Prehistoric Traces in Surrey (UK) I

Precise geometric configurations between earthworks. enclosures, mottes, moats and ancient churches should rouse historical interest.

The moat Greatlee Wood (510.755/154.860) in Effingham, the motte Walton Manor in Walton on the Hill and the ancient church St.Lawrence (533.590/155.400) in Caterham are situated on a straight line which resembles a Ley except for ist long distance (22.70 km).

The fact that the motte Walton Manor halves exactly this line is a relatively rare feature in prehistoric geometrical relations. Walton Manor is therefore equidistant (11.35 km, always measured horizontally) from moat Greatlee Wood and the church St.Lawrence, but also from the church of Bletchingley, and the same distance is found a fourth time between the church in Bletchingley and the church All Saints in Banstead.

The motte Walton Manor is then equidistant (5.51 km) from this church and the church of Betchworth.

The moat Greatlee Wood is also equidistant (22.70 km) from the church St.Lawrence and the former Thunderfield Castle in Horley which is then equidistant (13.25 km) from the church St.Lawrence and the remains of Betchworth Castle/ Brockham.

The church in Chaldon is equidistant (13.07 km) from Betchworth Castle and Thunderfield Castle; again the same distance is found a third time between Betchworth Castle and the church St.Peter in Woodmansterne.

The straight line Betchworth Castle - church St.Peter goes through an enclosure (Enclosure II) south of Tadworth (523.575/155.225).

One of the tumuli in Reigate Heath (Tumulus 2, 523.725/150.490) is exactly equidistant (4.71 km) from Enclosure II and Betchworth Castle. It would seem that tumuli were sometimes erected on older 'sacred places'.

This leads to the straight line church Charlwood - Tumulus 2 - Enclosure II - Enclosure III (523.575/155.330). The church in Charlwood is then equidistant (14.13 km) from Enclosure III and the moat Ardenrun/Godstone.

The moat Crowhurst Place is equidistant (15.41 km) from the church in Charlwood and the Tumulus 2/Reigate, and the same distance again between

Tumulus 2 and the church in Oxted. This church is then equidistant (6.60 km) from the moat Crowhurst Place and the church in Bletchingley!

On the other hand, the church St.Peter in Woodmansterne is equidistant (6.25 km) from Enclosure II and the earthwork Tollsworth Manor (530.590/154.355) in Chaldon; the same distance again between this earthwork and the ancient church St.Mary in Reigate and a fourth time between St.Mary Reigate and the motte Castle Hill in Bletchingley (532.200/150.555)!

The straight line St.Mary Reigate - motte Castle Hill leads to the earthwork Castlehill in Godstone (536.310/150.815). Surprisingly, the motte Castle Hill is equidistant (4.10 km) from the earthwork Tollsworth Manor and the earthwork Castlehill!

Finally , the earthwork Castlehill/Godstone is equidistant (10.34 km) from the church St.Mary in Reigate and Thunderfield Castle.

It seems therefore quite probable that the ancient churches have taken the position of older (prehistoric) 'places of worship', whereas earthworks, enclosures, mottes and moats originated from prehistoric times, the latter two maybe not in the same period as the first two.