Re: America's Stonehenge

[Niven Sinclair <niven@niven.co.uk>]

At 11:22 14/06/01 -0400, you wrote:


>         Dear Cousin Niven,
>
>     When you have time, would you please say more about James Whittall.
>
>     Is the film on Prince Henry you refer to available and how much and 
> where?
>
>     I have only been on the List a few months, so am behind on some of the
>news.
>
>     Best wishes always,  Ivan of Trafalgar


For any of our films you should contact:

                                         Ian Sinclair,
                                         Noss Head Light Housae,
                                         Nr Wick
                                         Caithness KW1 4QT

                                         44 1955 606700
                                         e-mail:iansinclair@nosshead,freeser 
e-mail:iansinclair@nosshead,freeserve.co.uk

James P Whittall was a member of NEARA (New England Antiquities Research 
Association) but his activities
took him outside the United States in his efforts to establish that the 
Newport Tower was built by Prince Henry
Sinclair's expedition in 1399.

Jim gave a presentation to a learned audience at the Sinclair Symposium 
which was held in Orkney in September,
1997.  After giving the most powerful and convincing address  (he was 
already suffering from cancer and he knew
that it would be his swan song) he summarised 20 reasons as to why he 
thought the tower had been built by Henry
Sinclair's men.  These 20 points run to three pages so It will not include 
them with this message (unless specifically
requested) but his concluding sentence read:

                 "It is my considered opinion that Newport Tower was built 
as (and served as) a church,
                   observatory, lighthouse and datum zero point for future 
exploration of the New World

                 "Henry was familiar with the sacred geometry of round 
towers; knew their significance
                   and, like other Templars before him, wished to leave a 
readily recognisable building which
                   would be a marker and a message for all who followed in 
his wake".

Jim's widow has just informed me that the film on "America's Stonehenge" 
(which is to be screened on 3rd
July, 2001 by the History Channel under the title "Histories and 
Mysteries") has been made by:

                                         Digital Ranch
                                         14110 Riverside Drive,
                                         Sherman Oaks, California 91423

                                         (818) 817 0690

                                         Producer: David Cargill

As this programme is unlikely to be repeated in the United Kingdom, I have 
requested David to let me have
a copy as,  on my own visit to America's Stonehenge,  I found myself 
wanting to know more about that
fascinating place.

(Yesterday, I took 3 American history students to see England's Stonehenge 
as well as the nearby Salisbury
Cathedral and the amazing earthwork defences of Old Sarum where Henry I had 
utilised an old Saxon defensive
site to build his own impregnable castle.  Today, I took them to see 
Waverley Abbey - at one time the oldest, the
largest and most resplendent Cistercian Abbey in England - now, alas, a 
sorry ruin.  Never let it be said that the
young are not interested in history but the history has to be made to live 
which is an easy task when it is in front of
one's eyes and beneath one's feet).

Niven Sinclair