High View

By Jan Cheal

High View is a contemporary religious fictional novel with a plot that twists and turns. The story begins in England at Campion Hall in Oxford Universitys archaeological department and swiftly moves to Northern Spain and the town of Santillana del Mar in the region of Cantabria, home to the famous Altamira caves also known as The Altarmio de le Cueva. The caves belong to the Upper Palaeolithic period and a team of archaeologists are dating the paintings using the Uranium-thorium process. During the course of their work an accident occurs that reveals religious paintings hidden under the face of the cave walls.

The storyline moves to Paris where an organization called the ARS (Anti-Religious Sect) have heard news of the hidden paintings in the Altamira caves. Events are followed closely on the internet by them and a plot concocted whereby the paintings are destroyed. The pace of the storyline quickens as the ARS travel to Spain and try to carry out their dare devil plan, will they succeed? A visit is also made to the Vatican City and his Holiness the Pope.

The novel also poses questions and challenges the reader with religious, historical and philosophical scenarios that are woven into the storyline and a continual push towards the truth. It also on occasions acts as a mini travelogue with its delightful descriptions of various locations. The reader at the end of the story may well consider that they have not only been on a physical journey but also a moral one too.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Nov 10, 2010
• ISBN: 9781481790086

Jan Cheal

The world's bee population is in serious decline with disastrous consequences for our food chain and something that everyone needs to be aware of. The Bee Keepers is a novel, fictional but factual, as it explores this problem. As a late student in life it was not until I was 46 that I attained a BA (Hons) degree in Humanities as well as a Diploma in European Humanities. I am retired and live at home in Surrey where I follow a number of interests from history to cookery and the environment.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Lydia glanced at her watch and wondered where the post was. Today was rather important as they were expecting some special data about the latest findings from Professor Rodriquez at the University of Santander. It was about a particular section of paintings in the Altamira caves that were located 2km southwest of Santillana del Mar, also known as the town of three lies ’Santillana no es santa, no es illana, y no hay mar’ since it is not holy, nor flat or on the sea. A medieval jewel though in a perfect state of preservation, bright cobbled streets and tanned stone and brick buildings huddled together. Home to some 4,000 people, but more importantly a base for visiting the nearby Altamira caves, and that was where Professor Rodriquez could be found with his assistant Theresa staying at the Posada La Solana, a two storey modest grey stone house in the heart of old Santillana.

The door of the Archaelogical wing at Campion Hall in the University of Oxford swung open and Richard Gilmour arrived like a gust of wind. At 5’10" with a mop of thick dark curly hair and a pair of spectacles perched on his nose he gave the impression of quite an imposing character and also one that took no prisoners.

‘Well, is there any news yet’ he said.

‘No there isn’t not yet’ said Lydia. She lived in Summertown north of the centre of Oxford in a small cottage, a single girl with long mousy hair and an old blue deux chevaux she loved. Since a recent relationship had broken down she had thrown herself into her work, joined the IFA (Institute of Field Archaeologists) and what an opportunity the Altamira caves had proved to be, a prime example of the Upper Paleolithic period 30,000 bc to 10,000 bc. It was an era that was of particular interest to her and was indeed an area that with every good fortune she would make her mark. If only she had known just how profound that was to be as events beyond her wildest imagination were set to unfold.

Doctor Tremayne smiled as he tipped the watering can over his daffodils and snowdrops, how they loved the sun in this corner aspect of his garden. Being a permanent resident in the halls at Campion meant his horticultural aspirations were limited, but as in all things in life things they are what you make them. Doctor Tremayne admitted to himself that he was somewhat excited as these latest results were awaited from Spain on a new section of paintings in the cave. They were using the Uranium-thorium dating method that was far more effective in ascertaining the age. Basically this process can measure the uranium and thorium content in flowstone crusts that grow on top of the paintings. Yes he thought, the C14 method could only date black parts of the painting whereas the former could date colours. In this case it was the striking ochre, red and black of the bison, red deer, boar and horses that raced across those walls, almost appearing elusive to their captors, the archaeologists.

Chapter 2

The telephone rang in the Doctor’s room and he carefully placed the watering can back on its hook on the wall. He slipped through the French doors and lifted the receiver.

‘Yes, Tremayne here‘.

Richard was at the other end of the line, ‘Doctor, we’ve just had a call from Rodriquez, he’s now down in Santillana del Mar with Theresa currently holed up at the Posada La Solana. Well, you know the results we were waiting on, the latest set of U/Th’s’.

‘Yes’ the Doctor replied, he thought of the cave interior which consisted of a series of rooms and passages that were shaped like an S and the main hall laying about 30m from the entrance, this was where the team were concentrating their latest efforts. Richard gathered himself together at the other end of the phone.

‘Well, it’s quite amazing really because one of the young archaeologists helping out by accident scraped a piece of the wall and don’t panic, there wasn’t a painting there. In fact quite the opposite, a blank piece of cave wall but underneath are other paintings‘. The other end of the phone went quiet, ‘Doctor are you there’ asked Richard.

‘Yes my boy, just trying to take in what you’ve said. So am I right in thinking that one of the assistant archaeologists has inadvertently scraped a plain piece of cave wall and there are other paintings underneath‘.

‘Yes and here’s the biggest surprise of all, they are religious images‘, now the line really did go quiet. ‘That means that this new discovery means we are talking about religious paintings that are 14,500bc to 30,000bc or maybe even older‘. A question seemed to hang in the air.

‘Yes’ the Doctor said quietly. Richard knew what was coming next and was not surprised when the Doctor said that he and Lydia should pack their bags immediately and get themselves on the first flight out to Bilbao and down to Santillana del Mar. They hopefully would be able to stay at the Posada La Solana with the others, it was March time and therefore too early in the season for the usual deluge of visitors that filled and spilled over in that handsome square called the Plaza de Ramon Pelayo also known as the Plaza Mayor.

Chapter 3

Richard jumped in his old white Morris Oxford and after turning the ignition key pumped up the accelerator. It wasn’t far to his house in South Hinksey, just a quick run down the A34 and at this time of the day it would be a doddle, too late for the morning rush and too early for the evening one. Before leaving Campion he had shared what was a very animated conversation with Lydia, who like the others was in a state of amazement.

‘I can’t believe it, I mean what are the paintings of and also how many of them are there’ she said.

‘I have not got a clue but there seems to be a great deal of excitement about it. When I spoke to Rodriquez he could hardly contain himself and kept lapsing into the vernacular so it felt like I was missing every other word. That now brings me to my conversation with Tremayne‘. Richard relayed the instructions he had received and told Lydia to be ready as soon as possible.

‘I’m not sure how long we will be down in Santillana so make sure you pack sufficient clothing, and also make sure you include some warm woollens as it can sometimes get quite cold at night’ said Richard.

‘Yes sir’ she replied playfully.

Professor Rodriquez squinted with his eyes half closed as he walked out of the dark cavern to the entrance of the cave. He took a cloth from his pocket and wiped