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Sunday, August 28, 2011

Pendragon Castle in Cumbria, NW England

Pendragon Casle

"Pendragon Castle" by Russel Sherwood

Aerial photos by Simon Ledingham
Pendragon Castle is reputed to have been founded by Uther Pendragon, the father of King Arthur  

According to legend, Uther Pendragon and a hundred of his men were killed here when the Saxon invaders poisoned the well [The Afanc in BBC's Merlin is reminiscent of this part of the Cumbrian Arthurian Legend] There are also claims that the Romans built at least a temporary fort here, along the road between their forts at Brough and Bainbridge. But (apart from legend and supposition), there is no real evidence that there was any building here before the Normans built their castle in the 12th Century. [This is because only a limited archaeological survey has been carried out by Lancaster University. Surely the legendary Camelot lies beneath the foundations of this castle & beneath the earth of the hill on which it stands.]

The castle [now standing] was built next to the River Eden in the Vale of Mallerstang in the late 12th century, probably by Hugh de Morville. Like the nearby castles of Appleby and Brough, Pendragon came into the possession of the Clifford family. It was abandoned after a raiding Scottish army set fire to the castle in 1341, but was rebuilt in 1360. It was left in ruins by another fire in 1541, but was restored in the mid 17th century by Lady Anne Clifford. The castle gradually fell back into ruin after her death - and now remains a romantic ruin, set in glorious scenery.
NOTE: Pendragon castle is on private land. Access is permitted, but care must be taken - it is in a potentially dangerous condition despite some recent restoration.

All information above is from Visit Cumbria
The following information is from Heritage and History
Legend suggests that a much earlier Pendragon Castle on this site belonged to Uther Pendragon, father of  the legendary King Arthur. According to the legend, Uther had attempted to re-route the River Eden to create a moat for the castle.
An ancient rhyming couplet reads;
“Let Uther Pendragon do what he can, Eden will run where Eden ran.”
Over it’s lifetime, the Castle has had many famous and infamous owners, one being Hugh de Morville, a knight responsible for the murder of St. Thomas A’Beckett at Canterbury Cathedral in 1170. 


"Pendragon castle - looking down on the River Eden" by Oldfaw

Pendragon Castle Ruins by Trevor Kersley

"Pendragon Castle -version 2" by Dave Mills

"Pendragon Castle" by Tall Guy on Flickr


Pendragon Castle, on the banks of the river Eden.  Thanks for the photo Gordon

an old painting of Pendragon Castle posted at brian-slack

Pendragon Castle near Outhgill
Photo Copyright: Alan Richards











Saturday, August 27, 2011

Amazing G rated Merlin fan art! & some of it Amazingly Bizzare!!!

Fan Art Gallery


"The Last Dragonlord" by yume07 at deviantart

"Waters of Avalon" by tindu-sama at deviantart

"Mordred" by maseiya at deviantart

"Merlin Secred Revealed" by celsoludgero at deviantart

"Defenders of the Realm" by Lamardeuse

"Merlin - From Sea to Shore" by b-b-bananaea at deviantart

"Morgause as Aries" by xenakis at drawmelot.livejournal.com

Untitled by searains at drawmelot.livejournal.com

"I have to say there was a mile or two
I had the itch to fly and I flew"

"The Mirror, the Sword and the Shield" by xenakis at drawmelot.livejournal.com

“Why this frightened part of me that’s fated to pretend?
Why is life made only for to end?
 Why in the night sky are the lights hung?”

"The Sun" by xenakis at livejournal

"Tatoo Fill" by anon at kinkme-merlin.livejournal.com

"On His Majesty's Secret Service" by lizardspots.livejournal.com


"We are Floating in Space" by steammmpunk at livejournal

"Arthur Practicing his Flying" (above)
"Merlin and Newly Transformed Arthur's First Meeting" both (above 2) by lukita at livejournal










"Was King Arthur an Irishman?" - article by The Journal

"Was King Arthur an Irishman?" 
article by The Journal
Irish actor Richard Harris playing King Arthur (with Fiona Fullerton as Guinevere) in the stage play 'Camelot' in 1982.
Irish actor Richard Harris playing King Arthur (with Fiona Fullerton as Guinevere) in the stage play 'Camelot' in 1982.
A NEW BOOK is claiming that the legend of King Arthur may have its factual basis in a real life high king of Ireland.
English historian Dane Pestano is claiming to present new evidence in his book, King Arthur in Pseudo-Historical Tradition, that indicates the Arthurian legend was inspired by the life of Muircertach Mac Erca. Mac Erca ruled in Ireland in the sixth century and was the great-grandson of Niall of the Nine Hostages. He ruled at An Grianán, on the Inishowen peninsula in Donegal.
Pestano says that he found incidents in the life story of Mac Erca and legends that grew up around him – as detailed in medieval Irish verse – which mirrored stories about Arthur. He writes:
Reputedly, he (Mac Erca) was the first Christian King of Ireland who reigned from around 510-513 until about 534-537. King Arthur is said to have died in 537 in the Welsh annals.
Mac Erca fought numerous battles, was in his early years a murderous tyrant, exacted tribute, was in possession of the Lia Fáil, a conquered Ireland and Gaul and assumed the sovereignty of Britain, Scotland, the Saxons, Denmark and the Orkneys; is fostered by a druid and is finally given the ultimate accolade of a famous hero – the triple death.
If this set of circumstances sounds familiar you would be right; this is the same as King Arthur was supposed to have accomplished as related by Nennius and Geoffrey of Monmouth and exactly during the same period.
Other similarities between the two listed by Pestano include how Mac Erca’s name could be interpreted as ‘Arthur’, and how his wife’s name closely resembled ‘Gwenever’ when translated into Welsh. He also draws links between the figure of Merlin in Arthurian legend and the bishop Cairneach who had great influence over Mac Erca when he was king.
However, Pestano is most excited about the links because he says it is the first time that the Arthur figure could be shown to have a basis in an actual historical figure.
The origin of the legend of Arthur has been a bone of contention for historians and genealogists for a long time. One theory, put forward by historian Michael Wood in a series for the BBC, is that the myth could have evolved from the story of warmongering Artúr mac Áedáin, who set out from the Dál Riata kingdom at the very northern part of Ireland to battle the Picts. He was killed in battle in 582.
Whatever the truth, King Arthur did finally come to Ireland – when the movie of the same name was filmed here in 2004:   [WARNING: the following video has nothing to do with BBC series Merlin... Sorry folks, but it was in the article]

Santiago Cabrera makes #1 at the top of the list "60 Men We Love" on El Dínamo

El Dínamo <-- click link to see the rest of the article in Spanish
August 26, 2011 - 00:25 | By:  | 17 Comments
Unfortunately, our particular local handsome tribute to the ends. For two deliveries, Florence and Elisa Zulueta together to a jury to choose with care, to those Chileans who not only take us out sighs.Now is the turn of the last part, and as we said last seven days: "Come and enjoy."
60 men we love (Part III)
After  meetings with knowledgeable experts on the subject , and without unanimous votes  - and some well-fought, we make a good quality hybrid chilensis. É ste is applause in three chapters , and standing, to those who simply love.  But claiming the Chilean true. not only to trotting and making smoothies, and accounts for cover (although there are exceptions). It's a standing ovation as we can not explain exactly why we like it. And here we try, because they are not the ones in Sunga, but are what we imagine as well .And is not the census, and we could not ask them all, gathered a selection of the best games and wanted. A fortnight ago, were the first 20 , a week ago, the 40 to 21 , today is the turn of the top 20 ... of those 60 to those who want to congratulate ... just for being born. Total Thanks ... and until next time.


1. Santiago Cabrera (Sir Lancelot in Merlin)



The following translation by Merlin-Network:
To describe [how the #1 man was determined], we put on surgical gloves, disinfected the keyboard, we put the computer in a gold box, we went on a retreat to the mountains and we climbed on foot, we fasted, we blessed the Word document and repeat the following mantra, "Conchemimare** this hot/sexy boy." Your name, Santiago, appeared at the center. It was a unanimous vote, "Any of those present oppose this election?" No one. And we won't even go into the fact that you're successful in the entertainment industry, but we emphasize how quietly you go through that world. You have so many achievements (throw some of them our way if you like). As number one, you have all the outstanding features of the long descriptions of the other 59. You have lived in many places, have command of several languages ​​(hear), you play professional football and keep a body dressed with fit muscles. You have a mouth that, while watching "The life of fish," makes us want to run to the screen and bite it. Beautiful eyes, which you only have faithfully for your wife. You act well in any language. You are deeply handsome, gracefully kind, the type that goes down the street of the stars. And you're a Santiago. And we want to remake everything you've done, see all the seasons of Heroes all over again, and rewind the parts where the camera is on you, and go back a thousand times. And we want Bize to do "Life of the camels," and "The Life of Elephants," and "Life of the Condors", "Life of the Darwin Frog", and "The Life of Reptiles" (where we can pretend to crawl towards you).
**a slang swear word that is used by Chileans as a exclamation of cheer, among other various meanings



PD: Every time a white box on a form either, we fill in "city where you live" ... we blush, we look to the north and we run a tear.

Friday, August 26, 2011

King Arthur: the legendary figure & knights of his round table - article by The Telegraph - UK

UK News

King Arthur: the legendary figure and knights of his round table

photo from SpoilerTV
Historians claim to have finally located the site of King Arthur’s Round Table. But who was King Arthur and why has he become such a prominent figure of English folklaw?
photo from farfarawaysite.com
Photo from of-magic-and-myths-tumblr

King Arthur
Nobody knows if Arthur was real or not but has been associated with a man named Riothamus who existed in post-Roman Britain in the 5th century AD, and who may also have been called Arturius.
Other academics believe he was simply a character in poetry. The poems 'Historia Brittonum' 'Y Gododdin' and 'Annales Cambrie' which date from around 800AD all Menton a hero named Arthur.
But other authors believe he did exist. William of Malmesbury in 'Gesta regum Anglorum' (c. 1125) wrote "This the Arthur about whom the foolish tales of the Britons rave even today; one who is clearly worthy to be told about in truthful histories rather than to be dreamed about in deceitful fables, since for a long time he sustained his ailing nation, and sharpened the unbroken minds of his people to war."
But the story of King Arthur we know it dates from the medieval period when he began to be written about widely.
The first comprehensive story of King Arthur was written Geoffrey of Monmouth, a Welsh Monk in 'Historia Regum Britanniae' which was completed in around 1138.
Monmouth described how, after the fall of the Roman Army, Britain went thought an unstable period of invasion by barbarians before King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table brought peace.
After the death of his father Uther Pendragon, Arthur became king at a young age and forced the Saxons – who were assisted by the Picts and Scots – to promise to leave Britain.
He was a popular King, who became known for his outstanding courage and generosity. Lands were given back to their rightful owners and churches were rebuilt.
King Arthur's new ethos of courtliness, nobility, and selfless bravery became established in common life, and his influence began to extend itself to Europe.
The Kingdom of Britain had by now risen above all others, in its riches and in its chivalric codes of conduct. Knights had become famed for their personal bravery and wore armour and colours of their own style.
Sir Lancelot
Sir Lancelot is regarded as the greatest and most chivalrous of King Arthur's knights. He was the son of King Ban of Benoic and Queen Elaine, he is known as Lancelot of the Lake or Lancelot du Lac because he was raised by Vivien, the Lady of the Lake.
Sir Lancelot first appears in Arthurian legend in 'Le Chevalier de la Charrette', one of a set of five Arthurian romances written by the French poet Chretien de Troyes
His adventures include the rescue of Queen Guinevere from Méléagant, a failed quest for the holy grail, and a further rescue of Guinevere after she is condemned to be burned at the stake for adultery with him.
Sir Lancelot's relationship with the real Guinevere ultimately brings about the destruction of King Arthur's realm.
Merlin
The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures.
Geoffrey combined existing stories of Myrddin Wyllt (Merlinus Caledonensis), a North Brythonic prophet and madman with no connection to King Arthur, with tales of the Romano-British war leader Ambrosius Aurelianus to form the composite figure he called Merlin Ambrosius (Welsh: Myrddin Emrys).
Merlin's traditional biography casts him as a campion; born of a mortal woman, sired by an demand, the non-human from whom he inherits his supernatural powers and abilities.
In the most well known legend Merlin brings Arthur to the sword in the stone and helps him regain the kingdom.
Queen Guinevere
Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote that Guinevere was descended from a noble family of Romans and is "the loveliest woman in all the island
In later takes she is the daughter of Leodegrance, previous owner of the Round Table, which she brings, together with one hundred knights, as her dowry when she marries Arthur.
In Mallory's Le Morte d'Arthur it describes how Arthur first met Guinevere while rescuing her father Leodegrance and fell in love with her at first sight.
Merlin warns Arthur that Guinevere is not wholesome enough to be his wife, and that she would fall in love with Lancelot.
Guinevere is abducted in various stories. In Le Chevalier de la Charrette she is kidnapped by Méléagant and rescued by Lancelot.
heir affair is exposed by two of King Lot's sons, Agravain and Mordred, and Lancelot flees for his life while Arthur reluctantly sentences his queen to burn at the stake.
Knowing Lancelot and his family will try to stop the execution, Arthur sends many of his knights to defend the pyre, though Gawain refuses to participate.
Lancelot arrives and rescues the queen, and in the course of the battle Gawain's brothers Gaheris and Gareth are killed, sending Gawain into a rage so great that he pressures Arthur into war with Lancelot.
When Arthur goes to France to fight Lancelot, he leaves Guinevere in the care of Mordred, who plots to marry the queen himself and take Arthur's throne.
Hearing of the treachery, Arthur returns to Britain and slays Mordred at Camlann, but his wounds are so severe that he is taken to the Isle of Avalon. Guinevere meets Lancelot one last time, then spends the rest of her life in a convent.
Morgan le Fay
Mrogan le Fay is a powerful sorceress in Athurain legend.
She is said to be the daughter of Arthur's mother, the Lady Igraine, and her first husband, Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall, so that Arthur is her half brother.
The early accounts of Geoffrey of Monmouth and Gerald of Wales refer to Morgan in conjunction with the Isle of Apples (later Avalon) to which the fatally-wounded Arthur was carried.
To the former she was an enchantress, one of nine sisters, while to the latter she was the ruler and patroness of an area near Glastonbury and a close blood-relation of King Arthur. In the early romances of Chretien de Troyes, also, she figures as a healer.
Though in later stories she becomes an adversary of the Round Table when Guinevere discovers her adultery with one of her husband's knights, she eventually reconciles with her brother, and even retains her original role, serving as one of the four enchantresses who carry the king to Avalon after his final battle at Camlann.
Sir Gawain
Gawain figures prominently in many romances. In the English tradition, however, it is much more common for Gawain to be the principal hero and the exemplar of courtesy and chivalry, as he is in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the other Arthurian romances.
In Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, however, he has a role similar to that in the French romances, in that Lancelot is the principal hero.
The accidental death of Gawain's brothers at Sir Lancelot's hands caused Gawain, one of the mightiest warriors at court, to become the bitter enemy of his once greatest friend.
He was mortally wounded in a fight with Lancelot who, it is said, lay for two nights weeping at Gawain's tomb. Before his death, Gawain repented of his bitterness towards Lancelot and forgave him.
Sir Geraint
he eldest son of King Erbin of Dumnonia who was a Knight of Devon. After the death of his wife, Prince Geraint spent much time at King Arthur's Court, looking for adventure.
It was during this period that he encountered the Sparrowhawk Knight and came to marry Lady Enid of Caer-Teim (Cardiff), a story told in the ancient tales of "Erec (alias Geraint) & Enid" and "Geraint mab Erbin".
Sir Geraint restored Sir Yniol all of his possessions and then married his beautiful daughter, Lady Enid.
Later Geraint heard Enid bewailing his sloth as a knight; he was stung with shame and mistakenly believed Enid to be unfaithful to him. He took her on a journey through a series of trials until she convinced him of her constancy. They returned and lived in happiness for the remainder of their lives.
Sir Galahad
Galahad was the natural son of Lancelot. His name may be of Welsh origin or come from the place name Gilead in Palestine. His mother was Elaine, and he was placed in a nunnery as a child, being that the abbess there was his great aunt.
One day a sword in a stone was seen in a river by Arthur's knights, and it was said that only the world's best knight could pull out the sword.
Galahad was led into Arthur's court where he sat in the Siege Perilous and then drew the sword out. It was later on when the Grail appeared in a vision at Arthur's court that Galahad was one of the three knights chosen to undertake the Quest for the holy grail.
He was given a white shield, made by Evelake, with a red cross which Joseph of Arimathea had drawn in blood. In the course of the Quest he joined up with Percivale, Bors, and Percivale's sister.
On board Solomon's ship, Galahad obtained the Sword of David, and after the death of Percivale's sister the trio split up for a while and Galahad travelled with his father.