announcement of the proximity of these deities, which can take the breath away, inspire an outpouring of creative work, or provide confirmation that we are heading in the correct direction, magically.

On one occasion, we had just completed a Maytime ritual with a large group of people, when one of our number glanced up and noticed a pair of Woodpigeons on a Sycamore branch, cooing and pecking each other's beaks. "Look," she said, "It's the Lord and Lady of Norfolk", and we all gazed up into the fresh green foliage and knew that she was right.

Such revelations can take many forms. At Thompson Water, one Spring, three of us stood on one of the fishing jetties, watching a Heron in the Reeds, Egrets in the trees across the lake and Terns performing their aerial acrobatics above our heads. We had planned a musical offering for the spirit of this place. One of us sang and I played a wooden flute I had brought with me, especially for this purpose. As the last notes faded away, an enormous Grass Snake appeared, swimming right towards us, paused by the jetty, and seemed to acknowledge us before disappearing under the murky water. This was a blessing indeed. We have sought this magnificent creature on subsequent visits, but have never seen it again, not that we really expected to, as this was obviously a manifestation of the presence of deity.

The Lord and Lady may appear in any form, at any season. One dark, moonless night in Winter, we were driving along a remote country lane in North Norfolk, having just completed a piece of protection work, when a magnificent Stag stepped onto the road right in front of the car. We stopped. He inclined his head just slightly and gave us haughty look before continuing on his way, in a slow and stately fashion, closely followed by the rest of his herd. We knew this to be a blessing on the work we had completed. Then, to add to our delight, rounding the next corner, we were greeted by the sight of a mother Cat playing, in the middle of the road, with a large litter of kittens. We stopped again and enjoyed watching their antics, in the beam of the car headlights. They continued their game for some time, until the mother decided that was enough and carried her kittens, one at a time, into the safety of the hedge. These are not small, forgettable incidents, but real treasures, which we store in our memories as the rewards for our magical work.”

—

Of Chalk & Flint:

A Way of Norfolk Magic

by Val Thomas

[lailoken]

Chapter 3: ‘Spiritual Beings’

Of Chalk & Flint

A Way of Norfolk Magic

by Val Thomas

[lailoken]

“The Lady of Norfolk: Our Lady of the Chalk

Twice in any twenty-four-hour period, it is possible to watch the Lady of Norfolk stepping from the sea. As the tide recedes, just to the East of Sheringham, She begins to appear, in the form of an outcrop of rocks, sometimes white and gleaming in the sunshine, but sometimes more subtle, and draped in seaweed. This small sliver of rock provides us with a little glimpse of Norfolk's Chalk reef, which is a rich and diverse marine habitat, our Lady's submerged treasury, from which she offers many magical gifts, and tells her wordless story of the ancient history of the landscape. For the physical aspect of this technically and unromantically given the chemical name of calcium carbonate, is made up of the solid remains of millions of creatures, whose lives and dramas unfolded long before the Ice Age, when most of the land was still beneath the sea. So, every piece of Chalk we casually pick holds within it something of these ancient memories.

Of course, the concept of a White Goddess of love, beauty, caring and nurturing, stepping from the sea, is found in other traditions worldwide. I have been fortunate enough to visit the birthplace of Aphrodite, in Cyprus, and to see the brilliant white rock which represents her emerging from the blue green of the Mediterranean, lapped all around with perfect white sea foam. She is indeed grand and dramatic, and tourists arrive constantly to see her and pay their respects. Our Lady of Norfolk is much quieter, less theatrical, and only ever whispers her secrets. However, there is nothing more lovely than watching her appear from a cold, grey North Sea, when only a few dog walkers or beachcombers are around, and far too distant to disturb our musings. The Lady of the Chalk, our White Lady, is Mother of the Flint, although precisely how the Flint forms within the Chalk remains a mystery, as so it should. It has been suggested that burrows within the Chalk become filled with dissolved silica, which is derived from the skeletons of sponges (Hart, 2000). These form nodules which become freed from their Mother over millions of years of erosion.

We see the Lady of Norfolk as a nurturer of crops and a nourisher of the creatures and the people of the land. This is reflected, in practical terms, in the process known as "marling", which was particularly popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, when Chalk was dug from pits and spread onto the fields to enhance the soil structure and to neutralise acidity (Williamson, 1993). We may not need to spread physical Chalk on our own small areas of land, but we can certainly call on the Lady to bless our gardens and the places for wild fruits, nuts, herbs or craft materials, for on all levels, she can help make the conditions right for things to thrive. She can do this on the inside as well as in our environment, since Chalk tablets are taken by many people as an antacid, and many toothpastes contain finely ground Chalk.

The Lady of Norfolk is also associated with the white milk of fostering, for just as she is Mother of the Flint, she is also a Mother to us all. It is interesting that, at the Christian shrine at Walsingham, there was a vial of "Our Lady's Milk", brought to Norfolk from the Holy House at Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. This "milk" was long regarded as a precious relic, full of miraculous potential. Yet, what it appears to have been (and even modern Christian scholars agree on this point) is scrapings of Chalk from the walls of the place of the Nativity (Spencer, 1980). So, powdered Chalk, from a distant Holy Land, representing another White Lady, has been brought to a hallowed place within our own sacred, Chalk landscape (Wood, 2017). From a magical point of view, this adds many more layers of meaning and interest, and merits much thought and meditation.

Like a good Mother, the Lady of Norfolk is one who can hold together her magical family, just as the mortar, of which her physical being is a part, holds in place the Flints or the bricks of the buildings which shelter us. We might barely notice her in this aspect, but she is there, informing the subtle patterns which we create together, as she fosters cooperation and community.

The Lady may also be called upon to protect our communities and our own hearths and homes. This is enhanced by chalking protective symbols onto fenceposts, doorsteps and pathways. Various runes may be used for this purpose. Particularly popular is the bindrune known as the Helm of Awe, although "running eights" work especially well on doorsteps. Although it is sometimes tempting to create the more elaborate patterns from colourful, commercial chalk (which is usually made out of gypsum or talc), to invoke the Lady's protection to its full extent, it really needs to be worked with Chalk found locally.

Because it is physically possible to write with Chalk, the Lady can also be called upon to assist magically those of us who work with the craft of writing, while the practical uses of her gifts in numerous other crafts (for example, tailor's chalk for those who sew, checking the fit of joints in woodwork) provide a route to summoning her assistance in all the skills of the hand and the imagination. Thus, both the Lord and Lady of Norfolk have very strong associations with the practical crafts, which are so embedded in the magical work of the county.

Chalk carving is a craft which can certainly be said to have been associated with the Goddess in ancient times, and one controversial depiction of her was "discovered" in 1939, in Pit 15 of Grimes Graves, by the archaeologist A. Leslie Armstrong. She was sitting on a Flint plinth, with antler picks, and a Chalk vessel beneath it. There was a carved Chalk phallus on the floor and Flint nodules arranged, in a phallus shape, in a gallery not far away. This "Venus of Grimes Graves", or "Chalk Goddess", became an iconic figure, appearing on the official site guidebooks and attracting much academic speculation about her role as an Earth Goddess, reminiscent of other European, Palaeolithic "Venus" figures. She is indeed very well rounded, with large, pendulous breasts, and appears to be pregnant. It was also suggested that she might have been placed in the pit, to petition for a more abundant seam of unweathered floorstone in the next excavation. However, there have been many questions raised about the authenticity of the figurine. Armstrong, who had been implicated in other fraudulent finds, had been alone in the pit, prior to the discovery, having forbidden other colleagues from joining him. Then, when he brought his finds to the surface, his friend, Ethel Rudkin, angered him by making a copy of the figure from a discarded piece of Chalk, using a Flint knife, thus proving how easy it was to make a "goddess" of this kind (Russell, 2000).

For historians and archaeologists, the matter of whether or not the Chalk Goddess is real is obviously of importance. However, for magical practitioners, this need not necessarily be the case. Even if the figure was made by Armstrong or any other hoaxer, it has already developed a considerable aura of power and presence. This was evident from her appearance at the Unearthed exhibition at the Sainsbury Centre, in Norwich, when this Chalk Lady returned to the county, from the British Museum, where she currently resides, to take her place amongst a wealth of Japanese figures, known as dogu, and a collection of South East European figurines. She was placed in a large glass display cabinet, some distance from the other exhibits, in an area of dim lighting. Rounding the corner, and coming face to face with her, was a breath-taking experience. She exudes enchantment and significance, small and simple as she is in mundane terms. Of course, she could well have the ability to embody the Lady, however recently she was made. Magical practitioners are well aware of how quickly depictions of deities can become ensouled, and it must have delighted her to return to Norfolk, if only on a temporary visit.

The face of the Grimes Graves Goddess is very simple and plain, with no adornments. However, the Lady of Norfolk most definitely has an aspect as a horned goddess. Sometimes these are the antlers of a Deer, unusual in Does, of course, but an apt crown for a one of such quiet power.At other times, she appears to bear upon her head the points of the crescent Moon, reflecting the soft whiteness of her stone.

Although the Lady of Norfolk is a gentle and approachable deity, abuse of what she offers us met with retribution. Her gifts have been quarried and mined for centuries, and the city of Norwich still has many places where it is obvious that quantities of stone have been removed, leaving strange, scooped out forms in the hillside. Chalk mining was at its height during the industrial revolution when large quantities were required for quicklime, and an unmapped labyrinth of old mining tunnels extends for miles underneath the city. Occasionally, one of these tunnels collapses, opening up a vast chasm in someone's garden, bringing down part of a building, or stopping traffic, as famously happened in 1988, when a bus fell into a hole which opened up on Earlham Road, not far from the city centre.”

—

Of Chalk & Flint:

A Way of Norfolk Magic

by Val Thomas