The term ‘Ley Lines’ first appeared in the early 20th century and was coined by amateur archaeologist Alfred Watkins when he first discovered that Britain’s most notable prehistoric sites could all be connected by drawing straight lines on the map. In 1921, Watkins proposed the idea that ancient civilizations marked significant sites in straight lines, suggesting an intentional alignment of these historic structures. A ley line, according to Watkins, connects ancient sites in a direct route across the landscape. The Ley Lines were described as alignments, similar to latitudinal and longitudinal lines, forming a waving grid along Earth’s surface.
Upon surveying the British countryside, Alfred Watkins believed that if one were to follow the direction of the line drawn from one point, one would likely discover other important sites along the path. He introduced his theories in his book The Old Straight Track, in which he proposed that the ley lines were ancient trading routes in perfectly straight paths; their only purpose being to connect prehistoric societies with their sacred sites. Watkins also published the 'Ley Hunter's Manual' as a guide for enthusiasts to identify ley lines. In 1927, Watkins published ‘The Ley Hunter Magazine’, with detailed instructions on how to find Ley Lines. Many critics and British archaeologists argued that straight tracks marking ‘trading routes’ were neither pragmatic nor probable, due to the simple fact that humans were likely to go around natural landforms, like tall hills, connecting two points. They rejected the idea that the trade routes were likely to follow perfectly straight paths, largely discrediting the amateur archaeologist Watkins’ hypothesis. Only a small number of experts initially supported his theories. Early work on landscape alignments was also discussed by the Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club, highlighting the observational basis of the ley line concept.
Like in any unsolved ancient mystery, many theories spawned from the original put forth by Alfred Watkins, attempting to bridge the gap between the ley lines and the prehistoric sites. In the early 60s, a man named Tony Wedd brought Watkin’s theory back into resurgence by suggesting that these lines were signs of early human communication methods with interstellar entities, assisting them as they navigated Earth in their alien spacecraft by allowing them to harness the Earth’s magnetic forces that coincided with these historic structures. During this resurgence, the Ley Hunter's Club was formed in 1962, promoting the exploration and study of ley lines across Britain and publishing literature that influenced both enthusiasts and the wider movement. While this may very well be possible, another proposal emerged that marked Wedd’s theory as a passing fad. Eight years later, John Michell's influential book, entitled “The View Over Atlantis,” bridged that gap by suggesting that these were not just arbitrary straight lines, but energy lines, holding mystical significance for our ancient ancestors across many civilizations around the world, beyond the British landscape. John Michell played a key role in popularizing the idea that sacred sites are aligned along sacred pathways or power lines.
As ley hunters widened their lens to encompass not just the English landscape but the world, they discovered that some of the most famous and mystifying ancient constructions —like Stonehenge or the Pyramids of Giza—lay over these very lines. This has given rise to the theory of their placement based on advanced, possibly lost knowledge about Earth’s energies by those that built them.