25/10/2025
Statement from the Keeper of the Stones, October 2025
The roles of Keeper of the Stones and Arch Druid are two very different roles at Avebury, with the late Arch Druid, Terry Dobney, simultaneously holding both. The Keeper is a local Avebury village title which was passed on to Terry, and in due course was passed on to me.
The Keeper role is one of liaison and representation which includes, and is not limited to: meetings, press and media, tours of the site, lectures. The Arch Druid leads observances and rituals.
Terry always wanted me to be Keeper, and this was known to regulars at Avebury. Following his second stroke in 2018, and with discussion with Susan Dobney, widow to Terry, I was afforded the privilege of taking on the role, pending Terry’s recovery.
On Saturday 18th December 2021, in the gorsedd circle, Susan formally named me as Keeper.
I am a former National Trust tour guide at Avebury, having been trained by their archaeologists and historians, and for a period, was in charge of the tour guides. Terry saw this and had people join my tours. He was satisfied with the information I was providing, as well as being able to communicate, and stated that I would be a good successor for Keeper.
Between 2008 and the present day, I have:
* continued doing tours at Avebury
* attended National Trust meetings (until they limited the attendees)
* I have done many media appearances with the most recent being three for Summer Solstice 2025
* a weekend in Essex to do a talk on Avebury and Druidry, and the next day, conducting a full day training session on Druidry
* attended other ancient/pagan sites and liaised with users, the furthest being Orkney!
* have been invited to the Netherlands on three occasions, the first to represent Avebury and give a small talk about it, the second time to lead a ritual, the third to represent Avebury in six days time
* I continue to do free tours at Avebury, with 118 people on my tours in 2025 alone
* Have assisted with several university dissertations, with two done this year
* Held and attempted to hold monthly meetings with the then Arch Druid, Henk
I write this, as yesterday, Friday 24th October 2025, I was contacted on WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, by the two Arch Druids of Avebury, Carlie and Jim. They wish to have a meeting, ideally face to face, this Sunday to discuss my role as Keeper, and why I should surrender it to them. With 48 hours notice, and already committed this weekend, I am unable to meet them. I have provided my first two available dates to meet, the earliest being the Sunday 9th November. I am in the Netherlands for Samhain, as Keeper, representing Avebury and Druidry.
This has been rejected, on the grounds that they wish my title and role for the start of their new year in November, and that by not being able to meet them prior to Samhain, shows a lack of commitment to the role and title. Jim has made it clear that steps will be now undertaken to remove the title.
With only 48 hours’ notice and prior commitments, I was unable to meet this weekend, and instead proposed Sunday 9 November, my earliest availability after returning from Samhain in the Netherlands, where I am representing Avebury and Druidry.
This was rejected on the grounds that they want my title and role for the start of their “new year” in November, and that not meeting before Samhain shows a lack of commitment.
If I do not hand it over voluntarily, I was told by Jim:
“If the offer of a graceful transition isn’t accepted, we will have to take steps to remove the title more formally, which could lead to public embarrassment.”
Jim has also stated that events on his ABODE group have not been attended by me. I was added to that group and a short time later removed from the group, for reasons unknown.
I am fully committed to meeting Jim and Carlie, and a face to face meeting is my preferred option, on a date and time that is convenient to all.
I will not be surrendering my role or title to them, they cannot take it from me, the same as I cannot demand and take away their roles and titles. Keeper is not an Office appointed by the Arch Druid, the current Arch Druids have no inherent authority to demand its surrender. The Keeper prior to Terry was not Arch Druid, but a local villager.
I continue to follow Terry’s teaching and what he wanted from me as Keeper, I continue to serve and represent Avebury, and will pass on my role and title in due course, when the time is ready, or when I cannot continue, and I feel quite well at this time.
As is the tradition, both the Arch Druid and Keeper choose their successors, just as Jim and Carlie were chosen by Henk, and I by Terry.
Autumn Equilux 2025 was my 21st year as a Druid, I thank Terry for taking me under his wing and teaching me.
GRH
25/10/2025
