First we will look at the chart for the new moon set for Boscastle. The new moon occurred on the day of the floods, 16 Aug 2004, at 02:23:47, BST -1:00

In this chart Cancer is on the Asc and Pisces on the MC, so we are instantly pointed to the possibility of the land and people's homes being flooded here and now. Both signs are connected with the sea and the new moon itself is in the 3rd bringing a focus on the immediate neighbourhood.

Uranus is conjunct the MC and trining the Asc, so making it easy (trine) for something unexpected to happen ( Uranus ) at this time and place ( MC & Asc)

The new moon itself is in Leo, which is connected to high, steep and rocky places. The moon, ruler of the ascendant is associated with rivers and their banks. So the new moon is highlighting rivers that flow through steep rocky banks, certainly a good description of the river in Boscastle.

Note also that the new moon is in the sign of Jupiter's triplicity and term which also happens to be the place of Saturn's detriment. So we have increase with Jupiter, but as Jupiter is in detriment in Virgo it would indicate that any increase may well be unwelcome. And Saturn is perhaps powerless to constrain anything in his usual manner.

Mars is opposite Uranus, implying sudden danger or peril and Uranus itself is on the Mercury/Mars midpoint of which Ebertin says, "…to act with lightening speed. The danger of catastrophes," and finally, although I don't use Arabic parts, I can't help noticing that the part of peril is conjunct the ascendant.

So the new moon chart indicates the potential for a sudden, large scale catastrophe involving the sea and the local neighbourhood.

So let's move on to the time a member of the Boscastle Cliff Rescue Team put a call in reporting concern for people in the vicinity of the harbour. It was 15:46 BST . Interestingly this is the day of the moon and the hour of the moon has just this minute ended so we are now into the hour of Saturn.

Jupiter rules the ascendant and is the most elevated planet, being at the top of the chart and in a wide conjunction with the MC, is this the Jupiter promise of unwelcome increase from the new moon chart now coming to fruition?

Now we have an emphasis on the 9th house - why the 9th? According to Bills, the 9th rules losses in business and sorrow through one's business so this is apt.

Both the Moon and Mars are squaring the ascendant, now we see that the force (Mars) of the sea (Moon) is part of this place in time.(Asc)

Mercury is on the Sun/Pluto midpoint and the Sun/Jupiter midpoint. Bills says of the Sun/Pluto midpoint, "physical suffering, danger to life through 'force majeure.' " I don't think we can argue with this.

But what Sun/Jupiter and of Mercury? Sun Jupiter is surely the large scale transformation. But putting all three together I think reflects the sterling and heroic measures of the rescue services. It was a well controlled (Pluto) large scale (Jupiter) response (mercury) in order to save lives (Sun.)

That the services were so well coordinated is also reflected through the Moon which by this time had just entered Virgo and so is ruled by Mercury. Mercury in Virgo is in both dignity and exaltation. To me this is certainly a reflection of well organised and well coordinated rescue efforts, thanks to which no lives were lost. The Moon on the Sun/Mercury midpoint just serves to reinforce this point.

The Museum of Witchcraft.

So how do the floods affect one particular place in Boscastle, namely the Museum of Witchcraft? The only chart we have of the museum is when the current owners took it over at 00:00 hours GMT on the 1st November 1996.

This chart produces Leo on the Ascendant, with the Sun in Scorpio on the IC, thus we have a place that celebrates (Leo) the powerful feminine image. (Scorpio)

Two other feminine signs are also prominent, Cancer, where we find a dignified moon and Taurus which is the sign on the MC. These three signs are intricately tied together in that the moon in Cancer trines the sun in Scorpio and sextiles the Taurus MC, whilst the sun opposes the MC. The museum illustrates all sides of witchcraft - the dark, the magical, the practical and the positive. A good reflection of this Cancer/Scorpio/Taurus dynamic.

The museum's balanced approach to its subject is also echoed by Venus, ruler of the MC, dignified in Libra. Venus is in the 2nd, but very close to the 3rd cusp. It makes a close opposition to Saturn perhaps indicating that the authorities can be the cause of tension, either through contracts or through finances.

A Virgo Mars in the first house rules the 9th house of tourism and of understanding. Perhaps indicating the hard work and attention to detail that is needed to make this a successful commercial venture. It also indicates that there could be lots of little 'niggles' that get in the way of this and of course Mars is the depositor of Saturn, which once points out the hard work needed in order for the museums to be a financial success.

The new moon chart of the 16th August shows that the new moon is conjunct the museum's ascendant and that the new moon ascendant for Boscastle is conjunct the museums cancer moon, thus brining the museum into focus on the day.

By the time of that first phone call to the coast guards the moon has just moved into Virgo and is now conjunct the museum's Mars in Virgo, aptly describing the disruption to the natural order of things that the storm caused. This conjunction also shows the hard work that is going to be needed for the cleanup operation.

The Mars return

It's interesting to note that the museum has recently had a Mars return, (11th August) so I had a quick look at this chart. In the return chart the museum's place in the world comes into focus via its Taurus MC, now conjunct the return ascendant.

Venus, the ascendant ruler in the return chart is in an exact conjunction with a dignified moon in Cancer, reflecting the importance of the museums own moon in cancer during this period. Mars in the return chart is opposite uranus, indicating that sudden events would call for lots of energy and reorganising. As the mars return chart is in effect for approximately 2 years perhaps this opposition shows that during this time the museums direction may change in some way.

Saturn sits on the IC in the return chart, aptly reflecting the end of the museums current home, but also symbolising the rebuilding and restructuring that will be going on. Saturn rules the return MC from its position in the 4th house and Mars is ruling intercepted Aries in the 4th, perhaps showing that the museum's aims and energies during this period are concentrated inward. As always with Saturn there can be problems, so there may be delays to the rebuilding program.

Mars is widely conjunct Mercury and both are opposite Uranus in the 11th. I know that various online pagan groups are putting out appeals for funds to help the museum rebuild, apt symbolism for Mercury, Uranus and the 11th house.

So to summarise, for the next 2 years the museum will have to concentrate its energies on rebuilding and re-establishing itself. Then, during the spring of 2006 the progressed moon will cross the IC, and by July 2006 the next Mars return will swing into action, with mars in this chart conjunct the Ascendant! Plus transiting Jupiter will be crossing and re-crossing the IC during this period. All in all the spring or summer of 2006 looks to have good omens for a grand reopening.

Glenda Cole is secretary of the Suffolk Astrological Society and can be contacted at: sasastro at yahoo.co.uk