Our region is large and varied. It contains some of the most ancient rocks in the world and some of the greatest rivers of Britain - the Severn, Wye, Dee, and the headwaters of the Trent. Stone circles, pillars and hill-forts abound, especially in the western hills. There are many layers of Paganism in our region. The oldest recognisable layer is that of the ‘beaker folk’ - the Bronze / Iron age peoples. They left no written remains, but they have left a rich diversity of stone monuments too numerous to mention here. (Aubrey Burl’s ‘Stone Monuments of Great Britain’, 1997, is an excellent introduction) Their use of metal aided them in this, as it did in their introduction of agriculture.

Next to arrive were the Celts from northern and central Europe. Like their kinsfolk the Gauls in what was to be France, they were ruled by Druids, masters of the magical and mystic arts, who were superior to the kings and chieftains.

The Celts were called 'teutones' by the Romans from which the word 'teuton' comes. It comes in turn from a Celtic word 'tuath' which means a 'people'. The Romans, Pagans of a Mediterranean kind, were tolerant of and indeed interested in Celtic Paganism . The Pagans could believe and do what they liked – providing that they accepted Roman authority. But the Druids of Anglesey repudiated that, rather unwisely. The Roman general Suetonius Plotinus – the first Roman leader to lead his army across the Atlas mountains – invaded Anglesey in 61 AD., faced up to the warrior army - which was mixed with priestesses in ceremonial dress, all surrounded with the burning smell of human sacrifices - and defeated them. It was the end of organised Druidry in Britain.

Thereafter many Celts, especially the younger, brighter ones, became romanised. Paulinus then went on to defeat Boudicca, queen of the Iceni, and became governor of Britain for almost twenty years. This battle took place somewhere in the Midlands, almost certainly in our region. So when you visit us, keep your eyes open!

The Roman empire became officially Christian under Constantine in 324 AD. But Pagans of dfferent kinds continued to pour into Britain from northern Europe. Danes, Vikings,and especially Saxons , settled on the North and Irish sea coastlands, pushing the Celts, both Pagan and romanised, into the uplands of the west. This mixed Pagan heritage is very noticeable in our region. We have the 71 acre hill-top bronze age fort on the top of Titterstone Clee hill, abundant Celtic stone monuments in the hills and lowlands, the splendid Roman city of Uriconium (Wroxeter) which is only partly excavated, and the fascinating and strange Abbot’s Bromley horn dance in Staffordshire every September.

There is very much more of our region’s Pagan heritage which could be mentioned. And a great deal more which needs to be discovered.

Summer Camp 4th - 6th July 2008 Near Llanmadoc, the Gower Peninsula, South Wales. A Weekend of Music, Ritual, Workshops, Talks, Stalls and festivities!

This year our festival site is on the scenic Gower Peninsula, South Wales. A short walk from the beach, and surrounded by a wealth of areas of interest, including ruins, shipwrecks, standing stones, burial mounds and other ancient sites, this festival is not to be missed!
See www.myddle-earth.co.uk for full information.

Provisional Speaker List:
David Benton, Sorita d’Este, Kim Huggens, John & Siany,
Karl James Langford, John Licence, Peter Nash, Elaine Mein, Karin Rainbird, David Rankine, (Tipi) Rob, Chris Elphic

Music from
Dickie Deegan, Susan Raven, Telling the Bees, King Rollo

Evening campfire entertainment, On-site catering.

Pagan Federation Members - £15 weekend / £10 one day
Non-Members - £30* weekend / £15 one day
Children 15-18 £7.50 weekend / £5 one day (under 5s free)
*this includes 12 month’s free membership of the Pagan Federation Wales and Mid-West, which gives you quarterly issues of both Pagan Dawn and Myddle Earth magazines, as well as discounted ticket prices at Pagan Federation events.

Buildwas, near Ironbridge, Mind, Myth and Magic Group. Last Thursday at the Buildwas Abbey Club. B4380 near the B4169. £2 raffle/speaker fund Contact Debz on 01952 433708 or 07931 328115, e-mail debz@crystallabyrinth.co.uk, www.mindmythmagic.org.uk.

Cardiff Moot 1st Sunday, 8pm onwards, talks in the upstairs room of the Rummer Tavern, Duke St, Cardiff. FFI email : welshwytch@ukpagan.com List of current talks planned at: http://www.boomspeed.com/welshwytch/UKPAug06.doc.

Cardiff's astrology group, Merlin's Zodiac, meets in the Quaker Meeting House, 43 Charles St., Cardiff at 6.45 p.m. on the last Thursday of the month. Contact Tony Briddon, merlins.zodiac@ntlworld.com

Carmarthen Moot Last Thursday, 7.30pm onwards. Held at The Drover's Arms, Lammas Street, Carmarthen. Moot dates are subject to change! Please contact crystalepona@hotmail.com or visit our site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CarmsPCN for confirmation.

Keele/Newcastle-under-Lyme. 2nd Tuesday at the KPA (buffet room) on Keele University campus. £2 for speaker fund. Contact Shelley, keelemoot@hotmail.co.uk

Kidsgrove/Stoke-on-Trent. Last Tuesday at the Blue Bell, Hardingswood. £2 for speaker fund. Contact Dee, 07716 848471 or Pat, 01782 863532, pat.pitts@ntlworld.com

Llandudno Third Tuesday at The Snowdon pub, Tudno Street. Contact Sue, 07832 102555

Neath Moot Last Thursday, 7.30pm onwards. Held at The Burrough Arms (we are normally in the back room).

Oswestry. 3rd Monday at the Olde White Lion. Contact Steve on 01691 679066.

Pembrokeshire Moot 1st Saturday. at The Oak, Haverfordwest. FFI email: owlblinker@hotmail.com or contact Matt on 01646 622094 or 07766 162285

Pentre, near Nesscliffe. 2nd Wednesday at the Royal Hill. Contact Wendy and Rob, 01691 791597.

Pontypridd Moot (Trefforest) 3rd Wednesday, 8pm-11pm. Held at JJ’s, opposite the train station in Trefforest (nr Pontypridd).

Rhondda Moot (Valleys) 1st Thursday, 8pm-11pm. Held at Griffin Inn, Gilfach – Tonyrefail.

Shrewsbury travelling moot (no fixed abode). Contact Jim on 07890 530842 for details of next meeting

Stafford. 3rd Tuesday at the Shrewsbury Arms in Eastgate Street, opposite the William Salt Library. £2 for speaker fund. Contact Ellen, ellen.nicholson@btinternet.com.

Stoke on Trent. North Staffs Histories, Mysteries and Discoveries Society. First Monday at the Red Lion, Hartshill. £2 Society members, £3 non-members. Contact Byron on 07757736606 or byronjamesmachin@hotmail.co.uk

Swansea Moot 3rd Tuesday. At the Hanbury on the Kingsway, 8pm onwards. FFI: contact Chris on 01792 578309

Swansea The Sleeping Giant Moot, in the Swansea Valleys/Head of the Valleys. On the last Tuesday of the month from 7pm. All paths welcome. Cafe on site for food and refreshments. Disabled access. FFI Paula 07871871349 or e-mail xmoonlitfaeryx@aol.com or Ang 07811447806 or e-mail shadowworld@btinternet.com

Worcester Pagan Moot, last Wednesday, 7.30pm at The Plough, corner of Fish Street and Deansway, Worcester WR1. All welcome, General Pagan gathering in a private, smoke-free room upstairs. Contact Math Jones, eaglespit@yahoo.com, 07772 605777.

If you’re new to moots, and would like to try one, don’t hesitate to get in touch with any of the contacts listed above, then you can be sure someone will be looking out for your arrival. If you can’t make it at the stated time, don’t worry, we’d rather you were a little late than not there at all!