Through the swirling dawn mists step fifteen white-clad figures, the two leaders wearing white coats to indicate some kind of authority. They arrange themselves in various ritual positions around the space, each place - "1st slip"; "cover-point"; "just round the corner" having a mystical name. A number of the participants have white war-paint displayed on their lips, noses and foreheads.
The ritual red orb is passed to a man who is referred to for the purposes of the ceremony as "Fred". He runs towards the middle of the space. As he nears the centre, he hurls the orb at what we now see to be five pieces of ash - three long, two short - arranged into the shape of three adjacent standing stones complete with their lintels. The ball is caught by a short man in a white floppy hat, and returned to "Fred". This continues until the lintel arrangement is hit by the orb, at which time the fallen pieces of ash are ceremonially burnt in the middle of the field.
The Archdruid explains that this ritual is a reminder of the cruel destruction of the Beaker megalithic culture by the Celts with their nasty iron-based culture. The red orb represents the Sun - the god of the Celts. The white face-paint and white clothes represent the moon. The "Fred" is the hero who will one day defeat the aggressors, and mark the end of centuries of humiliation by a newer, more aggressive race that has rejected beakers in favour of drinking from vessels made of metal - known as "tinnies" in their uncouth language.
They walk from the field, past a man with even more war paint and bleached blond hair who appears to be reading a particularly saucy text. This time, he has played no part in the event. This seems to be regarded as a good thing.
Hallellujah...... I long to come and worship.
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