We did lots of dowsing in the churchyard, measured the size of grave plots and found a lost path that used to run to the back door of the church, and a water main that was laid at the front. Barry found a small rectangular shape on the north side of the churchyard, where there is a path along the moat, which could be part of the long-lost chapel where the stone coffin was found in 1923. We also went inside the church and dowsed graves that are under the floor - could not find the Barlee vault as that is filled in, but Barry was quite certain that the early church, which preceded this one, had its end wall where the screen is now, and suggested that the very earliest church, possibly even a Pagan worship site, was centred on the same spot as churches were often founded on the sites of aquifers deep underground and where they meet would be the site of the altar - he dowsed the lines and they met in front of the chancel steps.

Barry explained how it works through the magnetism in people's bodies that can be conveyed through the rods to the magnetism in the ground, that is all you are doing with the rods, connecting to the earth. He also showed us how everyone has an electro-magnetic aura around them and some people are much more electrified than others - if you're the sort of person who can't wear a digital watch, for instance, or is extra-sensitive when storms are imminent, it is probably because you have a powerful magnetic aura!

This whole event was so amazing, many thanks to all who came, to the church ladies for supplying refreshments and to John and Janet Hosford for allowing access to the castle. If you see a lot of people wandering up and down with outstretched arms holding cut-up coat hangers, now you know why. For information about dowsing see Barry's website: www.dowsingarchaeology.org.uk

Jacky Cooper