Arthuret

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Arthuret is a civil parish in the Carlisle district of Cumbria, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 2,434. The parish includes the village of Longtown and Easton. It is bounded by the River Esk to the west and the River Lyne to the south.

It was a site of some importance, for it was one of only eight places marked on the first printed map of Scotland made in 1570, produced by Abraham Ortelius. The other sites marked are Carlisle, Kirklinton, Jedburgh, Wark, Coldstream, Norham and Berwick (Logan Mack 1926).

[edit] Arthurian Connections

The site of the church overlooks the site of the Battle of Arfderydd, which appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Vita Merlini and also the Annales Cambriae in the year 573. The battle took place very early in the reign of the Christian King of Strathclyde, Rhydderch Hael, (patron of St. Kentigern, and Myrddin's supposed brother-in-law), against the pagan Warlord Gwenddoleu ap Ceidio and his cousins Peredur and Gwrgi, Princes of either Ebrauc (Modern York), or possibly from Gwynedd.

In this battle Myrddin kills his nephew (by his sister Gwenddydd, wife of King Rhydderch Hael), who was fighting on the opposing Christian side. This act drove Myrddin mad and he spent the rest of his life roaming the Forests of Celyddon (see) (Glennie 1869). 140 other men of rank suffered battle-madness and perished in these woods (Rich & Begg 1991).

In the Black Book of Carmarthen is recorded a poem which takes the form of a dialogue between Myrddin and the Welsh bard Taliesin (Skene 1988); it records how Myrddin wore a gold-torque and tells of his grief at the death of King Gwenddolau, to whom he was chief druid. The battle is said to have lasted six weeks and three hundred men were killed and buried nearby. It was one of the three futile battles of Britain, fought over a lark's nest.

[edit] Arthuret Church

Arthuret Church.
Arthuret Church.

The church tower stones are unusual in that many of them have masons marks which are clearly visible. This church was built as a result of a national fundraising to benefit the parishioners who were mainly rejecting Christ's teachings. Part of the sum was stolen and this delayed the construction of the new church.

A holy well is located on the edge of the mound. It is a well built structure, with stone canopy and steps. It was still used for baptisms until the 1970s.

[edit] References

  • Glennie, John S. Stuart (1869). Arthurian Localities. Pub. Edinburgh. P.68.
  • Mack, James Logan (1926). The Border Line. Pub. Oliver and Boyd. P.51.