Medway Crop Circle 2000 Page

Crop Circles in Kent of 2000........

THE FARNINGHAM TRIANGLE

Farningham, nr. Swanley

April 25th 2000 - Oil Seed Rape

This geometric and highly symbolic package was Kent's first arrival during 2000. Momentarily glimpsed from the M20, it was found tucked away close to the edge of a field that runs alongside the Brand's Hatch road (the old A20).

Where it parked itself, is of some importance, for it was placed on a classic alignment that runs northwesterly via the local church, as it heads towards Crockenhill and St. Mary Cray Church, etc. Southeasterly this alignment runs towards the chapel remains at Hartley, and on to Meopham Court Church, etc.

Due to some well-timed persistent rain, we were unable to visit it for several days. When we finally stepped into it after it had been down for at least four or five days, we were amazed to find it in such good condition. The flower of the crop was still very much alive, and the bloom on many of the laid stems was still intact. All of which lent support to our belief that it hadn't been damaged by stomper boards etc. Many plants were clearly seen displaying light-seeking initiatives, for the vast majority of laid crop appeared to be springing back up.

After a number years of CC research, there's one thing I always expect to see in a rape formation ... broken stems! Canola is such a brittle crop and it never surprises me that it's subject to breakage, for even the slightest pressure, can crease or snap it. Quite a few stems were in fact, found to be broken, but that was alongside crop that was impressively bending over an inch or so above the ground. Breakage though, should never be regarded as a litmus test for hoaxing. It's long been thought that the phenomenon applies pressure variation relative to the crop that it's transmitting in. With rape being such a brittle crop, we can assume that this might prove sometimes to be quite a challenge for "The Circlemakers!"

Incorrectly I feel, some reports indicated that this formation was hoaxed, based not only on the number of broken stems that were found, but also on the evidence of a few muddy footprints lying underneath its lay. Once again, this doesn't necessarily indicate hoaxing. Most researchers would agree that in order to inspect underlying crop within a floor lay you sometimes have to lift up a largish chunk of it, in order to reveal exactly what's going on. How many can say that they haven't placed their foot on the crop underneath in order to do this?

The floor displayed some spectacular triangular bending, with triangles being formed opposing each other, that in such a way, mimicked the formation's overall design. Importantly for the Millennium year this had to be a first as far as floorlays go!

Triangles were a recurring theme throughout the season 2000. So if this was perceived to have been made by welly-stomping plankers shouldn't we have been congratulating them for setting the triangular trend for the rest of the year? ... And how was it that they just so happened to come up with a geometric design that was meditated upon by MCC founder members a couple of weeks earlier?

Diagram © Graham Tucker

Overlay © Dr. Ian Baillie

Diagram © Graham Tucker

Photo © Andrew King

Photo © Graham Tucker

Overlay © Dr. Ian Baillie

Diagram © Graham Tucker

THE PYRAMIDS

Wouldham

Early to Mid-May 2000 - Oats

Re-reading my original net report reminded me that at the time, I was dragging my heels a bit with this one. I must admit that many had a few doubts about its authenticity, but as time went on it proved to have more plusses going for it than minuses!

Confronted by crop that had almost recovered, we simply couldn't wade through it! However, whilst keeping crop damage to a minimum, some researchers did manage to take measurements and some interesting ground shots, that I'm afraid are not available to us.

Some researchers suggested that these triangular shapes could be lodging, which would help to explain why the crop had made such a good recovery. However, whilst fairly straight lines can be made quite easily by gusting winds, how does it create near perfect triangles parallel to a tramline?

Three simple triangles would be an easy task for any planker worth his salt, but my gut feeling was that it was to the good, especially as triangles were landing just about everywhere that season!

As most of you are aware, often the Circlemakers place an interesting formation down, only to be followed next time by one that is similar in design and character. Take a look at this formation....... (Fig 1)

This was reported in oil seed rape on the 14th May 2000 (although it was agreed to be older than that) at Furze Hill, near Lockeridge in Wiltshire. It revealed a floor display in the small triangle that flowed in unison with its three sides, whereas in the larger triangle it followed a single direction towards its apex. There was no spiralling, but neither was that in evidence in the Wouldham formation, where once again the crop appeared to be following a single direction. Size-wise the two formations were similar, with all sides of all triangles in both formations revealing unequal lengths.

Where the Wouldham formation had landed, earned it many brownie points for it was positioned on a strong 3-line ley. This ley entered from a north-easterly direction as part of an alignment with Frindsbury church, near Rochester, before slicing through Temple Manor and Temple Marsh. After it ran through our formation it linked across to the beautiful 950-year-old church at Wouldham.

Photo © Graham Tucker

Diagram © Graham Tucker

Fig 1

Diagram © Graham Tucker

THE CELTIC KNOT

Wrotham nr Farningham

May 14th 2000 - Barley

Kent's 2nd formation for the year 2000, could be seen from the M20 between Wrotham and Farningham. It was placed near this busy motorway, just like the first one of the year...Now isn't that a way to grab our attention!

Spaced between three tramlines, it was laid out in young barley close to a small copse. As you can see from the field diagram * this tri-circular pattern is easily recognised as a Celtic Knot. This was a simple design that relied on a 35-40 foot wide path to form a continual loop, that amazingly gave the impression it was going over and under itself - just like a knot would! This was of course entirely due to its ingenious lay.

Diagram © Graham Tucker

Within a design such as this, we can immediately recognise symbolically the continuity of everlasting life...for this is a mystical knot that represents "The Flow of Eternal Spirit". By placing a knot within our fields "The Circlemakers" I believe are implying a connection, or a link, for we employ a knot in order to unite through the powers of binding.

Kent has been on the receiving end of many Celtic inspired formations over the years, any of which could easily have originated from the brush strokes of Celtic illuminators. Celtic art is spiritual...and that's why I believe "The Circlemakers" employ it! The main features of Celtic art were closely tied to the most ancient forms of Celtic Paganism. Throughout the first millennium, Celtic traditions were being worked into the background of early Christian art, with the result that ancient Celtic styles were being reborn into Christian iconography.

The Celts were a tribal based society that sprang from a patchwork quilt of many cultures found in ancient Europe. Evidence suggests that the first arrivals of these ethnic groups in Kent, was during the 5th century BC. These invaders from Belgic Gaul settled throughout the river valleys, where they began to lay down their ancient culture which later "Celticised" the British Isles. Being earth loving the Celts sought peaceful sanctuary within sacred space, and chose to settle near lakes and rivers where they could practice their native rituals.

The Medway and Darent valleys were no exception to this with the Medway Valley in particular being one of the earliest known areas of permanent settlement.

* Please note that the diagram used here is the original field diagram, and as such is only 95% accurate. An overhead photo was later to reveal that it actually was a tad more rounded in appearance.

Diagram © Graham Tucker

Photo © Andrew King

Photo © Graham Tucker

Photo © Andrew King

THE CIRCLE OF CIRCLES

Eagle Heights, Eynsford

June 24th 2000 - Wheat

Here we had quite a large formation, taking up residence upon the highest part of the hillside that overlooks The Darent Valley. As it was only a mile or so away from Eynsford Village and situated upon high ground, you could be forgiven for thinking it would be easy to find - not so! In fact, two of our members were almost on the verge of giving up of ever finding it, when they just happened to spot a microlighter circling round in the distance!

This approx. three hundred and fifty foot "Circle of Circles" that landed in young wheat, consisted of three large circles linked by diminishing arcs of smaller circles (eleven circles in two of the arcs, and fourteen in the remainder)...At least that's what we think, because some of us experienced a classic case of "befuddlement" and had to recount several times (wow!) Further confusion followed when another of our members on a second visit, swore blind that she'd found another circle that wasn't there the first time!

The perimeters and some of the off-centred clockwise swirls responded well to rods, adding weight to the evidence of residual energy which surely must have been responsible for the frustrating battery drain suffered by my digital! On day one we found no evidence of broken stems, except where visitors had obviously trod. Even weeds and thistles on this occasion had obeyed the commands of "The Circlemakers", and had simply bowed down.

"The Circlemakers" had placed the formation right over a public footpath! It's known as The Darent Valley Path, and there was no way, the farmer could've stopped anyone from visiting the centre of it! (...Well, obviously he could've stopped us from visiting the rest of it, but thankfully he was pretty cool about it all.) I e-mailed Andy Thomas at the time, to ask him if he knew of any other formation that could so easily (and legally) be accessed...Andy replied by saying that as far as he was aware, he knew of only one other previously that had involved a footpath.

We honestly believe that "The Circlemakers" who had the rest of the field to choose from, deliberately chose this particular spot, in order that simply anyone could experience a crop formation without fear of trespass.

Because it appeared less than half a mile away from Lullingstone Roman Villa, some started to refer to it as the "Lullingstone Necklace". The villa itself is recognised as one of the most important archaeological finds of the 19th century, and although many other remains of Roman buildings have been found locally, the Lullingstone Villa with it's beautiful mosaics, is without doubt the best preserved.

Diagram © Graham Tucker

Photo © Graham Tucker

Photo © Andrew King

Photo © Graham Tucker

THE DOVER GLYPHS

Temple Ewell, nr. Dover

Late JULY 2000 - Wheat

Researchers Kris and Ed Sherwood first reported this formation on the 29th of July. It's not known if this was the actual date of its arrival, but according to Ed it was quite visibly placed a few hundred feet or so away from the roadside.

Unfortunately before anyone could investigate these formations further, the farmer, who was totally convinced they were man-made, decided to cut them out!

Both the circle and the triangle apparently measured around thirty feet across, and were also separated from each other by at least another thirty feet.

No photos of this event are known to exist.

THE STAR OF ISTEAD

Istead Rise, nr. Gravesend

JULY 29th 2000 - Wheat

This stunning formation, according to dog-walking locals, arrived within a window of between 5 -7 AM on Saturday the 29th of July! This was the first Kent formation that we knew of, that had been rumoured to have arrived in daylight... little did we know at the time that it certainly wasn't going to be the last!

Measured from the outermost satellites, it was a whopping 300ft. across, and occupied virtually the same position in the field as last years wavy-ring type event in rape.

The floor lay was quite beautiful and often featured six-inch swirls within its construction. Some of the satellites though were not as well defined as others, but there were some nicely laid nests that often featured just one single stem as a centrepiece. And although it has to be said there were a few broken stems around, the vast majority of plants throughout were bent close to the ground.

A "Mini Whirlwind" over the Star of Istead

THE GENESIS FLOWER

Broad Street Nr. Maidstone

August 13th 2000 - Wheat

The Pilgrims Way at Broad Street dips and winds below the foothills of some of Kent's most magnificent downland. This tiny hamlet that you'd miss if you were to blink, sits quietly nestled amongst idyllic hillsides whose lower slopes are annually mown and sown. This particular formation in landing upon one such hillside, couldn't be seen from the road, but walkers were rewarded with a magnificent view of it from the nearby downs.

Although the lay appeared quite uninspired, there was nothing really one could say at ground level that indicated it as being suss. Granted that geometrically it wasn't as precise as it could have been...And having the central tramline, uncommonly found slicing exactly through the formations centre on this occasion, certainly didn't help matters! Aerial shots reveal some very ragged standing walls, but as far as I can remember though, none of us who were there on day one seemed aware of this at the time...Could it be that they were damaged later?

Even though we didn't spend that much time in it due to failing light, a careful inspection was made of the downed crop. Admittedly there were a few broken stems, but generally everyone at the time came away feeling quite positive about it.

Measured across its tramlines, the formation was generally agreed as being 166 foot across. And something we've come to expect in quite a number of Kent formations...the obligatory hidden six pointed star!

Finally I think it's well worth mentioning that whilst we couldn't find much dowsable energy around, to our amazement, many problems were encountered with camera batteries and mobiles etc!