<< Feature Articles >> Wisht Maen, Devon Earth Mysteries Magazine
Submitted by traceyramsbottom on Thursday, 29 December 2022 Page Views: 9261
Alternative ArchaeologyCountry: England County: DevonInternal Links:
Tracey Ramsbottom (nee Brown) writes: I produced and edited the Devon earth mysteries magazine Wisht Maen between 1993-1996. I have now scanned and made all the issues available to download via the Megalithic Portal. The issues feature some fantastic artwork by Anna Clarke and some very interesting articles by Paul Broadhurst, Cheryl Straffon, Andy Norfolk, Jeremy Harte, Pete Glastonbury and others.
I was and am really proud of Wisht Maen and I was sorry to leave Devon. There were only five issues but I felt I could no longer produce a magazine about Devon if I did not live there. [Issue 3 particularly stands out as a beautiful example of small press magazine layout before desktop publishing took over. See some page examples below - MegP Ed]
Please include my email address on the pages as I would love to make contact with my old subscribers, contributors and artists. I now have a different surname from when I edited WM.
Some time ago Angie Lake contacted me concerning back copies. I cannot remember how she found me - I think I typed in Wisht Maen to Google and found some hits about it, one of which was on the Megalithic Portal, so I registered for an account and replied to her. I have since had a few more enquiries about back copies and I have finally got round to scanning them in.
I have not been able to trace Anna Clarke, whose artwork was so beautiful, and there's a strong chance she uses your website so it would be wonderful to link up with her again.
Tracey Ramsbottom (nee Brown) traceybrown33@hotmail.com or contact me via my Portal ID of traceyramsbottom
Here is the link to view and download Issues 1 to 5 of Wisht Maen the Devon Earth Mysteries Magazine.
Contents
No 1 WINTER 1993
Editorial p1
Brentor - Hill Of Vision - Paul Broadhurst p2
Crop Circles In Devon - Pete Glastonbury p5
The Omphalos of Devon p10
Prehistoric Carvings Discovered p16
Book Reviews p17
Wistmans Wood p18
The Fairies - Iris Andrews p24
Pattern Of The Stones - Cheryl Straffon p25
Exchange Magazines & Ads Listings p27
No 2 SPRING 1994
Editorial p1
Signposts in Nymetland - Hugh H Franklin p2
Andy Norfolk on Nymets p7
News p8
Bride Ascending - Anna Clarke (Illustration) p11
In Search of Bride in Devon - Christine Kitt p12
Letters from William Saxton, Sarah McCabery, Christina Green, p16
Dartmoor Walks p22
Gods and Goddesses of Devon - Cheryl Straffon p23
East Devon Ways - Steven Shipp p26
Exchange Magazines & Ads Listings p28
No 3
Editorial Tintagel and the Arthurian Mythos - Paul Broadhurst
The Tinners' Rabbits, a Dartmoor Mystery - Jeremy Harte
Plymouth's Ancient Trackways - Mary Coombs
Letters from Annie Craze, Bronwen Griffiths, Jeremy Harte, Cheryl Straffon, William Saxton
Spinsters' Rock - Hugh Franklin
Book Reviews
Miles and Megalithic Yards - Hugh Franklin
East Devon Ways - Steven Shipp
No 4
Editorial
On the Trail of the Black Dog - Jeremy Harte
Sacrifice and the Wheels of Fire - Mary Coombs
A Sacred Bus Journey - Tracey Brown
East Devon ways: Hillforts - Steven Shipp
Letters: debate about mysterious carvings on the Drizzlecombe Menhir and an ongoing debate about between Cheryl Straffon and Jeremy Harte. Also Kenneth Ashburner, Paul Rendell, William Saxton, Bernard Guile, Debbie Griffiths, W L Julyan from Cotehele House, Rowan from Redditch, Stanley Drew, Andy Norfolk
Book Reviews
Magazine Reviews (a very good run-down of all the small press magazines of the day)
News
Exchange Listings
No 5 (1998)
Editorial
Frithelstock Priory p1
Book Reviews p3
Hounds, Hollow Hills and Ancient Ways - Mary Coombs p4
Cadbury Castle p8
Book Reviews p9
The Way Of The Dead p10
Earthstars And Dartmdor Runes p16
Book Reviews p17
Note: A reminder about this run of folklore small press magazines we first made available in 2013. I've improved the PDFs and added embedded text (which is mostly readable but a bit flaky in places)