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Here comes the sun – and Druids celebrate at Spinnaker
Druids visited the Spinnaker Tower to welcome the summer solstice.
The pagan ceremony involved the Portsmouth Insular Order of Druids, Dorset's The Dolmen Grove, and members of the public coming together to perform chants and prayers to call on local spirits and bless the tower.
The ceremony called upon the north, south, east and west elements to the tower to celebrate the solstice, which is traditionally performed at Stonehenge.
Arch Druid of Portsmouth Barry Brett, 62, said: 'What we were trying to do is to put the Spinnaker up as a modern age Stonehenge. It is bringing the old and the new together to celebrate the solstice.
'We blessed the Spinnaker Tower so that people there can have a relaxing environment.'
There were about 20 Druids at the ceremony and over 35 members of the public joined in.
Prayers for peace in the area and around the world were said and chants and music performed to celebrate the summer sun.
Frank Somers, 42, Druid for The Dolmen Grove, added: 'The tower is a good place to be because it inspires people and unites them with the landscape which is what we are about.'
The Dolmen group then made their way to Stonehenge to perform the ceremony there at sunset.
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Weather for Portsmouth
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -1 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 1 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 5 mph
Wind direction: North east
