The Great Stone Circles – How they Work Part 2 Cumbria

Submitted by JACKME on Tuesday, 17 May 2005 Page Views: 5820

Country: England County: Cumbria Type: Stone Circle

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**Swinside** submitted by JACKME : The Midwinter sunrise at Swinside 26/12/95. Stone 55 over 13/14. See The Great Stone Circles - How they Work, for further information (Vote or comment on this photo)

Methods, Old and New

Before revealing the results of my research into the Great Stone Circles in this series of articles, it is necessary to clarify the technical terms used in order for the reader to gain a better understanding of the methods employed. All of the research undertaken is totally original and based entirely upon my own actual observations of the sun and moon rises and sets on site. This novel approach has meant that a new set of terms with corresponding abbreviations has had to be invented. For the reader’s benefit where basic data is used from general knowledge this will be stated. As with all new theories I am sure not everyone will agree and this should lead to good debate.

Elsewhere I will explain the accepted basics which I am assuming myself, to so that there can be no doubt as to what I have discovered.

The quest for the understanding of how stone circles worked is far from new, but this fresh approach has revealed a completely new comprehension of the system. There is still a vast amount yet to learn but I feel confident that my many years of research can provide a valuable tool for other investigators, who will hopefully help to fill in the gaps.

The Abbreviations

V. - The First Gleam and Last Gleam of both the sun and moon. This is when the top of either just appears over the skyline

O. - When the sun or moon’s full orb appears to break contact with the earth.

O.+. - This is used in places where it seems as if the sun and moon are indicating just a little later.
(C). - At the time of construction of the circle

F. - After the Sun has moved 5° 37' azimuth (this significance of this amount will be explained later) along the skyline it reaches a place where the edge of the shadows from certain stones strike altar type stones. Often the Sun has risen above the morning cloud by this time. The same applies in the evenings so this could be of religious significance and is therefore called ‘Festival’.

(f). - A fallen stone

MSSR - Mid Summer Sunrise

MSSS - Mid Summer Sunset

MWSR - Mid Winter Sunrise

MWSS - Mid Winter Sunset

MMaS - Moon Major Standstill with either MNR (Most Northerly Rise) or MSR (Most Southerly Rise)

MMiS - Moon Minor Standstill with either MNR (Most Northerly Rise) or MSR (Most Southerly Rise)

For example, Midsummer Sunrise First Gleam, as seen today is represented as MSSR.V. While Midsummer Sunrise First Gleam at the time of construction is MSSR.V. (C)

Midsummer Sunrise Full Orb as seen today would be MSSR.O. and Midsummer Sunset Last Gleam as seen today MSSS.V.

Midwinter Sunrise First Gleam as seen today is MWSR.V. and Midwinter Sunset Last Gleam at the time of construction MWSS.V. (C)

Moon Major Standstill Most Northerly Rise, First Gleam today is represented MMaSMNR. V. and Moon Minor Standstill Most Southerly Set Full Orb at construction by MMiSMSS. O.(C)

Sunrises and Sunsets

To start with the basics, it is accepted that the Earth orbits the sun every 365.2422 days. We take this as 365 days plus 1 extra every leap (4th) year. The discrepancy is further resolved by a 1 day correction every hundred years. The Earth rotates once every 24 hours at an angle 23 ? ° from the vertical, and because of this a different part of the earth is nearest to the sun in the summer and winter, giving us the seasons of the year with the sun rising and setting at different points along the skyline throughout each half of the year. As the earth moves around the sun and the seasons progress, the elevation of the sun changes. This is called the ‘obliquity of the ecliptic’, or simply the ‘obliquity’ for short.

Here is a diagram, showing the relative positions of the sunrises and sunsets with a very much bigger angle between each V. and O. Note also that MSSR is not opposite MWSS, and the difference varies according to the elevation of the skyline. The sun does not rise vertically but at an angle, so that very roughly for each rise of 1° of the skyline the First Gleam moves along by nearly 2°.

It must also be noted that there is a small difference of about 1° between today’s summer solstice sunrise and sunset, and that of the Bronze Age about 2000BC (the approximate time when many of the stone circles were constructed). The midwinter sunrise and sets were similarly approximately 1° further south than they are today. This is due to the fact that the sun is not as far north today as it once was, because the earth is like a giant top, wobbling slowly about the vertical and rotating once approximately every 24,800 years. This moves the position of the solstice sunrises only about ° per thousand years, so unfortunately gives us no chance of accurate dating by this means. The accompanying diagram shows a far bigger angle than 1°, due to the fact that such a small angle could not be recreated on my computer.

In a circle with a diameter of 30m the difference of 1° across the circle is about 52 centimeters (or in Imperial measure in a 100ft diameter circle it would be about 21inches). These minor discrepancies from the time of construction are partially masked by the daily and hourly variations in the refraction of light due to changes in temperature, pressure and also humidity, which is often left out of the calculations. The full formula also includes the height above sea level, but as this remains the same as it was at the time of construction, it can be ignored. Again this variation in the refraction of light makes it impossible to date the circles using these observations.

Contents page for the whole series is here

Note: This is the second of a series of previously unpublished articles by retired farmer, Jack Morris-Eyton. Following 12 years of research visiting many of the circles in Britain and Ireland, Jack claims to have unravelled what no one else has done before - why, where and how the great stone circles worked. Jack does not profess to have the answers to all of the stone circle mysteries, indeed he admits himself there is still much to learn, but through the following series of articles he hopes to provide some possible answers to many intriguing questions.

Read next article on The Calendar Systems - Swinside

Contributor Bio for JACKME: Based in CUMBRIA, contributing since 2004. Favourite site: SWINSIDE. Occupation: RETIRED.

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