Some insights into the Holy Grail, St Peter and the Family of Brychan

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St Joseph of Arimathea by Pietro Perugino


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Brychan'Brycheiniog,holiest family in Wales

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In 71AD: Joseph "Ha-Rama-Theo", the desposynic prince, one of Jesus’ kinsmen (Mt. 13:55), was given an estate in Britain by the British King Arvcviragus (brother of Caractacus) that comprised 160 acres of land [= “one hide”] surrounding an old hill-fort as his residence, which estate was raised in status to a kingdom, Garthmadrun, by the Roman Emperor Maximus in AD 383. What makes this more credible is that Joseph accompanied the Roman Emperor Vespasian during his British campaign, and was given an estate in Britain by the British King Archiviragus, which came to be called "Garthmadrun", and, his descendants are called in the Welsh "Triads" one of the "three holy families" of Britain.

Joseph was a successful dealer in tin and spent a great deal of time in Cornwall, importing it) Whilst leaving with this kinsmen and women, he would have had this property available after Christ’s Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension, and probably left a colony at Garthmadrun. Joseph was Mary’s Uncle and so it is reasonable to suppose the family could be ancestors of some of our Welsh saints, particularly Gwynlliw and Cadoc, David and Padarn as well as Cybi.Then there is Madrun (Materiana)of Gwent and Cornwall, and Ishow (Welsh for Esau)

Did twelve hermits go off and found Glastonbury?

William of Malmesbury writing in mediaeval times, did write that Joseph and his family arrived via Wales to found the Kingdom in Britain at the behest of St Philip and St Peter. Joseph had provided the tomb for our Lord after the Crucifixion. They would have arrived with wives and family and extended family and probably left these under the protection of some elders at Garthmadrun while they went on to found Glastonbury. If they came to Wales, they probably arrived at Caerleon, the flourishing Roman fort at this time, right next to Caractacus’ hill fort, which gave Romans such a problem later on.



What is true is that this family of Joseph was particularly revered, because of its links with Mary’s family. In the genealogies there are many Jewish names, and in the lives of the Saints for example.Gwynlliw (and hence Cadoc) is meant to have some of the blood of the kinsmen of Christ according to Cybi’s pedigree, who lists Fallach, son of Eugien son of Erddolen, Avillad, Amlech,Belim, Anna-the cousin of the Virgin Mary.

When I first red this, I smiled. It seemed the holy monks of the eleventh century wanted to give a glorious pedigree to Wales’ greatest saints. Then I discovered the chronologies of these kings. Records show Joseph did die in Britain.The cluster of Jewish names in the Welsh records might lend credence to this, although it has always been held in legend.

In fact there is even a source that Christ’s Apostle Simon the Zealot was martyred in Britannia in 74AD, but I am trying to trace this at the moment.

St David and St Patrick in Glastonbury

St Patrick visited Glastonbury (Ynys Witrin) and set up a ‘llan’ there as the original twelve had remained hermits and Patrick was newly trained and ordained. Interestingly St Patrick was the Son of Sucatus, also of this line of Joseph of Arimathea.He set up the foundation again, according to the developing church. He was also a literate man, and wrote Latin, whereby we have some texts from this period. St David also arrived there later.
St David died at St David’s but Patrick may have been buried at Glastonbury. Obviously the place where the first Church in Britain had been built was sacred and remained so. So where did all the other disciples go? They probably did go to Talgarth (Garthmadrun) . Joseph’s direct line became extinct in the male-line in AD 481, and his family was replaced in official Welsh records by the descent-line of Joseph of Arimathea.

St Gwladys of Newport (glass from St Woolos Cathdral)

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Here is a family tree I found for Brychan

02. Jasna "Piliste" [his nickname refers to his place of origin in "Palestine"], son, bro of Josue El-Harami
03. Sarclotus, son
04. Emanuel "Erise", son
05. Enciede (Encride) "Ere", son
06. Othrac, son
07. Maxime, son
08. Llebryn (Luibuirne), son
09. Kornodd (Cornuithe), son
10. Mouric, son
11. Ottaviano, son
12. Marchudd, son
383 AD 13. Gwrthryw, 1st King of Garthmadrun (383), son, bro of Oidisse (Odissus), father of Photaighe (Potitus), father of Calpinn (Calpurnius), father of Succat[us],

( aka Saint Patrick, Apostle of Ireland 457-493)

14. Gwraldeg (Gwroldeg), son
15A Morfydd (Morvitha), dau, heiress & co-ruler
15B Teithfall (Teichfallt; Teithwalch ; Taith[w]al) (Tudwal), husband, co-ruler
16. Teuduric (Teithrin), son
17A Marchell, dau, heiress & co-ruler
17B Anllach, husband, co-ruler
Yr 481: Brychan, 1st King of Brecon [Brycheiniog; Brecknockshire]
son of Prince Anllach of Galloway [whose mother was an Irish princess] and Marchell of Garthmadrun, its heiress; succeeded his grandfather as King of Garthmadrun but re-named the kingdom after himself as Brycheiniog, also called Brecon.



The Holy Grail


The early history of the Grail is intimately connected with the story of Joseph of Arimathea. When he is cast into prison by the Jews, Christ appears to him and gives him the vessel, through which he is miraculously sustained for forty-two years, until liberated by Vespasian. The Grail is then brought to the West, to Britain, either by Joseph and Josephes, his son (Grand St. Graal), or by Alain one of his kin (Robert de Boron). Peredur locates it, achieves the quest; and after the death of its keeper the Grail vanishes.

It was conceived as the most precious relic,the cup which had contained the life blood of the Lord Jesus. Of course it was held to have miraculous powers (probably the vision of the Kingdom of Heaven, only given to the pure in heart, which Peredur was meant to be)
The legend was that The angels who remained neutral during the rebellion of Lucifer were its first guardians; then it was entrusted to Joseph who brought it to Britain-Glastonbury, and possibly-the Abbot Collen brought it to Castell Dinas Bran for safekeeping, rather than let it fall into Saxon hands.

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This is a wooden chalice such as it may have appeared, but is of more modern date.

Wolfram von Eschenbach calls this mons salvationis or silvaticus (Munsalwaesche in Middle High German)and this would definitely fit the bill at Castell Dinas Bran, an old Iron Age Hill fort in a remote area of Wales, well protected and later fortified even more.

The Grace of God meant that ancient Britain was converted to the Christian Faith and the family’s input very strengthening to Christianity in Wales particularly, which for many years was spared the rampages of the Saxons of the pagan type-though later they became exemplary Christians.
There are, in the stories some Celtic cultural emblems and symbols as you would expect in a tradition not written down until much later. The Catholic encyclopaedia says of it, that the Catholic Church at the time had nothing to say about Joseph’s arrival in Britain. The story is, after all contained not in Apostolic written material, but the apocraphal Gospel of Nicodemus which was popular in Britain in the 12th century. The Church had an uphill struggle in maintaining the consistant biblical teaching of the Apostolic times .



The Catholic Church had decided on the books of the Bible and what sould be included was only what was in the experience of Jesus twelve apostles themselves, see Catechism of the Catholic Church (paperback from Amazon)

Why the Church did not Comment on the Grail stories

So the Church has not endorsed this as part of the canon of the Bible and it is not 100% reliable, but remains a source of tales and legend. We know more facts now now. That there was a first century mud and wattle church at Glastonbury for instance, as I believe St Patrick alluded to it. The monks at Glastonbury had revered it, and bewailed the fact it had been burnt down.

Blessed Sacrament- a holy relic to be revered

The religious element in the story is fundamental. We read how Joseph, whom the Jews had imprisoned, is miraculously fed by Christ Himself (the Holy Blood). The food vessel can be explained in the holy consecrated bread, later to be a wafer which gives the Body and Blood to the Faithful .Joseph escapes sails for Wales by St Peter and Philip from Jerusalem. Joseph had been there before we believe with Vespasian and had dealt in tin in Cornwall and Wales and had land there. Legend has it St Patrick was buried at Glastonbury and so was Arthwr and Gwenhwyfar his wife, his tombstone being discovered there in the twelfth century.



Saint Collen of Glastonbury is relocated with the brothers to Llan-Gollen because of Civil War and Saxon Threat.


In 519 AD, under the military leader, Arthur’s protection, the community of the descendents of Joseph were relocated from Garthmadrun north to a more secure place, namely Castell Dinas Bran in North Wales at Llangollen. Interestingly St Collen, who was their pastor and Bishop was also Abbot of Glastonbury, itself threatened by Caelin at this time, the Saxon Prince.

Many British kings seemed unable to get their act together and possibly Arthur (the real one, not the lengendary one!) thought they would be more secure here. Joseph and his descendents were known as ‘Grail Kings’ in Wales’ and Cadoc himself was one of the Guardians.


Unity in the Church upon St Peter whom Christ appointed to be the custodian of his Church.


Why it is not mentioned or commented on by the Church in the interests of Unity.
It is plausible that the Grail too-if Joseph had it- was removed for safekeeping during this troubled time and then kept in a secret place in Wales near Llan-gollen by Guardians responsible for its safety. No clerical authors mention it. Unfortunately all the fantastical and magical tales which had been woven around it had sensationalised it contained unchristian symbols and symbolic magic of which the church could not approve.
Druids connected it with the ‘Cauldren of Anwyn’ the amazing source of all visions. Yet Lewis Spence, in his book ‘The Mysteries of Britain’ goes on to say:that later members of the bardic classes were mostly Christians, who had accepted the Body and Blood of Christ as the highest development of Druidism, giving the worthy believer direct access to heaven, just as the Cauldron of Anwyn would give them visions of heaven.

The Central Message of the Kingdom must not be obscured.

In my book, actually achieving heaven by the receiving into your body of the Body of Christ and becoming an adopted son or daughter of God himself and an heir to paradise was more satisfying and something which made life worthwhile. The Druids themselves had always believed in an Otherworld after death, so Christ’s promise was an extension of that, and included all the strength of family life of the ancient Britons, (the ‘llans’ or ‘clans’-families as the building blocks of the Mystical Body of Christ) The important thing for the Church was the building of the Body of Christ, by its members, joined together by the Mass, the celebration of the Body and Blood of Christ and establishment of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.
The holy cup was undoubtedly a treasured relic of the church and subject of veneration, however.
The issue of Unity-would this create a gulf between Rome and its British arm?

The importance of Peter among the Apostles and to Christ as the leader of the Church.

There was an issue of the importance of the Unity of the Church, which was founded on St Peter, not St Joseph of Arimathea, who had, in obedience, been sent to Britain by St Philip and Peter. In the interests of unity these amazing hair raising stories should not detract from the even more amazing supernatural central truth , the growth of the Kingdom of Heaven in the Body of Christ growing upon the efforts of St Peter and the Church Christ founded upon him .

Among the Twelve Apostles, Peter became conspicuous.

Though of irresolute character, he clings with the greatest fidelity, firmness of faith, and inward love to the Saviour; rash alike in word and act, he is full of zeal and enthusiasm, though he is endearingly human and easily scared, sometimes bewildered. The more prominent the Apostles become in the Bible narrative, the more conspicuous Peters appear as the first among them. In the list of the Twelve on the occasion of their solemn call to the Apostolate, not only does Peter stand always at their head, but the surname Petrus given him by Christ is especially emphasized (Matthew 10:2): "Duodecim autem Apostolorum nomina haec: Primus Simon qui dicitur Petrus. . ."; Mark 3:14-16:

Jesus said 'You are Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.

What did Jesus say?

Jesus asked his apostles : "Whom do men say that the Son of man is?" The Apostles answered: "Some John the Baptist, and other some Elijah, and others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets". Jesus said to them: "But whom do you say that I am?" Simon said: "Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God".

And Jesus replied: "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to thee: That thou art Peter [Kipha, a rock], and upon this rock [Kipha] I will build my church [ekklesian], and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven". Then he commanded his disciples, that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ (Matthew 16:13-20; Mark 8:27-30; Luke 9:18-21).

Peter-Simon's new name , was Petros-The Rock

By the word "rock" Jesus cannot have meant himself, but Peter, as is so much more apparent in Aramaic. He wishes to make Peter the head of the whole community of those who believed in Him as the true Messiah; that through this foundation (Peter) the Kingdom of Christ would be unconquerable; that the spiritual guidance of the faithful was placed in the hands of Peter, as the special representative of Christ.
This meaning becomes clearer when we remember that the words "bind" and "loose" are not metaphorical, but Jewish legal terms. It is also clear that the position of Peter among the other Apostles and in the Christian community was the basis for the Kingdom of God on earth, that is, the Church of Christ. Peter was personally installed as Head of the Apostles by Christ Himself. This foundation created for the Church by its Founder could not disappear with the person of Peter, but was intended to continue and did continue (as actual history shows) in the primacy of the Church and its bishops to Benedict today.

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This was why in the early days the Grail is not commented upon by Church writers. Unity was the most important thing of all to the church. There was no internet, no telephone, no satellites. It was important the Faithful should focus on the Truth of the real message of the Kingdom. The original teaching of Christ had to reach through the centuries intact.


Extract from Peter’s First Letter to early Christians


As Peter writes his instructions in his first letter to the churches, Bishops and Priests,

+From Peter,
Apostle of Jesus Christ ,
to all those aliens (means ‘temporary citizens of the world)living among gentiles of Pontus, Galatia, Capadocia,Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen, by the foresight of the father, to be made holy by the Spirit, obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled by his blood. Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

I urge the presbyters among you (priests)as a fellow Presbyter and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and as one who is to have a share of the glory to be revealed, give a shepherd’s care to the flock of God that is entrusted to you, watch over it, not simply as a duty , but gladly as God wants, not for sordid money, but because you are eager to do it

Do not ‘lord it’ over the group in your charge, but be an example to the flock .When the Chief Shepherd appears, you will be given the unfading crown of Glory’.In the same way, younger people,be subject to the elders. Humility towards one another must be the garment you all wear constantly, because God opposes the proud but accords his favour to the humble. (*Compare here the words of the Virgin:’he has brought down the mighty from their seat and has exalted the humble and meek’(Magnificat-St Luke 2) Bow down now, then before the power of God, so that he may raise you up in good time.

Unload your burdens on to him, since he is concerned about you. Keep sober and alert, because your enemy is the devil and on the prowl on earth like a roaring lion , looking or something to devour. Stand up to him, strong in faith and in the knowledge it is the same kind of suffering that the community of brothers throughout the world is undergoing. You will have to suffer only for a little while. The God of all grace who called you to eternal glory in Christ will retore you, he will confirm, strengthen and support you, his power lasts forever and ever. Amen
I write these words to you to encourage you and attest that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it!

Greet each other with the kiss of Peace.
Pax to you all who are in Christ.
Peter

The Grail and its amazing stories is a precious holy relic, which held the blood of Christ. But we, who drink the precious Blood in the Eucharist have it whenever we partake of it. It is present to us now, today. That is AMAZING!

Arthur Guinevere and.....Mordred

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In our final episode about Arthur, we should some up aspects about what made him a real Dux bellorum (leader of Battles). Arthur was a real warleader, a Christian who may have been a petty king of Ercing , who was nonetheless a flawed personality in the spiritual sense.. There is no reason , ion view of this to doubt his being buried in Glastonbury in the Christian manner , without grave goods and facing towards Jerusalem. A shard of long blonde hair was also found in that of his queen, and Geoffrey of Monmouth had wintnessed it. By the time it was discovered, Glastonbury Abbey was a famous and very rich abbey and had no need to advertise Arthur as a ‘draw’. In addition Arthur was not a great public saint, but a war leader.

There have been many tales told about Arthur and all sorts of romantic mediaeval chivalric additions, most fictitious yet which have endured from mediaeval times. Arthur was a Christian King, he carried a statue of the Virgin on his shoulders at one of his battles and he was always chastened when he came up against the saints. He is said to have been Dux Bellorum, the war leader who led the natives of the island of Britain and mercenaries from Ireland , Brittany and even Saxaons against the Saxon tribes and defeated them at Mount Badon. This could be Bedwyn, but for many reasons Christopher Gidlow suggests North Wales.

The evidence for his life rests on De Exicidae Britannicae by Gildas, who lived just after the reign of Arthur and the book is named ‘The Ruin of Britain’. Gildas, of Pictish extraction tells the tale of the ferocious civil war that ensued after Arthur’s death.

There is an oral tradition, then ancient, that Northern Britons heard the tale of a fallen hero called Guarthur. The bard brought before all Arthur’s generosity with his horses and the slaughter that ensued. This was at Cattraeth. The oral tradition of this must have been much older, the poem being passed on from generation to generation-but only a few hundred years before it was written down.

Historia Brittonum

Links Arthur also to Gwent, the elite Romanised Silurians at Caerwent, the hillfort chieftains of Glwyssing (Glwys father of Woolos/Gwynlliw) Most particularly he is linked to Ercing , which is now mostly Herefordshire . We also have the story of Arthur in the mountain near Brycheiniog when Woolos is trying to carry of Gwladys of Brycheiniog. There is a possibility that he was a sub king of Ercing.(part of Hereford) It was customary for young boys to be placed with a foster family and after the death of Uther, and Ygraine’s later marriage to the Chieftain of the Bretons . Uther and Ygraine who were afterwards married also gave birth to a daughter Anna, who gave birth to Medraut or Mordred. Ygraine then married King Budicus of Brittany after Uther Pendragon was poisoned by Saxons after just driving them out of St Albans to which they had advanced. Ygraine and Budicus gave birth to Hoel, who was Arthur’s loyal step brother who supported him in his campaigns.

Petty King of Ercing but Magister Milites

Arthur probably would have grown up in the petty royal family in Ercing as a relative and a foster brother to Kai and Bedwyr (Kay and Bedevere) who do feature in the mediaeval tales, but they were warriors and officials like Arthur. Uther and Ambrosius were brothers, and when Ambrosius was killed, Uther became the Pen Draco-the chief Warleader. We have every reason to believe Arthur was baptised as a child. Glwyssing and Gwent were strongholds of Christian faith.
This is not to say that he did not live in other parts of Britain from time to time. As a war leader, also a Pendragon, or Magister Milites (Master of Soldiers) he was called to fight the Saxons all over Britain as well as Caerleon. There is evidence in Kent, which may have been reached cross country over the Ridgeway to the Chilterns and then South. There is evidence in the North of Britain. There is even evidence that he fought in Gaul from the Breton ‘Life of Saint Gouesnou’ where the author monk writes ‘Their pride is checked for a while by the great Arthur, King of the Britons ‘ who ‘famously wins many battles in Britain and parts of Gaul’.(Ashe 1982)

Pentecost Celebration Feast

The great ‘Coronation Feast’ at Caerleon is clearly an embroidery of what may have just been a celebration of victory or peace after war. The imagery is that of a chivalric twelfth century. The idea that the celebration took place at the ancient Roman amphitheatre is quite plausible. It was the only large area which could take such a wealth of gathered leaders, who had come to join Arthur, recognising has power as a great general. He may have been a petty king of Ercing in North Gwent, but could not have been crowned King of Britons. The function of warleader was generally not that of kings. It may even have been a wedding feast with Gwenhwyfar. We may never know because of Geoffrey’s different interpretation of the event.However, this was a great and still magnificent Roman city and it is here to St Julian’s Convent that Gwynhafr fled to spend the rest of her days.

Badon Hill (Mons Badonis) and the evil Saxons!!!

We know he actually existed because of his achievement in the victory of Badon Hill. Common sense dictates that somebody co-ordinated the siege of Badon Hill. Small kingdoms joined together to fight the encroaching Saxons. They were a pest, killers of Tecla, Tegfedd, possibly even Tyfil, they attacked Mamhilad in Pontypool and fought against Tewdrig and Meurig in warbands. There is evidence the Saxons and Angles were beginning to band together and make a real ‘push’ to colonise Britain, pushing the remaining British into Wales, not bothering much with Ireland, and pushing the Cymrics (from Cumbria) even further north, into the land of the Picts and Scots. They put large numbers of small monastic settlements to the sword, only keeping those they needed as slaves. We have evidence from the Book of Llandaff that large numbers of refugees crossed the Wye and the Severn.

Warlords often employed by kings

The Victor at Badon was a military commander, the political realities of the time blurred the distinction between military and civilian, even in our own day we have had military leaders holding civil office, most are dictators, General Franco, Fidel Castro in Cuba was a military government, the leadership in present Burma, even the notorious Saddam Hussein. Warlords amalgamated small kingdoms all over the West of Britain so some sorty of person must co-ordinated the resistance to the siege of the Saxons. There were still British ‘enclaves’ in the East of Britain. What we are reffing to is he Western Kingdom now known as Britannia. So this Federation of the kingdoms of Western Brtain, for its own preservation joined into a defensive fource under a great warlord. ‘The co-incidence’, says Christopher Gidlon ‘between a British Magister Militum, and a supporting civil authority, waging wars against the Saxons in the generation before Gildas and Maglocunus , Arther the Warleader of the Historia Brittonum and The Gododdin is obvious. It is likely they were one and the same person. The only counter argument is unlikely; that all in the British Kingdoms. The true name of the man who led the resistance was forgotten and replaced with another man who did not’

Annales cambriae

Historia Brittonum is not the only text referring to Arthur. The Annales Cambriae (Welsh Chronicles) also support his existence at Badon and also his death in a battle of a different nature of a civil war. Gidlow writes, ‘Y Gododdin, Historia and Annales l describe the real man, the victor of the Battle of Badon, and are perfectly consistent with historical reality

Stories of the Welsh and Gwentian Saints

In the stories of the Welsh saints, you see nothing of his fighting of the Saxons and it would be easy to imply that the references were there to make them more interesting. What I believe they are are spiritual snapshots of Arthur’s real personality. The would be seducer of Gwenhwyfar, the childish withholder of Carannog’s altar, the jealous person coveting Padarns holy robe. Perhaps the stories show that the great saints played their part in taming the wild and undisciplined kings. Arthur could overstep the mark and he struck so hard at one battle in the North of England that all the clergy came bare headed and bare footed to beg for mercy for the defeated.

Draco-Dragon Dragon a ruthless and cruel ruler

Interestingly dragon (Draco) is a name given to a dictatorial and cruel Warlord. The story of Carannogs altar (below) would seem to bear out that Arthur was trying to deal with such a renegade war leader, acting as a sort of sixth century policeman.

Geoffrey's Embroideries

The legendary and chivalric mediaeval Arthur was an embroidery of Geoffrey, as well as one or two creations of his own . There were so many battles and he added a fictitious gloss, and it is easy to see where he added them and has no bearing on the case that he actually was existed and was buried as a Christian at Glastonbury. The Normans were entraned by the story of the ancient Britons. They despised the Saxons and it is largely due to the Norman Monks that subsequent histories were written, with confusing locations and so forth. The battle of Badon may have been fought at Bewdyn in Wiltshire or Badon North Wales.

Battle of Camlann

The Battle of Camlann is another case in point. The place where Arthur, Kai, Medraut (Mordred) There is the sixth century inscribed stone under the river at Slaughterbridge in Camelford. Viewble from the bank, but difficult climb and on private land. A ‘King Arthur Centre’ has been opened nearby, but concentrating on the whole legends of Arthur and all material about all the chivalric 13th century. The stories of Arthur were phenomenally exciting to continental Europe and taken across the Kingdoms of the Franks (West Franks) and the to Germany(East Franks) coming through Breton sources. These then became further embroidered by other considerations, Germanic legends and great glittering French stories. Associated characters from Welsh legends like Peredur, become Parzival and Percival, Geraint who was also a real person, somehow gets linked in as one of the knights others seem to be inventions of French and German writers.Drystan, seemingly one of Arthur’s ‘real ‘ associates becomes Tristan (the sad-Fr)and Yseullt his wife Isolde and the story that emerged was irresistible and the basis of a great opera by Wagner, as indeed was Parzival.So the Arthur legends were a mediaeval phenomenon as soon as Geoffrey’s book was translated and copied at Monmouth Priory.

There is also a basis for Camlann in Wales, France and various other places, but the site at Camelford or Wales would have been the most probable because of the proximity to Glastonbury. The tradition of the battle’s site at Slaughterbridge is a powerful one of great antiquity. His adversary was none other but Medraut, his nephew.

Gwenhwyfar and Mordred (Medraut)

Arthur had been away from his queen for a while, especially fighting in Gaul, and left Gwenhwyfar as regent, as a ruler in her own right. It is reasonable to see she would ask for the advice of Arthur’s cousin Medraut and that he might seduce her. Arthur may have turned a blind eye to her adultery, but was reputed in the triads to have struck her hard over this in front of his court. It seems that Medraut had cast his eye over all. Arthurs lands and power and as we said yesterday, having control of the regent meant, he could lay claim to Arthur’s inheritance. This carrying off of brides to gain their husband’s lands was a well known phenomenon. It appears that Gwenhwyfar’s adultery, skirted around by Geoffrey, was known by Gildas and the Triad compilers. This was indeed a ferocious civil war, over a woman. Gwenhwyfar and Medraut (Mordred) flee to York where they are pursued by Arthur’s men. Gwenhwyfar (Guinevere) escapes all the way back to Caerleon and Mordred flees back down south to Cornwall where he raises an army. The Queen enters religious life as St Julian’s Convent,(on the South bank of the Usk between Caerleon , where George Herbert's House once stood) where she later dies and body brought to Glastonbury, to join her husband.The stones from that house are now in the church of Ss Julius and Aaron on Heather Road at St Julians in Newport. The site of the convent was at the end of Haisbro Avenue but Newport have just built a block of luxury flats there on the site of St Julius Martyrdom, the Chapel and George Herbert's house, which was formed from the stones of an earlier building, possibly the nunnery.

The Passing of Arthur

It seems the ageing Arthur and his knights meet Mordred and a powerful force, and in this battle no one won. In a Phyrric victory all died, and the history of Britain after that was ruinous. One bad leader emerged after another and the last the worst of all. There was continuous fighting between the feuding commanders and this weakens the whole of the island of Britain and allows the great influx of Saxon settlers into the areas already won during the time of Uther. Gildas thought little of Guinevere, however, as there is no doubt that this love triangle caused the downfall of the only man capable of leading the Britains in a straight way against the invader . It divided the forces fighting against them, and the moral of the tale, ‘a mortal sin can only end badly’.

One of the worst of the additions of Geoffrey and subsequent writers was to make of Arthur's other cousin Morgan into a wicked sorceress instead of the kindly woman who accompanied Arthur to his last resting place, Ynys Witrin or the place of Apples in Glastonbury.We have to be proud that his stories gave rise to a plethora of tales that have anchanted the world more than Merlin and given everlasting fame to the last great defender of the Britons, who were subsequently overwhelmed by Saxons after civil wars. We can only be proud it was written at Monmouth Benedictine Priory so beautifully preserved and picturesque.

Growth and Development of the Saxon Church after Augustine

But this was the will of God, and when they came, the Saxon brothers, in a period of peace, were newly catechised by Augustine (the Welsh, understandably having nothing to do with evangelising the Saxons) these new Christians, with their zeal and generosity were among the great new saints of the islands, travelling to remote and dangerous places in Germany and France and setting up the Church in a more structured way, so that the Body of Christ which is the church, could support each other and not fall into errors of faith, providing the early link with Peter.

An excellent Source

Christopher Gidlow’s book is excellent, superbly researched with very interesting extras-(what the weapons of the ancient Britons looked like, the Anglo Saxon erivation of Some-saete, Dor Saete, and Devon Dyfneint (Dumnonia Lat) There is a detailed examination of all the evidence-so do buy and read. IBSN0750934190
The Reign of Arthur from History to Legend by Christopher Gidlow (avail amazon)

Great stories will always be great stories and the stories will go on to enchant the people of the world for many years to come.

Gwentian Perspective is considered enthusiastically

His real story closely links him to Gwent. Caerleon is a strong contender and still worth a visit as so many remaining Roman buildings are still standing, baths, a magnificent Roman museum, St Cadoc's Church on the site of the original forum and Temple of Jupiter as well as a complete ruined set of barracks and amphitheatre.The period of peace Arthur fought so hard for. Meurig, son of tewdrig later kept the bulk of the Saxons on the other side of the Severn and Wye in future years. These Saxons were at first pagans and killers and there is no doubt that the Welsh nature of Gwent was saved by Meurig and his men, the great Chieftain of Glamorgan, whose father, Tewdrig died earlier at the Battle of Tintern.

Lastly it is good to realise that after his death within a generation, while holding upin Wales, the Saxons begin to arrive in large numbers, residing in the East and later north and eventually driving out the British from Dumnonia(Devon-Cred's monastery probably disappeared here from Crediton, only retaining the name-the Brits probably fleeing to Cornwall and Sancreed (St Cred) In the new Church the Saxons originally built at Crediton when they had been Christianised, this became the birthplace of Wynfryth or Boniface.