Real basis of ancient myths

Regular Craigie readers may recall earth energies guru David Cowan explaining in a previous edition how a huge, egg-shaped boulder was placed close to the Highland Boundary Fault by ancient peoples.

Elaborating on the theme of amazing alignments on his Strathearn home patch, the Crieff-based author today reveals some fascinating background to a time-worn route on the edge of the town that was for centuries regarded as its own dedicated ‘death road’, and its inextricable connection to the primeval Samson’s Stone near Comrie.

David writes: “In the long ago, families would carry their dead down the ‘Spoke Road’, an ancient ‘coffin path’ which runs from the Highlandman Loan – here comprised of nine straight roads to the east of Crieff – with the Spoke Road aligned perfectly to this curious boulder in order, according to some, to bypass the toll house on the Crieff to Perth road.

“The real story is probably much stranger than that. One wonders what the energies would be like if you placed a huge schistose boulder, probably rocking, on top of the powerful Highland Boundary Fault, which emits various forms of energy like piezoelectricity, spinning electric and magnetic fields, ion flow, gravitational anomalies, electromagnetic emissions and non-dipolar magnetic fields in line with this ancient track.

“People dared not walk along this now deeply rutted path at night, and there are some strange stories of those who have done so and regretted it, which is not surprising as it is connected energetically not only with the Samson’s Stone but a number of ancient

and sacred sites on top of geological faults.

“Witches, vampires and demons were said to congregate at the full moon at crossroads and, indeed, one Crieffite remembers ‘witches’ meeting at the back of Callum’s Hill making offerings for lost and trapped souls on the Spoke Road.

“Streams of telluric energy from several directions focus here and it was thought that suicide victims should be buried at the crossing of roads as their spirits would be

confused and unable to terrorise the area.

“It is more likely that our ancestors, believing in spirits, attempted to heal the unfortunate victims using an alignment of energies from a standing stone at Crofthead Farm to the crossroads, projected further through both St Andrews Church and South Church, specifically their round apses – where the altar and choir were placed.

“Other alignments are from the Highlandman Loan roads, one to Monzie Castle’s stone circle, another from Monzie Church burial ground, and from the east of the crossroads to Comrie’s White Church.”

David concludes: “‘Coffin paths’ or ‘death roads’ can be found all over the UK, sometimes crossing streams, as they were thought to block spirits – as with Robert Burns’ Cutty Sark, where Tam flees on his horse Maggie towards the bridge over the River Doon. Behind him is the witch Nannie, who grabs hold of Maggie’s tail at the keystone as they cross the bridge, pulling it off. Tam makes his escape as witches, like spirits, are unable to cross running water.”

David Cowan’s illustration shows how Crieff’s Spoke Road and the Samson Stone are linked, with the ancient coffin path shown inset.