Camelot or Cadbury
The Home of the Once and Future King?
Camelot remains the classic story of love, ideals of chivalry, and a Kingdom that was lost, but will never be forgotten. The legend began the History of the Britons’, written in AD 830 by Nennius, where Arthur is depicted as a heroic general and a Christian warrior Geoffrey of Monmouth picked up the story in the History of the Kings of Britain, written around AD 1136. Although the Geoffrey’s embellishments are simply an entertaining story, it has left people wondering if the early tales were based on something real.
Some have turned to Wales in search of Arthur. The geocache we found took us Cadbury.It is the site identified by Leland in the 16th century, and who is to argue?
Cadbury had been an Iron Age fort. It remained in use until around AD 580. Archaeological excavations have discovered a substantial building which could have been a Great Hall. It is also clear that some of the Iron Age defences had been re-fortified, creating an extensive defensive site, larger than any other known fort of the period. Shards of pottery from the eastern Mediterranean were also found, indicating it was a place of wealth and trade.
If is within the ream of possibility that after the Romans left, a chiefton emerged who rallied the locals and inspired further tales. Local legends referred to Arthur’s Well and Arthur’s Palace. The Once and Future King is said to sleep here, in a hollow resting place until England needs his services again.
The story will never end as long as people can dream and the sound of coconuts hit together can be heard coming up the trail.
My Log
Camelot. From far off Fairfax (California) I heard the call. Camelot. Here I came to give my all to find this cache. In Camelot, I knew in my soul what was expected of me, and for anyone coming here, impossible deeds should be the daily fare. So in Camelot, I knew I had to succeed even if a dragon came to challenge me. The fading light could not defeat. Not in Camelot!
I told my wife that it would be quicker to ride up the muddy path, and asked if we had packed the coconut shells. She said we were in a different movie. But in Camelot, what is a film or two? We made our way towards the top and ignored the temptations lest we not complete the quest. I looked up, half way expecting the grail cup to lead os to the cache.
According to the songs this should be a place where the weather was good and the sun should have waited for us. But after all these years, the mystic power of Camelot might be only in the movies. Without Arthur and Merlin we had to rely on the blind luck of a fool’s errand.
And there it was. In Camelot, the quest unfolded. It was easy to turn back the time and find ourselves where Lancelot and the Brave Sir Robin still could be wandering. And to recall tbe ultimate tragedy, the ideals that were lost due to pride and prejudice.
What would Camelot had been like if Guinevere had been allowed just to have an affair with Lance without all that talk about treason and death. If Arthur had embraced them both. How many of the Knights were chaste? Did Arthur never have an affair? People needed to put things into perspective. It did not mean that the ideals had failed. Perhaps they should have all gone on a quest together , or recognized that the true quest had nothing to do with battles or chastity.
Maybe Camelot could have been transformed if they concluded that kings were outdated and they had all joined with the Diggers to stand up against the lords and defend the People.
But none of that happened and history could not be changed. The Round Table cracked and broke, without a trace remaining today. In the end we had to remind ourselves that once there was a spot, that for one brief shining moment, was known as Camelot.
01/02/2008
