Ghost of a flea

Moonrakers

The Flea stands ever ready to provide up to the minute items of an historical interest for tourists of Salisbury and region. The locals have are sometimes referred to as "moonrakers"...

Wiltshire smugglers were carrying illicit brandy when they were surprised by Excisemen. In a thrice, they dumped the brandy into a pond and commenced to rake at the water with their long handled implements. When the Excisemen asked what they were about, they replied that they were "raking up the cheese", pointing at the moon's reflection in the water. Considering them fools, the Excisemen moved on, leaving the Moonrakers to retrieve their 'loot' and proceed on their way.

There is much more to do than Stonehenge. Far from me to belittle the place as it is fully of hengey goodness but I think you get more henge for your money at Avebury. This is bit further north so I am assuming travel by car from Salisbury. England is such a compact country that distance does not present an obstacle. A trip to Avebury should include nearby Silbury Hill and best of all the West Kennett Long Barrow.

Late Neolithic chambered Long Barrow, about 3700 BC.
One of the biggest barrows in Britain, this is a spectacular barrow measuring 340 feet long by 75 feet wide, and a line of stones at its east end up to 12 feet high forming a corridor 40 feet into the barrow. There are five sarsen stone chambers inside the barrow and they may be visited at any time by the public. From the many excavations carried out on this barrow there have been about 42 burials discovered belonging to a tribe or family.

This is a barrow with a difference as travellers can walk right into it. The place had been picked clean of swords of the men of Westernesse by the time of my visit but were also apparently barrow-wight free so it all balanced out. I was at Avebury with some druid friends and acquaintances as part of a Lughnassad day in the country by way of celebrating a "hand-fasting" ceremony using one of the convenient giant-rocks-with-hole-in provided by the locale.

The particular druids I accompanied on the day were from the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids ("odd-bod" offers degrees by correspondence) as opposed to the Ancient Order of Druids. This latter group are, naturally, Christians which might seem odd though I think they are a druidy group of Masons. There are plenty of other people calling themselves druids including at least two other groups on the day I was at Avebury though I do not think they were from the Hasidic Druids of North America (I doubt I could have made them up). Rollo Maughfling, Arch Druid of Britain (of the Glastonbury Order though he makes some grander claims) got on everyone's nerves with a speech which, when combined with the factionalism of that harvest day, made me wonder if I had stumbled into a Monty Python sketch. Also in attendence was King Arthur who was poking around the place with Excalibur in one hand and a smoke in the other. His winsome hangers-on leant credence to his kingly claims. I am sad to report nobody from the Temple of the Children of Lileth was on hand for Flea-instruction in herb or latex lore.

Once a visitor is done with all the mystic tourism Marlborough is close to hand for a bit of shopping or lunch.

Another afternoon away lies to the west of Salisbury at Stourhead (pronounced "star- head" for some reason), a stately home whose interiors are much of a muchness (as my Grandad would say) but whose garden is triumphant. The word "garden" does not convey the scale of the phenomenon. A fine National Trust gift shop on the estate was the source of an oil-skin walking hat that has kept the rain of several countries from troubling the head of a Flea. Just a bit further on is Sherborne Castle. This will be one of my first stops the next time I am in the area as I have not been there and I am on an Elizabethan kick thanks to Neil Gaiman's 1602.

More important than any of these suggestions is a last piece of advice: pick up a copy of The Rough Guide for England. It will include details for local sites like the Cathedral and Old Sarum, how to get there and suggestions for food and drink once history gives way to dinner.

And then... Paul may be satisfied by my quiz result:

You are the French Guard.
Slightly off, living in an area you really don't belong in, you lie and taunt those around you. From all the cruel memories of your childhood, you decide to take revenge on cute furry farm animals. They make good cannonballs. Ppffftt!


What Monty Python Holy Grail Quest Character are You?
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Posted by Ghost of a flea at October 13, 2003 07:43 AM

Comments

Posted by: *** Dave at October 13, 2003 09:32 AM

Posted by: John of Argghhh! at October 13, 2003 11:04 AM

Posted by: Ray at October 13, 2003 11:42 AM

Posted by: Paul Jané at October 13, 2003 02:43 PM

Posted by: David Strain at October 14, 2003 04:34 PM