North Hill Revisited
- Jan 25
- 4 min read
Despite holding meetings in the village of North Hill for the best part of two decades, the Tamar Dowsers have spent very little time actually considering the energies and the ambience of the local parish church of St Torney. Partly, this was due to the last incumbent not being exactly enthusiastic about the use of the rod and the pendulum - and partly because, for some time, the church was actually locked up and unused. Thankfully, those
wonderful people at the Historic Churches Preservation Trust have taken over the stewardship of the site, have tidied it up considerably and have opened its doors to the friendly and the inquisitive, regardless of religious persuasion or none - indeed, people such as ourselves.
On a parallel track, TD stalwart Pete Bousfield, has made the section of the path of the Mary Line from North Hill to the Hurlers something of a personal specialist subject. His inspired sculptures of sections of it are quite unique - and they are based on years of
detailed research and contemplation. Consequently, Pete was the ideal person to front up this visit to both the church and the nearby Holy Well.
St Torney’s Well
Following his excellent introductory presentation in the hall, we ambled through the car park, into the graveyard and on into the church itself. We were immediately struck by the welcoming lightness of the atmosphere inside. Those who had managed to gain access to St Torney's in years gone by had experienced quite a dark environment - and they were not overly enthusiastic about staying there too long. Maybe the surprisingly sunny afternoon sunshine helped, but this time around the building seemed more than happy to have us - and the energy lines within expanded as a direct reaction to our presence.
Pete had shown how the Mary current surges under the western tower, up the nave and
through the altars, old and new. This gives the whole site a very feminine feel, especially where Mary interacts with other predominantly female energy lines. Unusually, a very strong double vortex is easily dowsable directly under the tower. When the bells were in working order, this should have sent a strong positive resonance 'down the line'.
The interesting font, now situated to the left of the south door, dowses as having been moved
from a more central position where water lines cross when the existing wooden pews were
installed. However, its new position is also right on top of a water line. Did those relocating
the font know about this - and was it taken into account in the redesign of the interior? It has
happened far too often during Victorian font relocations for it to be pure coincidence.
An ancient ley runs corner to corner across the nave in time-honoured fashion - and various spirals in what would have been the Lady Chapel had some of us dowsing the potential existence of a crypt below the wooden floor.
One residual feature of the church is the presence of a sombre tomb, tucked into the wall by the North Eastern corner. It seems to be a memorial to a number of members of one family. Someone dowsed that it still contained some of their bones, and it is therefore technically an ossuary. It still has a rather dark ambience, and this may have been partly the root cause of the cold energy felt by former dowsers on the site.
Some TDs seemed to be able to approach the tomb directly, but I was warned off getting too
close and had to dowse it from a couple of metres away - we're all different. My own
interpretation of this repository is that it is in fact sited above naturally-occurring (geological)
energy that is detrimental to people such as myself - and that has attracted other similar
elements. I don't feel there is anything seriously unpleasant here, or at least nothing that can't
be improved over time, but it is a very strange place to site your family tomb.
Following our initial investigation of the church, those suitably shod accompanied Pete to visit
the Holy Well of St Torney a short distance away.
Many thanks to Pete Bousfield for such a good introduction to these two sites, which I am sure we will be revisiting another day.
Nigel Twinn
Tamar Dowsers
October 2025
St Torney's Well
To get to the Well, we had to negotiate down steep field and over a challenging style! Then down steep steps to join the old carriageway which is quite muddy, across a small stream ( see map) down another single file path to the old leat that runs over the top of the Well.
The Well is hidden very close to the river Lynher by ferns and small bushes a Hazel and Holly as one would expect being both guardian trees. Access is very limited so we all had to go and commune with her no more than three at a time.
The Mary line comes down of the Moor through Hawks Wood across two fields and the river to embrace the Well running both sides and joining together again to travel up the small stream and eventually to the church.
The water from the Well was used for baptisms & ceremony. There used to be a processional way via Battens Farm across the fields ( still visible in places) down to and from the Well now cut by the road!
Some of the party decided that returning the way we came was too difficult so they were led back through the wood to Stuarts car to take them back to the Hall.
This Well is a truly magical spot with lots of positive energy. Please note it is on private land so be discrete on visiting.
A positive experience by all I asked.
Pete Bousfield.
