Calder Hall; Sellafield by any other name

Construction began at Calder Hall in Cumbria (now Sellafield) in 1953 on the UK’s first commercial nuclear power station. Calder Hall was connected to the national grid in 1956 and continues to supply electricity to it today, thus becoming the first nuclear power station in the world to provide electricity commercially. The reactors at Calder Hall were a prototype of the Magnox gas cooled reactor. A mighty spirit (named Calder Hall) a member of the Court of Sparks was born here, and now patrols the area in the Other never straying far from the lines of power which criss-cross the country.

Sellafield in the Flesh

In the physical world Sellafield is much like the place today, a bit dirtier, more run-down, but still essentially the same place. At any moment it is surrounded by a crowd of protestors, who are kept out by a half dozen or more police and by dozens of security. If not for the high, strong, razor-wire topped fence they would be overrun easily – the mood of the crowd is dark, with lots of anger, and the potential for a single spark to turn the whole thing into a giant explosion. In the Great Britain of the World of Darkness the nuclear power question can sometimes get very dirty.

Sellafield by Shadowlight

Dark, alien, barren, harshly lit…the Shadow of Sellafield is unwelcoming and unpleasant. The entire area for miles around is a giant Barren; devoid of life and essence – it doesn’t feel at all good. When closer to the huge complex its clear that the area of Calder Hall, the UK’s oldest nuclear power station, echoes with age, with radioactive poison, with decay…it is a Shoal. Finally the ancient and corroded core of Calder Hall has become a Wound, a gaping hole in the Shadow. The stench of corruption, decay, can be felt from the bounds of the Shoal that surrounds it, its touch is like fingers of radiation upon the soul.

The three Seals that make up the Inner Binding (Body, Mind, Spirit) for a loathsome spirit of corruption, radiation and death named simply 'the Beast' can be found not far from the edge of the Shoal in the enormous Barren – they form a triangle the centre of which is Calder Hall’s nuclear reactor. At this point two of the three Seals have been destroyed – only the Spirit remains.

Greater (Moon) Circle

This is the outer binding for the Beast and are all some distance from the Calder Hall (Sellafield) facility. There are a series of 5 stones (existing, historical ones) which have served as the focus point for the Seals of the Outer Binding, each one linked to a phase of the moon and to the choir of Lunes who are associated with it. The stones are in the Flesh and are at:

Gosforth Stone Cross

At the village of Gosforth is the tallest Viking stone cross in England which stands 4.5 meters tall. There are assorted carvings over it, buried a foot from its base is a small stone with a full circle carved into it and set with silver – this is the test of Purity.

Grey Croft Stone Circle

Originally consisting of twelve stones, only ten now remain. The stones are about 1.3m high on average. It is probably dates from around 2500BC. The Grey Croft Stone Circle at Seascale near Sellafield is clearly visible from the nearby road. You couldn’t ask for a stranger juxtaposition of man’s ancient and modern technologies. In the early nineteenth century the stones were buried by a farmer so that he could plough the field without interruption. Now the circle has been restored and each of the large, widely spaced stones, stands in a slight hollow dug around them during restoration. One of the ten stones had a small stone with a half moon carved into it and filled with silver buried under it – this is the test of Honour.

St Bees Priory

The atmospheric church at St Bees is all that remains of a small Benedictine monastery closed down during the reformation. The priory is associated with the legend of St Bega, who is said to have fled here to escape an arranged marriage in Ireland. The site is also famous for discovery of a remarkably well-preserved medieval knight - the St Bees Man - who is thought to be a local lord killed in battle. It is a real hodgepodge of styles that includes a central tower with a ring of eight bells (cast in 1857), an Early English chancel, a clerestory in the Perpendicular style, Early English arcades, an Early Gothic presbytery, and the Norman west door. A carving of St George and the dragon, thought to date from the 8th century, forms the lintel of an alcove and attests to the Scandinavian heritage in this part of Cumbria. The stone under the Dragon Stone (opposite the west door) has been removed and a small stone with a three-quarter moon carved and filled with silver inserted – this is the test of Glory.

Ravenglass Roman Bath House

Ravenglass was an important naval base for the Romans in the 2nd century, GLANNAVENTA. Little remains now of their large fort except for the remarkable bath house, now known as Walls Castle. This is one of the largest surviving Roman structures in England, about 40 feet by 90 feet with walls over 12 feet high, and containing everything from hot saunas to cold baths. Buried in the centre of the bath house is a small stone with a crescent moon filled with silver – this is the test of Wisdom.

Saint of Myra

The Saint of Myra is a wrecked ship, sunk as it attempted to take smugglers to Ireland in poor weather. Local legend says that the souls of those who were drowned remain to guard their valuable cargo and prevent any of the living from carrying it off. The wreak has been found and a marker buoy floats above it to warn of the danger beneath the waves. A stone with a circle drawn on and filled with silver has been placed inside the buoy – this is the test of Cunning.

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