Lead photograph of the 2020 circle on Hackpen Hill by Nick Bull.

Another season is drawing to its conclusion and it’s another year with yet another crop circle appearing in the immediate of vicinity of Hackpen Hill.

Since the loss of his wife to cancer in 2014 local farmer James Hussey has been opening up crop circles on his land to paying visitors. The money raised has been donated to the Brighter Futures charity supporting the construction of a much needed radiotherapy treatment centre for the Swindon area.

Volunteers Austin and Graham collecting admission money for farmer James Hussey at the 2020 circle on top of Hackpen Hill. Photograph by Monique Klinkenbergh.

Sceptical minds have suggested James Hussey has been suspiciously blessed with so many crop circles on his land in 2014. One allegation suggests Hussey has worked in conjunction with crop circle makers to give them access to his fields. Another says Hussey has paid these same circle makers.

A crop circle at Hackpen Hill from 1994. Photograph by Steve Alexander

The Croppie is fortunate enough to know many people who know what they’re talking about in both the circle making and croppie fraternities. Any suggestion James Hussey has (a) permitted circle makers to work in his crops, and (b) paid these circle makers, is almost certainly untrue.

If any human circle makers have chosen to work at Hackpen Hill they have done so on their own ititiative. Furthermore, crop circles have regularly appeared in the Hackpen Hill area as far back as the 1990s. The presence of the circles in this locality is nothing new.