Dowsing Day at Cressing Temple Program 30th July 2006

This years dowsing day will (as usual) focus on teaching people how to use the rods to locate buried features on site at Cressing Temple. The course is led by archaeologist Barry Hillman-Crouch who wrote his post-graduate thesis on Dowsing For Archaeological Features at Cressing Temple. Helping him is Colin Peal a very experienced dowser who will be helping us to attempt to 'date dowse' some of our buried features.

Program
1. Welcome, introductions and site information. (BJHC) 3 mins.
2. Why are we interested in dowsing at CT? (BJHC) 5-7 mins
3. The history of dowsing. (BJHC) 5 mins.
4. Different methods of dowsing. (CP) 5-7 mins.
5. Making and using rods. (BJHC & CP) 5-10 mins.
6. Dowsing exercises; (BJHC & CP) 90 mins total.
6a. Water main.
6b. Road edge.
6c. Buried cables.
6d. Buried walls and foundations.
6e. Cellars
6f. Culverts
7. Date dowsing of features (led by CP)
8. Summary.

The program runs twice from 11:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 16:00 and is free to all visitors to Cressing Temple.

Review: This years Dowsing Day was very well attended with 104 people of all ages attending the two sessions. Everyone was equally amazed and dumbfounded when the rods turned simultaneously in their hands as they passed over the water main. Of all the participants only one elderly lady was not able to get a response.

Everyone was able to locate the tudor cellars, the Templar chapel, the Hospitaller dormitory and the tudor drains.

The experiment with date dowsing was very interesting and some quite credible dates were arrived at. I stunned myself by realising that I could actually cancel out signals simply by asking myself questions that required yes or no responses. The first time ever I have done that.

The participants came from all walks of life and wanted to acquire the skill to locate water, broken drains, buried path ways and other lost garden and architectural features. Altogether an excellent day.

Review by Barry Hillman-Crouch 31 07 2006.