Ron's Underpants: a visit to Saint Hill [part 1]
Chris Owen
Yesterday afternoon was one of the most surreal experiences I've ever
had. I was standing in L. Ron Hubbard's bedroom. Behind me was a four-
poster bed with an enormously thick mattress - it was waist-high - next
to which was a mirror with a pith helmet draped nonchalently over it.
I'd just opened the front of his wardrobe, not expecting to find
anything, but to my amazement I saw dozens of silk waistcoats (very nice
quality too, by the look of it). I opened a drawer at random to find a
neat pile of beautifully-pressed silk underpants. An extraordinary
experience: I Saw Ron's Undies And Survived! or something like that,
anyway.
I was, of course, in Saint Hill Manor, East Grinstead, Sussex, formerly
the World Headquarters of Scientology before Ron left in 1967 (and never
returned, though that was not his decision). I'd decided to go there
more or less on the spur of the moment. The previous day, the Economist
(a weekly current affairs magazine) had carried another advert from CSI
(the Church of Scientology International) declaring in 50-point type that
"Scientologists Fight For Human Rights", or similar. I was doing nothing
on Sunday, so decided that I would take the day out and see Saint Hill for
myself. I'm glad I did - it was a fascinating and very useful experience.
The train from London is lamentably slow (70 minutes to go only 30
miles!) and it took me a while to find Saint Hill Manor. It's not actually
in the town itself, a fairly nondescript middle English market town, but
is about a mile south near Saint Hill village.
I went in via the south entrance - the gate was wide open, the gatehouse
deserted and a sign next to the main gate listed the owners of the Manor
(the last being LRH, of course). A couple of Sea Orgers pointed the way
to the reception desk, in Saint Hill Castle, just beyond the Manor.
I'd better explain the layout of the place. There are two entrances,
north and south, which give onto the roughly north-west/south-east Saint
Hill Road. Inside is a crescent-shaped road linking the two entrances.
On the north side of the road is a low, landscaped hill and a car park;
on the south side are the buildings, with the castle the westernmost,
followed by some old stables (OSA headquarters) and the Manor to the
east, set amongst trees.
I walked up through the courtyard of the castle. It's a truly extraordinary
place - "England's newest castle" was how it was described to me. It was
designed by Hubbard along the lines of a nearby Norman castle and was
started in the late 1960s, though as my guide later admitted rather
sheepishly to me, it was only finally completed three days ago. Scientology
may make you "at cause over matter, energy, space and time", but being at
cause over East Grinstead Town Council is obviously a much trickier matter...
At the bottom of the courtyard, which slopes upwards towards the main
entrance, is a statue of a man holding a flaming torch, his shield bearing
the Scientology logo. I did a very rapid double-take at the dedicatory
plaque at its base - it said something along the lines of "In honour
of the dedicated work of the members of the IRS, 1984". The IRS????
It was, of course, the IAS - the International Association of Scientologists.
I plead bad light.
The entrance hall is plush, as you might expect: leather-upholstered sofas
behind a reception desk in a large, wood-panelled room. The room is in
the exact middle of the castle, in the connecting passage between the
two wings of the U-shaped building. In the north-east corner is a
turret built specially for Ron, even though he never had the chance
to see it: a desk is laid out for him with a gold-peaked Commodore's
hat and packet of Kools on it. Around the sides of the room are various
displays of his works - the Research & Discovery series on the east side,
the Tech Bulletins to the south and (rather ominously I thought) the
PTS/SP Handling course materials in several languages on the west side.
I introduced myself to the receptionist and asked if tours were available.
Of course, she said, why don't you sit down and we'll get someone to show
round? I did so and flicked though "High Winds" magazine - "Leading
the planet to OT!" - for a few minutes. It didn't take long before my
guide appeared to take me round the castle.
[The story is continued in part 2, tomorrow...]
--
| Chris Owen | c...@nvg.unit.no |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------
| WORLD'S BIGGEST SPECTRUM ARCHIVE -- http://www.nvg.unit.no/sinclair |
Steve A
On Mon, 4 Nov 1996 23:48:57 GMT, h...@netcom.com (Hud Nordin) wrote:
> In article <55ll5a$3...@due.unit.no> c...@romeo-klive.nvg.unit.no (Chris Owen) writes:
> > I opened a drawer at random to find a
> >neat pile of beautifully-pressed silk underpants. An extraordinary
> >experience: I Saw Ron's Undies And Survived! or something like that,
> >anyway.
>
> Panty raid!
Where's Sherilyn when we need her?
[posted/mailed to Sheri]
--
Steve A, SP4, GGBC, KBM, Unsalvageable PTS/SP #12
ObDenial: I am not Arthur Stevens of Crawley.
ObURLS: Beginners: http://www.tiac.net/users/modemac/cos.html
In-depth: http://www.cybercom.net/~rnewman/scientology/home.html
Harassment: http://www.cybercom.net/~rnewman/scientology/harass/timeline-95.html
Fools, losers, and mugs: http://www.scientology.org
Child molesters! Join Scientology and grope with impunity!
IN MEMORIAM: Richard Collins, John Buchanan, Noah Lottick anon.penet.fi,
rema...@utopia.hacktic.nl, victims of the criminal cult of Scientology.
Lance S. Buckley
The deeply suppressive c...@romeo-klive.nvg.unit.no (Chris Owen) managed
to write during a rare fit of unreasonableness:
> Yesterday afternoon was one of the most surreal experiences I've ever
>had. I was standing in L. Ron Hubbard's bedroom. Behind me was a four-
>poster bed with an enormously thick mattress - it was waist-high - next
>to which was a mirror with a pith helmet draped nonchalently over it.
>I'd just opened the front of his wardrobe, not expecting to find
>anything, but to my amazement I saw dozens of silk waistcoats (very nice
>quality too, by the look of it). I opened a drawer at random to find a
>neat pile of beautifully-pressed silk underpants. An extraordinary
>experience: I Saw Ron's Undies And Survived! or something like that,
>anyway.
Well I can't promise lurid close-ups of Ron's silk undies, but if you
point your browser at http://www.avalon.demon.co.uk/sthill.htm you
should find something to capture the flavour of the hallowed grounds.
There are -loadsa- pix and a couple of sounds (.wav) too. Enjoy!
Lance.
--
http://www.avalon.demon.co.uk/
"We would only destroy people who attempt to harm Scientology"
Jaques Vollet, Ex-head of GO-B1(Eu) currently head of OSA Invest(Eu)
[ SP4 : GGBC #26 : ARSCC(UK) : J&D : KoX : KbM #11 ]
My Other Hat's A Fedora
Martin Hunt
In article <84724639...@avalon.demon.co.uk>,
la...@avalon.demon.co.uk (Lance S. Buckley) wrote:
}The deeply suppressive c...@romeo-klive.nvg.unit.no (Chris Owen) managed
}to write during a rare fit of unreasonableness:
}
}>had. I was standing in L. Ron Hubbard's bedroom. Behind me was a four-
}>poster bed with an enormously thick mattress - it was waist-high - next
}>to which was a mirror with a pith helmet draped nonchalently over it.
}>I'd just opened the front of his wardrobe, not expecting to find
}>anything, but to my amazement I saw dozens of silk waistcoats (very nice
}>quality too, by the look of it). I opened a drawer at random to find a
}>neat pile of beautifully-pressed silk underpants. An extraordinary
}>experience: I Saw Ron's Undies And Survived! or something like that,
}>anyway.
}
}point your browser at http://www.avalon.demon.co.uk/sthill.htm you
}should find something to capture the flavour of the hallowed grounds.
}
}There are -loadsa- pix and a couple of sounds (.wav) too. Enjoy!
Anyone who wants a debased picture of the Admiral in his latter
days of declined from drugs and estrogen injections with a lump
on 'is for'ed, send me an 'E.
--
Cogito, ergo sum.
It's only true if it's true for you. - scientology maxim