Camelot

by Brian Edward Rise

 
The seat of Arthur‘s power in medieval romance. The name is of unknown origin and refers to the castle but also includes the surrounding town. The village name of Camel occurs in relation to Cadbury Castle in Somerset.

Cadwy

by Brian Edward Rise

 
A prince of Dumnonia according to Welsh and Breton sources. He is joint ruler with Arthur in the Vitae (“life”) of St. Carannog. Their seat of power is at Dindraithov, usually understood to represent Dunster in Somerset. This may be an echo of an earlier phase of Arthur’s life when he was lesser leader since Cadwy (as Cato) is listed first in the narrative. Geraint is named as Cadwy’s father though this is not the same Geraint son of Erbin from the end of the 6th century that may be mentioned in the Gododdin.

Bron

by Brian Edward Rise

 
The brother-in-law of Joseph of Arimathea. He is also called the Rich Fisher because of a symbolic fish caught by him and placed beside the Grail. He brings the Grail to Britain after receiving instruction in the secret words involved with the sacred vessel. Prior to his arrival, Bron’s twelfth son Alain and his follower Petrus go ahead to make the way for the Grail in the Vales of Avaron (Avalon) in central Somerset. Bron, in the role of Fisher King, lives in Britain for many years before his final peace is aided by Perceval.

Alain

by Brian Edward Rise

 
Named Alain le Gros. A son of Bron, he becomes the second Grail-keeper. He is one of the group that bear the Grail to its final resting place in the remote western Vales of Avaron or Avalon, identified with the later site of Glastonbury Abbey in central Somerset. Like Bron, he is a “Fisher-King” and builder of Corbenic castle. While early texts claim him a celibate, he is later, in Perlesvaus and other texts, made the father of Perceval. This contradicts the chronology, however, unlikely placing Arthur’s reign just a short two generations after the arrival of Joseph of Arimathea.