Jcalderbank

In the book ‘The Quest for Arthur’s Britain’ edited by Arthurian researcher Geoffrey Ashe, he mentions a hillfort near Padstow as a contender for Kelliwic. Kelliwic is king Arthur’s main stronghold in the early Welsh tale Culhwich and Olwen, this stronghold is regarded as in Cornwall. The named site predates the Arthur’s Stronghold of Camelot and may be translated as ‘forest grove’. This is the nearest fort to Padstow so is a likely contender, the book is quite old as it still discusses Tintagel as being the site of a Celtic monastery which is now established as incorrect.

According to Folklore the Head of Brân the Blessed was buried here. This is a character from the Welsh Mythology that makes up the Mabinogion.

Below the pub on ham hill in the village of Stoke is St Mary’s church, according to legend this church was scheduled to be built in West Stoke but at night the devil moved the bricks. And so the church is in east stoke, it is a beautiful Norman era church with possible parts from an earlier Saxon construction incorporated into it. Well worth a visit this church has many old mysteries to it’s design and history including dedications to St Michael and a beautiful doorway carving that shows star signs and a tree of life depiction.

In the book Mysterious Britain by Janet and Colin Bord, the tale of the druid offering a seemingly bottomless cup to passersby is mentioned under the section discussing the nearby Cheesewring rock formation. However instead of naming this Barrow Rillaton, it is named Arthur’s Grave cairn. I’m of suspect this is an error on the authors part as I have yet to find any other sources that give it this name. The story is vastly the same as the one other site users have attached to this site, though it gives the story a possible link to the grail quest of Arthurian lore. The early iterations of the grail story can be linked back to the Welsh text known as the mabinogion, in this the grail is a cauldron, and many various spring up that have abilities akin to the grail, one story is of the vessel being unable to be emptied/ bottomless. This was so as to prevent starvation/ it could sustain all to give life everlasting. Perhaps grasping at straws with this one but I’m also posting this here in the wonder if someone else might have heard of this site under that name.

In view of Ham hill between the villages of Stoke Sub Hamdon and Montacute is St Michaels hill, a tower built upon it was constructed for the Montacute house estate which is now owned by the national trust. According to legend a cross made from flint was dug up here by a man who found it following a dream he had and put in a church, Harold of the Saxons prayed to this cross on his way to fight William. It sadly didn’t do him much good, this cross has now since been lost. A plaque telling this story sits on the hillside on the way up to the mount, the tower is sadly no longer accessible due to the dangers of it’s narrow staircase and height.

According to Arthurian Legend Merlin and Arthur met under this quoit, Merlin told Arthur they would meet here again at the end of all things.

This is perhaps in reference to Arthur on his way to Camlann, his last battle.

Besides this Quoit is an old abandoned house, this house was once an arts studio though now it lies abandoned due to it’s disconnected location. It’s for sale, but the buyer would need to install water and electricity as well as cut back all the brambles to access it via car from the main road, as it’s now only accessible by foot.

This house is known locally as Carn Cottage, or ‘The Crawley house’. Local folklore alleges that Alistair Crawley once stayed here, performing rituals of Dark magic in Zennor Church. This is purely speculative and has never been proven, but the story is enough to make it a pilgrimage spot for Crawley enthusiasts. The derelict house features some quotes of Crawley scrawled on the walls, upside down crosses and a pentagram on the floor as well as the symbol for Crawley’s religious order. Should you reach the house on your way to the Quoit you have gone the wrong way, the map in ‘journey to the stones’ is sadly out of date and a path past the house is no longer easily accessible due to vegetation and a broken down range rover.