FIELD REPORT

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Report on the Staddiscombe 'Thought-bubble' Crop Formation.

By Sam Goodwin

Date: 02 August 2001 

Having only recently moved to Devon from Sussex, I didn't expect to be visiting a local formation so far from the wessex heartland. 

The 'Thought-bubble' is situated on top of a ridge to the South of Staddicombe. The crop is wheat which is ripe for harvest. The subsoil is Lower Devonian, caracterised by the dark red soils.

I entered the field using one of the footpaths to the north, and followed the tractor tramlines uphill into the field.

The formation is composed of 10 circles strung together in a shallow arc (100m long), their edges touching. The smallest of the circles are at the lower north end, and the larger at the higher south end. Beginning at the north and following south the circles gradually increase in size. I will number the circles 1 - 10, starting at the north end. 

·                    1.) This is the smallest circle of the group (4.5 m across) and is swirled clockwise. The lay is very neat, the swirl centre being well defined and centrally placed.

·                    2.) Only slightly larger than the latter(4.7m across), swirled anticlockwise. Again the lay is very neat with the swirl centre well defined and centrally located.

·                    3.) Only marginally larger than the latter (6m across), swirled clockwise. The lay is very neat, and flows out fanlike from an eccentrically located centre. Traces of a second centre, and certainly the best lay within the entire formation.

·                    4.) A bit of a jump up in size (8m across) and swirled clockwise. The lay is very neat with and eccentrically placed swirl centre that is intrically twisted. Traces of a second centre are marked by an unusual heap of stems.

·                    5.) A reduction in size here (7m across), not so neat as the last four. The lay is confused and lacks any definable centre. The crop swirls anticlockwise, but some spills over into the centre attempting to move clockwise.

·                    6.) Growing in size again (8m across) and reasonably neat. The centre is again eccentrically placed with the swirl anticlockwise. Where the geometric centre should be, the crop moves strait across.

·                    7.) A major leap in size now (11m across), the lay is rather messy and confusing. Swirled clockwise, if you can call it a swirl! The crop goes off in all different directions but two eccentrically located centres can be seen clearly.

·                    8.) This is the second largest circle (17m across) and is rather messy. The crop going off in different directions, yet sticking to a anticlockwise rotation. There are two swirl centres, one located at the geometrical centre, the other eccentrically. This second swirl is so large it could almost be considered to be a separate entity, but in keeping with its sister, flows anticlockwise.

·                    9.) My personal favorite, this consists of a ring with a circle eccentrically placed to create a crescent of standing crop. The ring rotates clockwise and is neat (13m across) the width of the flattened area only 40cm. The circle is also very neat (8m across) and swirls clockwise, with its centre geometrically accurate.

·                    10.) The largest of all the circles (21m across) and of the poorest construction. Within its confines are four standing circles and one standing ring (see diagram). The crop moves in varying directions in order to encompass these shapes, but predominantly keeps to a general clockwise flow around the edges, although at the centre it all goes one way. Three of the standing circles and the ring are the same size (3m across). While the remaining circle is larger (5m across). In the centre of the larger standing circle I noticed broken stems suggesting someone or something had stood here. This was matched in the three other standing rings, but was not a feature in surrounding crop, this being the only evidence of human intervention. The crop of circle 10 overlaps the ring of circle 9, suggesting that 10 was formed after. 

Discussion. 

Its difficult to say whether or not that the Staddiscombe 'Thought-bubble' is manmade or the product of some mysterious force. As is often the case with crop formations there are features that conflict. If I could remove circle 10 from the formation I would have no difficulty in supporting the 'genuine' argument. As the lay is mostly neat with lots of intricate swirls, double centers and a fine fan like swirl in circle 3. Circle 10 however is unlike all the others. It is poorely put to gather and on the whole is a mess. That in its self doesn't prove anything, but the finding of broken stems at the centre's of all the standing circles is suggestive of manmade construction. The crop outside the formation didn't seem to have many of these broken stems, which I managed to replicate by carefully stepping into unaffected crop. These features may however have arrived after the event by someone measuring the formation. Or perhaps circle 10 was added later by hoaxers, to a genuine formation. This however seems unlikely. Whatever its origins its certainly a prize for Devon and an interesting day out for me (despite the rain!).

Guys - heard of a crop circle on the main Staddiscombe road near Plymouth. Apparently it's on the South side, right where a circle appeared in about 1995 (?) - haven't been able to check it out but a mate said he saw it today.

Reported by Lyn Jahubi 

Complex formation, 80 paces from end to end, ten different sized circles joined in line, one of them ringed, one with mini circles in it. Considered genuine, due to plenty of individual standing stalks and some intricate weaving of some of the laid stalks. Cannot be seen from any road. Top of field between Staddiscombe and Down Thomas, on right of road.  Footpath in field.

Report by Bobby Cox (PUFORG investigator)