Beltane at Thornborough Henge – review

As this years Beltane at Thornborough Hendge approaches I was fortunate to catch up with Oliver Robinson, the main organiser of this ever growing popular festival.This is what Oliver had to say about the Henge itself:

Thornborough Henge is a complex of three almost identical circular earthworks (each 240 metres in diameter) that were built around 5,000 years ago on the plateau of land that lies between the rivers Ure and Swale in North Yorkshire.

Thornborough Henge was part of a much wider ritual landscape and three more nearly identical Henges (Hutton Moor, Cana Barn and Nunwick Henge) were constructed in the same period on the Swale-Ure river plateau.

Where the two rivers meet (near to modern Boroughbridge) there stand three giant stone monoliths known as the Devils’ Arrows. These are the remains of a ‘Stone Row’ that may have once marked the entrance to the plateau of Henges.

The central Henge at Thornborough was itself constructed on the site of an older type of monument called a Cursus (a long earthwork). The Cursus at Thornborough (now covered over) was aligned with the Summer Solstice sunrise.

At the Winter Solstice the three Henges form a near perfect south west alignment (in the direction of the setting sun) with the three stars of Orion’s belt, and all three Henges may have originally been covered in a white layer of gypsum rock.

Thornborough Henge, one of the largest and most important prehistoric rirtual monuments in the British Isles, provides the perfect setting for the celebration of our native traditions.

This event has grown from a small gathering of prodominatly Pagan folk to the wider community, attracting visitors in the 100s and raising awareness of the Henge and supporting local community projects:

Beltane at Thornborough is entirely funded via voluntary donations. No expenses are paid to performers or contributors to the event, but payments are made to external suppliers for essential resources, services and amenities.

100% of any surplus that we collect each year is donated to a project nominated by a member of the community local to Thornborough Henge.

2012 – £776.50 donated to the Forests Schools Project being run at St Nicholas Primary School in West Tanfield: “encouraging and inspiring individuals through positive outdoor experiences”. More about Forest Schools

2011 – £474.28 donated to the Masham Arts Festival Animation Project working with pupils from Kell Bank Primary School in Healey to make a short film about the fascinating lives of two local women: Watch “Betty and Dorothy”

2010 – £147.46 donated to West Tanfield Memorial Hall. This venue for local events was built as a monument to the men of West Tanfield who died during the two world wars.

Oliver concluded that his aim for this event is: “To help promote a cultural and spiritual revival in the North of England, to allow people to connect with their history, their ancestry and their traditions, and in doing so to discover a sense of belonging and a sense of identity that is every human being’s birthright.”

For more information on this event and the henge itself please visit:

http://www.celebratebeltane.co.uk/

or find on facebook …http://www.facebook.com/celebratebeltane

This years event will take place on:

Sunday May 5th, 2013 – Starting at 12 noon
at Thornborough Henge in North Yorkshire
FREE Entry – Everyone Welcome