All hail, the once and future battle leader!

Could this be the breakthrough us Arthurianists have been waiting for?

It seems that an historian has found proof of King Arthur's existence - but as the battle leader son of a 6th-century Scottish king named Aiden.

David Carroll, the press release explains, has spent more than 25 years researching Arthurian legend, in a quest that has taken him all over Europe delving into ancient manuscripts and records.

It's one particular text - the Dorbene manuscript, written by 7th-century monks, which had been hidden away under lock and key in the town library of Schaffhausen in Switzerland - that he says contains irrefutable proof that a 6th-century Scottish prince is the true source of the Arthurian legend.

According to David, the similarities between the Scottish battle leader documented in the manuscript, referred to as Arturius by the monks, and the legend of King Arthur cannot be ignored.

"There is no doubt in my mind that Arturius is the real King Arthur," he says. "Both were active in the 6th century, both died in battles against the Picts, both were Christian, both fought alongside Urien and other British kings, and both had a sister called Morgan - a name unheard of in 6th and 7th century records.

"To have a brother and a sister at that time called Arthur and Morgan is highly unlikely. It would be like finding another Napoleon and Josephine or Antony and Cleopatra – it’s almost impossible."

David believes the reason why, for centuries, this 6th-century prince was overlooked as being the source of Arthurian legend is because he was referred to as a battle leader by the monks, not as a king. "But had he not died in battle against the Picts, he could have eventually succeeded his father and become King Arturius – King Arthur," he points out. 

To add to David’s claims, the 9th-century Welsh monk, Nennius, also refers to Arthur as a battle leader – as per the Swiss manuscript written two centuries earlier. 

The date of the text makes it the oldest historical document in the world to mention Arthur - coming five centuries before Geoffrey of Monmouth introduced the story of Arthur into Cornish legend.

David has written a book based on his research called Arturius – A Quest for Camelot, which is now available to download for free. I'll certainly be getting myself a copy.

Exciting stuff! 

Image: Charles Ernest Butler - King Arthur

Hiding in the shadows: the Hikey Sprites of Norfolk

I've just finished reading Hikey Sprites: The Twilight of a Norfolk Tradition by the lovely Ray Loveday (who I feel very privileged to be acquainted with), and I am now well and truly away with the faeries!

A thin book - the sort you can soak up in one sitting - it charts Ray's journey into Norfolk folklore as he researched one of its particularly colourful characters, now largely forgotten.

The Hikey Sprite (also, it seems, known by several other names, including Hyter Sprite, Ikey Sprite and High Sprite) has been passed down the generations in many of this rural county's families. But as is so often the way with oral traditions, precisely what he, she or it actually is varies depending on who you speak to.

To some, it was - or came to be - simply a local dialect word for a flighty, lively or mischievous person; to others, it was a personification of the phenomenon created by marsh gas, also known as a Will-o'-the-Wisp or Jack-o'-Lantern; but to most, the Hikey was a supernatural being.

Some of Ray's interviewees likened them to faeries, goblins or spirits, while others realised they actually had no idea what they were, but in almost all cases Hikey Sprites were believed to be nocturnal beings, and were frequently used as a warning to children.

"If you're naughty, the Hikey Sprites will get you!" were the terrifying words doled out to wayward sons and daughters who refused to go to bed or who stayed out too late; though the beings were generally considered to be puckish rather than evil.

Specific areas were believed to be the domain of the Hikey Sprite - usually certain woods, lanes, streams, heaths and abandoned buildings. The sort of places, I suppose, that seem otherworldly, where one feels a change in the atmosphere or a sense of terror or melancholy - or maybe just areas that were deemed to be dangerous by parents trying to keep their children safe.

Foxley Wood in Norfolk - prime faery territory!

So, you may have noticed that I've used the past tense a lot here. That's because the tradition seems to belong mostly to the past. But thankfully, the Hikey is still alive and kicking in many areas of Norfolk's countryside today - predominantly in the north, north-east and east of the county.

Yet another thing I wish I could ask my old grandparents about; though, having been city dwellers, they may never have been inducted into this faery lore.

Well, I for one will be continuing this local tradition, and perhaps even indulging in a spot of research myself...

Do you have a Hikey Sprite memory to share? Or is there a folkloric being specific to the region you live in, whether in the UK or elsewhere in the world? I'd love to hear your stories!

Frozen in time

A couple of days after Christmas, my Holly King and I headed out into the Norfolk countryside to blow away the cobwebs of pre-holiday stress, finally making the pilgrimage to St Benet’s Abbey that we had talked about so many times.

The sky was a frosty blue when we set off, but as we crept nearer to the Abbey, along the narrow lanes of Broads country, a mist descended and the heavens clouded over. The light became muted, and the spidery trees now seemed to be surging out of the bare ground like grasping black hands.

When we stopped and climbed out of the car, we found ourselves standing in a peculiar calm, enveloping us into the silent landscape; the kind of moment that sends a little thrill coursing through your body as you feel yourself connecting with the earth and with centuries of history, while at the same time mourning the past.

In the distance, a huge wooden cross was silhouetted on the horizon, poignantly marking the point where the high altar once stood in the Abbey church.

As we approached, past the still waters of the medieval fish ponds, I could hear the cross telling its silent tale to the land.

Nowadays, only the geese congregate where the monks once worshipped; gazing out into the hazy distance, across the veins of silver water creeping through the melancholy plains.

Toes numb, and the saturated ground seeping into our boots, we turned back towards the remains of the Abbey gatehouse, now fused together with the brick tower of an 18th century mill – an icon of the Norfolk landscape.

And, as we reached the car, we turned to see the mists begin to lift, the sky return to blue... and the geese take flight.

As the winter solstice approaches...

The pre-holiday season is reaching its crescendo, as festive get-togethers and last-minute gift shopping are packed into ever-rushed schedules - and all at a time when many of us yearn to be at peace, snuggled in the warmth and safety of our homes, in the arms or company of our loved ones, soaking up the magic and meaning of the winter solstice (whatever our religion or beliefs).

Whilst I have been taking moments to enjoy the dim haziness of the winter garden outside my window, with its growing layer of verdant green moss; the colour and twinkle of the decorated tree in the front room; the magic and traditions of the season; and the warm feeling of gift-giving, my nights have been growing increasingly sleepless as that underlying anxiety raises its ugly head.

Rather fortuitously, as I was meditating on the idea of returning to a simpler life earlier this morning, I noticed a new post on one of my favourite blogs, Woolgathering and Wildcrafting, which opened with the words, "Between the time spent navigating family politics and trying to get the tree to stand straight in its stand there is a stream of quietude that runs just beneath the surface. Can you hear it?"

In the post, written by Asia Suler, an American writer, gardener, herbalist, reiki practitioner and founder of One Willow Apothecaries, we are encouraged to tap into the ancient mysticism of this time of year - again, regardless of our beliefs, as it is a special time for people of many religions and of no religion. After all, each and every one of us can feel that pull of our connection with the earth and the seasons, and we can all enjoy some festive spirit!

The blog post is accompanied by a video, shown below, which gives some lovely background information and tips for making the most of the solstice - worth a watch if you have 10 minutes to spare.

To throw in my own two pennies' worth, I also recommend making candles at this time of year. It's so easy to do, it's cathartic, and the candles make great handmade gifts. You could even burn them in the dark evenings as Asia suggests in her video. This year I used essential oils and colour to make a batch of cinnamon-scented yellow-gold pillar candles, and a batch of spruce-scented green pillar candles; both evocative fragrances for winter.

Wishing you all a restful and restorative winter season that is also full of fun and friendship, whichever festival or reason you are celebrating.

Video: Infusing Mysticism into the Holiday Season by Asia Suler
Featured painting: Winter's Dream by Amanda Clark

Magic in metal: September jewellery discoveries

It was that time of year again - time to make my annual pilgrimage to Olympia in London, which for three days each September houses the latest jewellery designs ready to roll out to shops across the UK - and in many cases, the world.

With two floors of exhibition stands at the International Jewellery London (IJL) event packed with sparkly new discoveries, I spent the day seeking out the most magical pieces I could find - with the occasional pit stop for a coffee in the press office of course!

This year certainly didn't disappoint.

I began at the glorious technicolour stand of Hazel Atkinson - a lady I'm always delighted to see. Her latest contemporary designs in aluminium are as bold and as smile-inducing as ever, with rich, autumnal colours heralding the new season.

I noticed a big increase in the number of designs incorporating druzy stones, with their glittering effect produced by a layer of tiny crystals over a mineral beneath. Sometimes treated or coated to create mesmerising colours, they had been chosen by several designers for eye-catching statement rings and pendants.

This Dark Matter ring by Katarina Burghard of Kat B London immediately caught my eye.

This beautiful Lagoon Pendant by Gallardo & Blaine Designs achieves a similar effect, with silver wire encasing a glittering blue-plated fossil, and a tiny silver dragonfly hovering above its hypnotic depths. Each one is unique.

Ortak never fail to capture the myth, mystery and history of the folklore-rich Orkney Islands on which they are based, just off the north-east coast of Scotland. I particularly love their use of enamel, as seen in the Alba collection, inspired by the Pictish carvings of Scotland, and the Coastal collection, with its rolling azure waves.

Two Skies use a variety of gemstones in their jewellery designs, including the lovely mottled green Scottish Iona marble, which is found on beaches and in underwater seams at the south-west corner of the Isle of Iona.

Sometimes referred to as the sacred stone of St Columba, it evokes the rich history of this island, thought to be the first Christian site in Scotland and likely the place in which the beautiful illuminated Book of Kells (now on display at Trinity College Dublin) was produced, or at least begun, in the 8th or 9th century.

The company also creates jewellery from old pieces of porcelain, which would make lovely unique gifts. Pictured are some of their Country Rose pieces.

Alex Monroe's stand is always another favourite stop on my tour of the jewellery show. Earlier in the summer, Alex created this finely detailed Jubilee Carriage necklace as part of an exclusive range sold at Buckingham Palace - a piece that has completely captured my imagination with its Cinderella-esque magic. You can find out how he made the pendant in this episode of his Monroe Mumbles videos.

Last, but most certainly not least, is the work of new designer Katy Tromans, who was one of the winners of this year's Bright Young Gems initiative at IJL, through which the design stars of the future are nominated by a group of leading jewellery and fashion editors. This time, renowned fine jewellery designer Shaun Leane also joined the panel.

I'll leave you with three of her creations - tiny silver sculptures, straight from the pages of a fairytale, each of which functions as a display stand for an ornate ring. Something tells me you won't be at all surprised by her win when you see them!

Alice

Jonah and the Whale

Rapunzel

The last days of summer

As the morning air grows crisp and fresh, and the garden begins its slow retreat towards winter hibernation, Lunar and I are making the most of the sun's ebbing warmth - whilst anticipating the warmth of the fire to come...

Secrets of the scribes

Few objects provide me with quite such an immersive time-travelling experience as an illuminated manuscript.

There's something about those pulsatingly vibrant colours alongside the rich gold, like the sun captured on paper - a combination so powerful that my eyes seem to briefly lose focus. There's something about those layers of symbolism, with each scene, design and colour loaded with meaning to be conveyed to the contemporary viewer. And there's something about their tangibility that whisks me away on a carpet of imagination, picturing them being created, being read, being owned and passed on. Lost, maybe. Found again. Hidden. Valued.

Rarely do the general public get the opportunity to view these precious texts first hand, however - most are locked away in the bowels of libraries and museums in order to preserve them, and are only occasionally revealed through documentaries, such as Illuminations: The Private Lives of Medieval Kings by Dr Janina Ramirez.

But thanks to the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, England, there is now such an opportunity! Running until 30 December this year, Colour: The Art and Science of Illuminated Manuscripts allows visitors to see 150 of the finest and most awe-inspiring examples of complete illuminated texts and fragments from long-lost volumes, produced between the 8^th and 17^th centuries. The majority of these come from the museum’s own collection, as bequeathed by the institution’s founding father Viscount Fitzwilliam in 1816 under strict instructions that they should never leave the building.

I was lucky enough to be invited to the press viewing of the exhibition, at which I was particularly fascinated to discover the close relationship between alchemy and artistic practice at the time in which the manuscripts were created; gold, for example, was known as ‘the sun’ and silver as ‘the moon’. The exhibition’s alchemical scroll (pictured right), partially rolled out in a glass case and viewable in its entirety on the museum’s digital resource, was undoubtedly one of the stars of the show.

Thanks to cutting-edge research by the Fitzwilliam's curators, scientists and conservators, the exhibition is even able to show us the materials that were used to create each colour pigment used on the pages of the manuscripts on display - from plant materials and lichens to minerals such as lapis lazuli and azurite.

Art, science, religion and humanity in perfect harmony.