What a load of druids!!

by Mel

By the last few days of the 19th Century, the contractors building the WGLR had reached the site of Stumpy Junction and were about to start track laying through a small wood on the outskirts of Gooey. Standing in their way was a small field which had lain fallow for as long as anyone could remember (mind you, around these parts that's only about two weeks!!) and had pretty much disappeared under a tangle of brambles and small trees. As the navvies cleared away all of this undergrowth, their scythes kept clanging against a series of large stones protruding from the ground. It wasn't until their work was done that it became apparent that this was some form of ancient stone circle with a large monolyth of a rock at it's centre.



The contractor's first thoughts were to call for a truck full of explosives to clear the stones, but word of the discovery spread fast and local amateur archeologist Dr Haratio Grabbit was soon doing all that he could to persuade the railway's benefactors to find an alternative path for the new line. Eventually a compromise was found and the railway was diverted via a pretty tight curve.

Over the years the stone circle became quite a little tourist trap and several of the locals were able to make a bob or two out of it. Today the site comes under the stewardship of the National Truss and is well supported. There has even been a rumour going around recently that the makers of Time Team may have been sniffing about???



Of course, nobody really knows what the circle was built for. There are many theories about the main stone's east/west alignment and the way that shadows are cast during sunset (at least they would, were it not for next-door's fence), but only Harry Watkins seems to have stumbled across any possible true reason for their existence. Some time ago Harry was driving one of the diesels back to Gooey depot just as the sun was rising after an overnight re-ballasting job. As the train swung around the tight curve, the headlights of the loco swept across the stone circle and he was met full square with the sight of local spinster (and sweet shop owner) Mavis Davis dancing around the circle, buck naked. This caused quite a sensation amongst the local population and it was quite some time before Mavis dared to show her face in public again. Just as well really as Harry reckons that, while she might not be much of a looker, her face is by FAR her best feature.


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