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King Arthur tales 'penned in Oxford chapel' | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
A medieval tome which popularised the story of King Arthur is thought to have been written in a lost Oxford chapel. | |
Researchers now believe Geoffrey of Monmouth's The History of the Kings of Britain was penned at St George's chapel, before it was demolished to make way for Oxford Castle. | |
Deeds from the time have revealed the Welsh scholar was serving canon there when writing the chronicle in 1136. | Deeds from the time have revealed the Welsh scholar was serving canon there when writing the chronicle in 1136. |
Professor Helen Fulton called it an "exciting" find. | Professor Helen Fulton called it an "exciting" find. |
Charters and deeds dating from 1129 to 1151 signed by Geoffrey and countersigned by the Archdeacon of Oxford have been analysed by experts. | Charters and deeds dating from 1129 to 1151 signed by Geoffrey and countersigned by the Archdeacon of Oxford have been analysed by experts. |
The chapel was a teaching base for Oxford students, and Geoffrey indicates in the paperwork his profession as a "magister" - meaning teacher. | |
Prof Fulton, a professor of medieval literature at the University of York and an expert in Arthurian literature, called it a "new piece of the jigsaw in the quest to trace the origins of the Arthurian legends". | |
"He would have been based there when he wrote his famous Latin chronicle, Historia Regum Britanniae," she said. | "He would have been based there when he wrote his famous Latin chronicle, Historia Regum Britanniae," she said. |
"It was Geoffrey who introduced the figures of King Arthur and Merlin to a wide medieval readership and paved the way for the enormous popularity of the Arthurian legends in later centuries, right up to modern times." | "It was Geoffrey who introduced the figures of King Arthur and Merlin to a wide medieval readership and paved the way for the enormous popularity of the Arthurian legends in later centuries, right up to modern times." |
Guinevere and Merlin | Guinevere and Merlin |
According to Geoffrey, his work was based on a secret, lost Celtic manuscript to which only he had access. | According to Geoffrey, his work was based on a secret, lost Celtic manuscript to which only he had access. |
It told of Guinevere, Merlin, the sword Caliburn - later known as Excalibur - and Arthur's final resting place in Avalon. | It told of Guinevere, Merlin, the sword Caliburn - later known as Excalibur - and Arthur's final resting place in Avalon. |
All that is left of the building where Geoffrey is thought to have written The History of the Kings of Britain is the Saxon stone-built St George's Tower and the ancient crypt. | |
"[He] would have walked the footprint of the crypt whilst penning his notable tome," a castle spokesman said. | "[He] would have walked the footprint of the crypt whilst penning his notable tome," a castle spokesman said. |
Michael Speight, general manager of Oxford Castle Unlocked, said: "[It] has played a role in a number of key historical events in British history. | Michael Speight, general manager of Oxford Castle Unlocked, said: "[It] has played a role in a number of key historical events in British history. |
"We are so excited to have discovered that it is also the site where the legends of King Arthur were written." | "We are so excited to have discovered that it is also the site where the legends of King Arthur were written." |
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