Tour of the West Country Featuring King Arthur's Historical Locations but not excluding Interesting Sites on the Way.
There are so many extraordinary things to see on this tour. You can not see them all. Stick with what is recommended. You can always come back. Start your tour on the M3.
Actually the Arthur tour really starts at Cadbury Camelot also called Cadbury Castle, located just south of South Cadbury in Somerset. Just off the A303 a mile or two past Wincanton, but:
If you have time, the tour should start with a visit to Winchester. Which is the first capitol of Saxon England. There is a giant statue of Alfred the Great (about the year 800) the first Saxon King of England in the center of town (park there) near the Norman Cathedral which has the longest nave in Europe. See it. There is an Arthur round table near the Cathedral. Ask directions there. The M3 goes to Winchester.
From Winchester I recommend that you take the short cut to the A 30 to Salisbury and visit the Norman Cathedral there which has the highest spire in Europe and its repair by Wren is worth learning about. It almost fell down.
Then leave Salisbury take the road straight north to Amesbury 5 or 6 miles and junction with the A 303 and two miles west (left) find Stone Henge. If you haven't seen it stop for a few minutes
Then about 15 miles further west on the A 303 pass Wincanton and find Cadbury Camelot located just south of South Cadbury in Somerset. Just off the A303 a mile or two past Wincanton. At the site is a path owned by National Trust to the top of the tel. Many Arthur sites are close by. The Battle of Baden was fought at Badbury Rings some miles southwest near Poole which we will visit at the end of the tour. Cadbury Camelot is a major site and time spent here will be worth while. Archaeologists have found pottery from Tintagel in the ruins of this Camelot. Arthur was born at Tintagel Castle (later on the tour). Glastonbury Tor is less than 10 miles away, as the crow flies. It can be seen from the top of Camelot. Further by car.
Glastonbury Tor
I am not sure how long these visits will take but you should be able to make it to Glastonbury for the night. Perhaps book a B&B there and tour the town next day. There you must climb Glastonbury Tor, a mystical and magical place and visit the spring at the bottom ot the Tor where 25,000 gallons of water issues out every day. Then to town center and visit Glastonbury Abby. Arthur and Guinevere were buried there and the place is marked. Learn the legendary story about Joseph of Armethea starting the Abby after he started the church in Exeter in Cornwall. There is no other legend so it may be true and is the background of Arthur's Knights seeking the Holy Grail because Joseph (Uncle to Mary mother of Jesus) is said to have brought it there. The fact that about the year 500 they were still looking for it 400 plus years later establishes how old and how strong the word of mouth legend was. You will learn about the Dissolution under Henry VIII there. Lots to be seen in Glastonbury. Big drive tomorrow or if time drive 30 to 35 miles to Lynton the same night. Go through Minehead. Don't stop.
From Clastonbury to Lynton-Lynmouth on the Severn Estuary in N Devon. You can see Wales across the estuary. Lots of good B&B's in Lynton ranging fro $27 per person and up up. Look them up on line. Lynmouth is on the bottom of the cliff and is a harbor town. Lynton is at the top. Good hotels there. The main thing you must see is the funicular rail road connecting the two towns. Almost straight up and down and it is free or was when we were there. It is run by gravity and you will enjoy the experience of riding this phenomenal invention which has been operating every day since 1890. 120 years!
Then from Lynton find your way to Clovelly. From Lynton it is probably about 20 to 23 miles just off the A 39 south of Westward Ho and Northam. It is a must see. Many tourists will be there. Clovelly is built on the Cliff side face. It is called up and down Clovelly. There are no roads in this sizeable town with shops and restaurants etc and all shops are stocked by donkey back. No motorized vehicles. At the very bottom there is a Range Rover that will take you a circuitous route to the top for a fee. But it is a walking town and a unique English place. Cornish Pasties that will knock your eye out are sold in most villages. Nothing like them anywhere else in the world.
Continue on south from Clovelly on the A 39 about 15 miles to Tintagel the fabled home of Merlin who raised Arthur after his illegitimate birth. Look it up on line. It was near here that Uther Pendragon committed adultery with Igraine the duke of Cornwall's wife and Arthur was born of the union and raised by Merlin the sorceror. The castle is a ruin but if you don't get an eerie feeling there I will know you do not believe in ghosts. You have to do a lot of walking there and a digital camera is a must.
If you miss Bedruthen Rocks its OK but they are on the coast north of Newquay which is a good place to eat and seals are in the ocean here. But then make the rest of the journey to Penzance I am not sure how far, may be as much as 40 miles from Tintagel. Settle in at Penzance. Here you have to see Mousehole, Land's End, palm trees there. Walk the streets of St Ives too popular to miss. Then visit Michael Mount in the bay of Penzance. It is an Island accessible by walking at low tide but you may have to take a boat back. Don't miss it.
Start the day leaving Penzance and go to Looe Pool only a very few miles east. See it last when you are leaving Penzance. It is near Porthleven just east of it on the B3304. It is where excalibur went back to the Lady of the lake. The first picture in this article is of Looe Pool. You have to open and close gates on private land where there are signs but it is worth the walk. If you can't find it ask, do not miss it. All locals will know where it is. It is on the maps of UK and is a mile long lake which is separated from the ocean by a 200 yard wide causeway of sand and stone almost a mile long. Beside being an authentic Arthur location it is a geological wonder worth seeing.
This s almost the end. There is just one more stop on the Arthur tour and it is back in Dorset a long long way. You can fill in some places if you like on the way. Seeing the original church at Exeter might be one where Joseph Of Armathea is said to have begun his ministry in England, before he went to Glastonbury. (I am a believer.) And perhaps Plymouth where a replica of the Mayflower, the ship that took the first settlers to New England, is moored. Good fish restaurants in Plymouth harbor. Next stop is near Poole before Bournemouth. Follow the A 35 to the A 31 to Wimbourne Minster and junction with the B3082. and go toward Blandford Forum and Badury Rings will be half way on the right about 4 or 5 miles from Wimbourne. Badbury Rings had been inhabited as a fortress from 800 years before Christ. And it is the location of the Battle of Baden where Arthur defeated the Saxon invaders and turned them back in the early 500's which set the stage for Camelot when Arthur ruled. He ruled when and because the Romans had abandoned Britain until the overthrow of Arthur's Celts by the Saxons, aided by Mordred's foolish overthrow of Arthur. The Saxon vistories began the Anglo Saxon rule which gave England its name derived from the Angles. Badbury Rings was also where, later during Nero's reign, Vespatian and his Roman armies were stationed in Britain. It was most likely that Nero called him from there in about 68 to put down the rebellion in Jerusalem. Vespatian became Emperor before Jerusalem fell. Which event he left to his son Titus who ended the siege of Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple in 70 AD.
There are many extraordinary places and things that you will miss on this tour, like Bodman Moor, Polperro and the town of Looe really beautiful places and great beaches. But you can always go back. One of the best ways to go back is to ask my son George where and how he rents self catering cottages and get one and drive out from there to the areas near by.
All the best and let me know what you think.
Fred
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
King Arthur Tour
Labels: Badbury Rings., England, King Arthur, Knights, Looe Pool, Tour
The right Name? Is it wrong to say it "wrong"?
Labels: Meshiach, Messianic Jews, Yeshua, YHWH
Isaiah Study
Mr. Miller,
My church adult Sunday School class wanted to study the book of Isaiah. We are part of the RCA in North central Illinois. I led the class, chapter by chapter. As of today, we have been at it for 10 months and we are on Chapter 53. Your material, although not initially planned, has become a great tool for us. I stumbled on it from the net one day as I was preparing for class. I wanted to thank you for your work and dedication. You have taken a group of about 20 of us, and helped us to learn so much. Thank you again!
(Name Removed)
Ebenezer Reformed Church
Oregon Illinois, 61061
Thanks for your comments, that is why it is online. You give me the satisfaction I have posted it for. I think you will really enjoy my material on Isaiah 63.
Fred P Miller
Is this a prophecy about Jews and Muslims ultimately worshipping together?
Labels: alternative temple, Egypt, Jews, Muslims, silent years, worship
Variations of Q from M, line 24 of the Qa 8:8 to 9:11
Labels: Hebrew, Isaiah Scroll, Majorettes, Masoretic text, Midian, translation
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Water on Mars
Mars as a source of the water that came at the time of Noah's flood.
by Fred P Miller
Fact: Several "meteors" found in the Antarctic ice are confirmed by astronomers to have originated on Mars.
It had been proposed about 1950 by one secular writer in the past that the ice on Antarctica was dumped there in a near cosmic collision. Immanuel Velikovski was a well known historian who taught with and was a companion of Albert Einstein at Princeton University. Also, Donald Patten, a Christian writer also proposed the same thing about 1966 in his Book The Biblical Flood and Ice Age Epic"(See Patten's work on line at: http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/astronomy/SNCMeteorites.html) Recently discovered ancient cosmic events lend some support to this hypothesis. Mingled with the ice on the Antarctic continent are "meteors" (12 discovered so far) whose origin has been established fairly firmly as being from Mars. A larger number of Martian meteors have also been found widely distributed over the rest of the planet Earth.
The Bible account of the Genesis Flood indicates two or three sources for the waters that covered the planet. One was from earth movements from beneath and the other from outer space including the prediluvian water canopy.
Gen 7:11 ...the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
According to the narrative in Genesis the source of the flood diminished when these two sources were turned off and also when the rain stopped.
Gen 8:2 The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained;
It is Velikovski's view, with some supporting and corroborating evidence, since his book was written, (He predicted the high surface temperature of Venus among other things before it was possible to verify the data.) that Venus, originally a wandering star and a late-comer to the Solar system, was in a near collision with Mars. Mars was moved and drawn from it's orbit toward the earth and its moons were seen by earth inhabitants, (see number 10 below.) It is therefore possible that these "Worlds in near collision" caused not only some of the rocks to be drawn off Mars and deposited on the earth but also the water that formerly covered a portion of the Mars surface, was, according to Patten's proposal, deposited as ice in the Antarctic and other regions. This may be the answer to where the water on Mars went. There seems to be clear erosion evidence of former oceans on Mars
Several things support this idea.
1. At some time in the past Mars was close enough to the earth for the 2 Moons of Mars to be seen. They have been described in more than one ancient source. They can not be seen with the naked eye.
2. The orbit of Mars is not regular but very eccentric giving evidence of a disturbance of its orbit in the past. The asteroid belt which is beyond Mars also gives evidence of a collision in the past and the fragmenting of a planet that orbited between Mars and Jupiter The former planet now fragmented into asteroids now orbits very eccentrically and crosses the orbits of both Mars and the Earth.
3. The fact that in the past the continents on Earth were much larger and the ocean beds smaller is evidenced by the river valleys in the continental shelves under the present sea level and may be evidence of the addition of water from a celestial source at the time of the Flood.
4. The "meteors" ascertained to be from the surface of Mars show signs of heat by partial burning when entering the atmosphere of the earth amd confirm their "foreign" origin. The fireball of a meteor is caused by melting and ionization of the outer layers of the meteorite, leaving a blackened layer called a fusion crust.
5. The ice in the Antarctic is resting on bedrock far below the surface of the ocean. A buildup of snow over eons can not account for the depth of the ice below sea level. Being dumped from outer space can do so.
6. There is clear evidence that Mars at one time supported a great amount of water, enough to have had an ocean. Please see http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4582649 for this evidence of a shoreline on Mars.
7. The Martian rocks called meteors found in many parts of the Earth are also mingled in the Antarctic ice and are of recent origin according to the most eminent astronomers. The recent origin of the Mars meteors is cited in well documented article on line http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/astronomy/SNCMeteorites.html
"The ALH84001 meteorite was among the SNCs discovered in Antarctica. It is the oldest known SNC, with its crystallization age of 4.5 billion years indicating the rock is as old as Mars itself. The meteorite is thought to have been blasted off Mars 15 million years ago and remained in interplanetary orbit until entering the Earth's atmosphere and landing in Antarctica approximately 13,000 years ago. "
8. Loss of oceans on Mars. In the same scientific survey of the evidence the origin of the Martian "meteors" the astronomers point out that there is evidence on Mars of a condition where there were vast amounts of water that are now missing. Thus the amount of water may have been swept off the planet by the near collision postulated by Velikoski and Patten. The astronomers agree there were oceans (called flood conditions) on Mars in the past as indicated in the following quotation.
An analysis of the Chassigny, Shergotty, and Zagami meteorites by Watson et al. (1994) found a high deuterium/hydrogen ratio relative to terrestrial values, as well as only a tenth as much water in the amphibole mineral phases as expected. Watson et al. interpreted these results as supporting the assertion that, in order for Mars to have lost the amount of water implied by the contrast between current Martian conditions and the ancient flood features seen on the planet, the escape rate of hydrogen from Mars must have been higher in the past.
9. Mars' two Moons: There is one other evidence on Mars similar to the fragmentation of the Planet that once orbited in the asteroid belt. That is the two moons of Mars whose origin is more akin to capturing a fragment of an asteroid than to portions of the planet being torn from the surface of Mars itself. The moons are not round as are other planetary moons in the solar system but are elongated and erose and craggy in nature. Astronomers agree with this assumption in a comment in an article on the moons of Mars.
Phobos and Deimos [are] compositionally similar to Type 1 carbonaceous chondrites found in the asteroid belt. These data strongly suggest capture as the origin of the two asteroid like moons of Mars.
10. The Moons were seen from Earth with the naked eye. Jonathan Swift wrote in 1726 a remarkably accurate description of the moons of Mars 151 years before they were discovered by astronomers. In Gulliver's Voyage to Laputa Chapter 3 he describes the astronomers in a fictitious place and their ability to describe the moons of Mars before they had been first discovered by astronomers in 1877.
They have likewise discovered two lesser Stars, or Satellites, which revolve about Mars; whereof the innermost is distant from the Center of the primary Planet exactly three of his Diameters, and the outermost five; the former revolves in the space of ten Hours, and the latter in Twenty-one and an Half; so that the Squares of their periodical Times, are very near in the same Proportion with the Cubes of their Distance from the Center of Mars; which evidently shews them to be governed by the same Law of Gravitation, that influences the other heavenly Bodies.
Could this be coincidence? Or did Swift have knowledge from an earlier period when Mars was drawn off its orbital path close to the Earth where and when the moons were observed and their sighting preserved in folk lore and oral history.
Where did all the extra water come from? Possibly from Mars.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Weekly Communion
The Weekly Observance of the Lord’s Supper
I recently heard someone say "there is no commandment in the New Testament. to observe the Lord’s Supper every week" Of course this statement is both True and False. It is true because there is no such commandment. But it is false in that it implies that a weekly observance of communion is not God’s directive will for The Lord’s church. We do not learn God’s will for the church only by commandments. Jesus said He had all religious authority. He transferred that authority only to his Apostles, no one else. He not only told them that what ever they bound or loosed on earth was bound and loosed in Heaven; But he also told them to wait in Jerusalem until they were endowed with Authority from on High! Thus what ever the apostles set as precedents. in all the churches we are to follow. We learn God’s directive will, (that is, those things He expects us to obey or be penalized if we do not) not only by Commandments but also by examples laid down for us by what the Apostles bound and loosed, and by principles in the word of God. We obey the commandments, we follow the examples, and we apply the principles. But it is the example of a weekly observance of the Lord’s Supper that we are addressing here. It is understood that the Apostles set the precedent of meeting on the first day of the week. We follow that example and there is no commandment saying the church must have its assembly on the first day of the week. We simply see the example of the Apostles setting the precedent of the Lord’s church meeting on the first day of every week. There are four New Testament passages that plainly show that it was also the practice of the New Testament church to partake of the Breaking of Bread (a euphemism of the Lord’s Supper) every first day week assembly. Thus we are to follow their example if we want to do God’s will.
Scripture Examples to follow.
1. Acts 2:42And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers.
If all four of these religious items were followed steadfastly. What would that mean? If a person came to church once a year,. Would he be steadfast ? How about every three months? No? How about once a month? We would probably say, "he comes once in a while, but he is not steadfast." Thus to be steadfast the observance of each requires them to be a part of every weekly assembly. Breaking of bread is a euphemism for the Lord’s Supper. It can also mean taking a meal. But would eating a meal fit this context? For instance: Fellowship, Apostle’s doctrine, prayers, and eating breakfast steadfastly. It does not fit the context. We take the Lord’s Supper in the weekly observance of being steadfast in the prayers and Preaching Apostle’s doctrine and sharing. All or none are enjoined by precedent.
2. Acts 20:5These going before waited for us at Troas. 6And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread and came to them at Troas in five days; where we stayed seven days. 7And on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them, ready to depart in the morning; and continued his speech until midnight.
The disciples came on the first day of the week. Why? Because they were taught by the Apostles that that was the day to assemble. Most commentators note that 5 days crossing the Aegean Sea must have been caused by bad weather and made Paul late arriving on Monday instead of Sunday or earlier as he must have planned. It is obvious from the ensuing context that did not want to delay because he wanted to be in Jerusalem on a set time. However he felt it was needful for this church which he had started on his way out to Corinth for him to meet with them and it is clear that they came together for the primary purpose of observing the Lord’s Supper. This is another precedent setting verse. We are to follow precedents.
3. 1 Corinthians 11::20 When you come together therefore into one place, it is not the eating of the Lord's supper (the way you are doing it). ......... ........33Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait one for another. 34And if any man is hungry, let him eat at home; so that you do not come together to condemnation. And the rest I will set in order when I come.
This passage shows that the Corinthian church were eating the Lord’s supper when they assembled. They assembled on the first day of the week according to 1 Cor. 16:1. But they were taking Communion improperly. They were making a meal out of it instead of a memorial eating to observe Jesus death. and according to 1Cor 10:16The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? Gaining spiritual access to that death and blood. He told them to do it right and explained how. Thus they also were taking Communion on the first day of the week, Every first day of the week. Because that is the Apostolic precedent. They continued doing so after being corrected.
4. Hebrews 10"25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching. 26For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, 27But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28He who despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29Of how much sorer punishment, do you suppose, he shall be thought worthy, who has trodden under foot the Son of God and has counted the blood of the covenant, with which he was sanctified, an unholy thing and has done despite to the Spirit of grace?
How can one lose his relationship to the sacrifice of the Cross? Well this verse says it is possible for the sin of "forsaking the assembling? How is that possible? What connection does weekly church attendance have to do with the sacrifice of the cross or "blood of the covenant?"
Jesus called the cup or fruit of the vine in the observance that he instituted at the last Passover, "the blood of the covenant." It is recorded four times in the New Testament. Testament and Covenant are the same word in the Greek New Testament.
1. Matthew 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
2. Mark14:24 And he said to them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.
3. Luke 22:20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
4 1 Corinthians 11:25 He also took the cup after the same manner, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood:
It is plain in the Hebrews passage that the sin that would cause one to lose his sacrifice is turning ones back on the Lord’s supper, The Blood of the Covenant, in its weekly observance. The Lord’s Supper then was in the assembly that Hebrews warns us not to forsake. It is forsaking the Blood of the Testament; or the passage makes no sense. Thus this is the fourth passage that gives an Apostolic precedent for a weekly observance of the Lord’s supper.
Indeed, we should take this article of Faith as seriously as the apostle makes it in the Hebrews passage.
Labels: blood of christ, communipn, lord's supper, sacrament, worship
About Me
- Fred Miller
- Carrollton, Georgia, United States
- Evangelist and professor of Bible, History, Greek, and Hebrew. Currently living with wife, Charlotte, in Carrollton, Georgia, just outside Atlanta. Please visit my bio at moellerhaus.com for more information.