Field Report: uk2006bg - Milk Hill, Wiltshire, 22nd Jul 2006

Paul Vigay examines the field below the Milk Hill white horse.

On 1st August 2006 I was invited to give a brief talk to a small tour group accompanying fellow researcher Chet Snow. After lunch we decided to visit the Milk Hill 'star and hearts' formation beneath the Alton Barnes white horse. We arrived at the formation at approx 3pm and spent around an hour examining the formation.

My initial thought on this formation was that it was man-made, due to the rudimentary design and scruffy construction. However, as I endeavour to carry out impartial research, I don't let pre-conceived thoughts influence my decision to perform ground analysis and examination of formations. Therefore I decided this was another opportunity to demonstrate how we look for electromagnetic anomalies in and around crop formations, even though I didn't expect to find anything noteworthy in this formation.

Diagram As the formation was some days old by now, I wasn't expecting to see a pristine lay to the crop, irrespective of its possible origin, and I wasn't surprised to find the overall quality of the lay quite messy and trampled. However, no diagnosis could be determined from this, because we don't know how many people have visited it since discovery on the 22nd July.

I decided to monitor the background radio frequency on a small handheld RF monitor, which will audibly 'play' any background radio interference or signals. Nothing much detected in the small circles or 'heart' shaped designs.

However, on getting to the main 'star' shape, I decided to wander around the perimeter, testing the four small circles on the points of the inner/smaller points. (see diagram, right)

The first circle I tested was the one to the southwest point (photo 3) and I was surprised to find a small region of RF interference in the northwest quadrant of this circle. A very weak 'hum' was detected, and witnessed by the other members of the group.

Moving out of the small circle I discovered a small 'energy hotspot' just to the west of the tramlines running through the formation, and roughly in the vertical centre of the formation (small red dot on diagram). This was detected via a slightly more predominant 'hum' from the RF detector. On more detailed measurements, I could detect a slight RF interference in a roughly straight line passing right across the formation, almost parallel to the tramlines but approx 3-4' to the west of them. From past experience, I diagnosed this to be a ley line running through the field, especially as this area of Wiltshire is steeped in ancient energy or ley lines criss-crossing the landscape.

Moving to the next (northwest) small circle, I found a similar energy 'hotspot' to the first circle, but this time it was right on the perimeter of the circle, where it joined the main star shape. (photos 8 & 9)

Next I tested the two small circles on the east side of the formation, but the top (northeast) one only exhibited a very weak, hardly detectable intereference, again right on the perimeter of the circle where it joined the main star shape. The bottom (southeast) circle was the weakest signal of all and hardly discernable, again being at the edge joining the main formation.

Those were the only (slight) anomalies detected in the entire formation, and are highlighted with little red dots on my diagram (right).

However, I decided to do some more readings outside the formation, because I wanted to verify that what I believed to be an energy or ley line running across the field did indeed extend right up to the top (north) edge of the field, some 100' to the north of the formation.

As I proceeded north up the tramline, I spotted what appeared to be some severe wind damage to the top of the field (photo 10, looking west). As this provided a convenient path to the western edge of the field, I continued my measurements in a westerly direction. After 30 or 40' I spotted what I assumed to be further wind damage to the south (distant left side of photo 10). On closer inspection I found that a rough swirl could be made out. It was almost resembling a crude circle (photo 11) and consisted of several such 'circles' joined by paths (photo 12). Although I'm certain it's just ordinary wind damage, it had attempted to form a rough pattern (photos 13 & 14) so I decided to log it anyway. What if it was somehow created by the circlemaking energy, but not quite a strong enough level to fully create a formation?

Photo 15 shows what I presume are animal tracks through the crop, and is looking back towards the main formation. Photo 16 is looking across the formation with the wind damage in the foreground and Woodborough Hill in the distance. The village of Alton Barnes is positioned by the trees in the mid-right of photo 16.

I then re-joined the main group in the formation and we gathered our things together for the trek back to the cars. Even though the formation as a whole was unimpressive, I feel it was a worthwhile afternoon and some interesting control readings were obtained.