The Legend of King Arthur

King Arthur is possibly the greatest figure in the history and folklore of Britain and according to legend lived in the late 5th to early 6th centuries. At a time when Britain was the scene of a bloody struggle between the Britons and the invading Saxons and their allies, Arthur is famed as being the great figure at the forefront of the Britons' heroic defence of their homeland and heritage. Although based mainly in the South West of England it appears he waged a national campaign to defend the Island against its invaders.

The British Isles had been part of the Roman Empire since they were invaded and conquered in A.D. 45 and most Britons thought of themselves as full citizens of the Roman Empire. In fact, Rome so trusted their loyalty that Britain was allowed to govern itself after A.D. 410.In the fifth century, the Roman Empire was on the decline, and Rome was too worried with matters at home to be concerned with what was going on in the far reaches of the empire. Therefore when the Anglo-Saxons attacked, Britain, had to fend for itself. With the departure of the Romans, Britain was near to anarchy and thus it became a period of time known as the Dark Ages. However, government soon began to develop on a local level and it is conceivable that with many warrior kings coming to power, ruling as much area as they were strong enough to control, Arthur could very well have been one of the warriors who led his armies in the counter thrust against the Anglo-Saxons.

Glastonbury's claim to be the original home of Christianity in England is well justified. During the early Roman period Glastonbury established strong trade links with the rest of the Roman Empire, the centre of Christianity at the time. It is very likely that Christianity could have been brought to Glastonbury by traders from abroad. Glastonbury was also a well established Celtic religious centre and would be a natural place for Christian missionaries to make their way to as a site revered by pagans. King Arthur would have been naturally drawn to Glastonbury with its strong Christian roots. The close proximity of the possible site of Camelot as well as the place where Joseph of Arimathea is said to have brought the Holy Grail would have been reasons enough for Arthur to have visited Glastonbury.

The stories of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table are regarded by many as just fables and yet they are based on facts and relate very much to the History of England. For King Arthur and his knights the search for the Holy Grail was the essential purpose in life. The Holy Grail is said to be a receptacle or cup in which Jesus consecrated his Blood at the Last Supper. It was then used by Joseph of Arimathea to collect the blood and the water which was spilt when washing the body of Jesus. On their arrival at Glastonbury, Joseph and his followers committed themselves to forming a community of guardians of the Holy Grail. According to legend the sacred vessel was placed in the Chalice Well, located at the base of Glastonbury Tor. The well is thought to have been built by the Druids and the reddish colour water that gushes from it and tasting of iron is believed to have magical as well as healing powers.

In 542 King Arthur was wounded by Mordred at the battle of Camlan. He was then taken across the water to the Isle of Avalon for his wounds to be healed. Glastonbury would indeed still have been an island at that time, so it was quite possible for a boat to bring him to the only place where any medical attention was available. However, Arthur was mortally wounded and it is thought that Glastonbury is where King Arthur and Queen Guinevere were buried. In 1191 the bodies of King Arthur and his Queen were said to have been found on the south side of the Lady Chapel. On 19th April, 1278, their remains were removed in the presence of King Edward 1 and Queen Eleanor of England to a black marble tomb set in the main Abbey church, underneath the high altar. Arthur's burial cross was laid on top of the tomb for all to see. Here the tomb remained until 1539 when Henry VIII, along with every other Catholic Church in England, dissolved Glastonbury Abbey.

In 1931 parts of the tomb were found and a rectangle is now marked out in the grass where the discovery was made. The burial cross was last seen in the early 18th century, in the possession of the Chancellor of Wells, Mr. William Hughes. However, at this present time, its whereabouts are unknown.