2009/01/01 by Ronald Hutton · 2 citations
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #Religious Studies and Spiritual Practices #Religious Tourism and Spaces #Historical and Architectural Studies
paper · doi:10.2752/175169609x12464529903137
openalex publication_date 2009/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
The history of “alternative” forms of spirituality in modern Britain is now starting to be written, although the ventures into it to date have the character of pioneering works. This article compares two of the most prominent such forms of spirituality in twentieth-century England, both characterized by a close relationship with prehistoric monuments: Druidry and the Earth Mysteries movement. It formulates the main distinguishing features of the former and then charts the development of the latter, viewing it, like the former, primarily as a form of religious and cultural expression. This exercise permits a systematic comparison of the two, and also an examination of their relationship with orthodox archaeology and history. In the process, it is hoped not only to be able to gain new insights into the nature of twentieth-century British counter-cultures, but into the nature of modern British culture as a whole.