King Arthur - Bibliography and Web Resources

A Resource List Including Primary and Secondary-Source Books,
& World Wide Web Sites.
Updated2002/11/12, by Christopher Brown-Syed.

Books about Arthur| Some Arthurian Web Sites

Some Important Authors


	Geoffrey Ashe. Serious Arthur hunters should be aware of the writings of Geoffrey Ashe, a long-time resident of the Glastonbury area, which is claimed to be the ancient Isle of Avalon. Ashe wrote The Quest for Arthur's Britain, as well as The Ancient Wisdom, which is an attempt to link the prehistoric megaliths of Western Europe to, among other things, the culture of the lost continent of Atlantis. The idea of tracing King Arthur back to the bronze age and before is also a theme of King Arthur's place in prehistory; the great age of Stonehenge. by W.A. Cummins. You will find A Quest for Arthur by Geoffrey Ashe, and more of his Web texts at the Britannia site mentioned below. Lionel Smithett Lewis. I have also in my possession a queer (but carefully documented) little book entitled St. Joseph of Arimathea at Glastonbury: or the Apostolic Church of Britain, written in 1932 by the Rev. Lionel Smithett Lewis, MA, Vicar of that parish, as an apology against critics. Lewis believes that the Grail legend had a basis in fact, to wit: After the crucifixion of Jesus, Joseph of Arimathea came to Britain, bearing the Holy Grail. Lewis suggests that the sacred Glastonbury Thorn (Crataegus monogyna praecox), grew from Joseph's staff. He and his followers were granted XII hides of land in the Isle of Avalon, by "Good King Lucius". An Online version of Lewis' book (from the 1955 edition), is available online at the Isle of Avalon Knowledge Bank. All these theories are wrong, says Alistair Moffat, in his 1999 book, Arthur & the Lost Kingdoms. Arthur was a cavalry leader on the Scottish border, because after the fall of Rome, only the northern armies were strong enough to oppose waves of invaders. Look for Arthur near Kelso and Roxburgh, and for Avalon between the Tweed and Teviot, whither Merlin fled to hide in the Celidon Woods. Arthur died there in the year 517. This important new dissenting work should stimulate further debate about the "historical" king. Another tack is taken by N.J. Higham, whose King Arthur; Myth Making and History, takes a more functional look at the story. This book weaves literary, historical, and archaeological evidence into a compelling case for a literary Arthur constructed to further societal ends. Whether or not you accept this view, Higham's book presents a thorough but concise summary of contemporary Arthurian scholarship, and is well worth the read.
The supposed grave of Arthur and Guenevere, Glastonbury. (Click to enlarge).

Replica of the supposed grave marker. "Hic jacet sepultus inclitus Rex Arturius in insula Avalonia".
	The tower of Glastonbury Abbey's ruined Church of St. Michael stands alone today atop the Tor. There are two bas-reliefs flanking its now gaping door. One appears to be of a milkmaid, another an angel with a set of scales (weighing the souls of the just and the wicked). Since Saint Patrick is also associated with the site (Sts. Joseph & Patrick share a feastday), perhaps the milkmaid is Ireland's St. Brigit, his contemporary and friendly rival. Lewis definitely identifies Brigit as the subject of a carving at the north door of St. Mary's church below the hill. Brigit's prayer, "Oh that I might have a lake of ale to give to my lord", is perhaps on the minds of the many modern pilgrims who frequent the excellent pubs found round the ruins.
Tomb of St. Joseph, as depicted in Smithett Lewis.

The Arthurian Legends & the "Historical" King Arthur

Please note that many of these titles are available from online book dealers, such as www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.barnesandnoble.com, www.chapters.ca or www.indigo.ca. You should check your local academic or public library before purchasing them. Many libraries can order titles for you by "interlibrary loan" (ILL). Some are also available in full text at the Web sites mentioned below.


Primary Sources (For our purposes, books written during the Middle Ages).
De Excidio Britanniae, by Gildas. [late 5th- early 6th Century] Editions include: Kerlouégan, François Le De excidio Britanniae de Gildas : les destinées de la culture latine dans l'île de Bretagne au VIe siècle / par François Kerlouégan. Paris : Publications de la Sorbonne, 1987. There is a newer edition, De Excidio Britanniae Paperback, British Amer Books; ISBN: 0899790143 published 1986 listed in the Amazon.com catalogue.
Historia Brittonum, by Nennius. [9th Century]. Editions include: The Historia Brittonum / edited by David N. Dumville. Cambridge ; Dover, N.H. : D.S. Brewer, 1985-
Historia Regum Britanniae, by Geoffrey of Monmouth. [12th Century]. Editions include: Geoffrey, of Monmouth, Bishop of St. Asaph, 1100?-1154. Historia regum Britanniae of Geoffrey of Monmouth / edited by Neil Wright. Cambridge [Cambridgeshire] ; Dover, N.H., USA : D.S. Brewer, 1985- ,c1984-
Vita Merlini, by Geoffrey of Monmouth. [12th Century]. Editions include: Geoffrey, of Monmouth, Bishop of St. Asaph, 1100?-1154. Vita Merlini (Life of Merlin) English and Latin / edited by Basil Clarke. -- Cardiff : University of Wales Press [for] the Language and Literature Committee of the Board of Celtic Studies, 1973.
The Mabinogion, tr. by Gwyn and Thomas Jones, London: Dent; New York : Dutton, 1949. Contains Culhwch and Olwen "the earliest Arthurian tale in Welsh". Editions include: The Mabinogion / translated with an introd. by Gwyn Jones and Thomas Jones. London : Dent, 1966. (Everyman's library ; no. 97).
Gesta Regum Anglorum, by William of Malmsbury, [12th Century]. Editions include: William, of Malmesbury, ca. 1090-1143. Hardy, Thomas Duffus, Sir, 1804-1878. Gesta regum Anglorum. Vaduz Kraus Reprint 1964. (English Historical Society. Publications).
De antiquitate Glastoniae, by William of Malmsbury, [12th Century].
Lancelot, Yvain, Perceval (Le Conte de Graal), Erec,...etc. By Chretien de Troyes.[12th Century]. Editions include: Yvain, the Knight of the Lion / Chrétien de Troyes ; translated from the Old French by Burton Raffel. (Chevalier au lyon. English) afterword by Joseph J. Duggan. New Haven : Yale University Press, c1987.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, edited by E.V. Gordon and J.R.R. Tolkien. Editions include: Tolkien, J. R. R. (John Ronald Reuel), 1892-1973. Gordon, E. V. (Eric Valentine), 1896-1938. Davis, Norman, 1913- Sir Gawain and the Green Knight; edited by J. R. R. Tolkien and E. V. Gordon. Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1967.
Le Morte d'Arthur, Editions include: Malory, Thomas, Sir, 15th cent. Rhys, John, Sir, 1840-1915. London, J. M. Dent; New York, E. P. Dutton, 1967, 1906 (Everyman's library, ed. by Ernest Rhys. Romance. [no.45-46]).


Secondary Sources (Books written by contemporary authors).

Arthur of Britain, by E.K. (Edmund Kerchever) Chambers. London: Sidgwick & Jackson, 1927. (Reprinted in 1966). This is arguably the Holy Grail of books about Arthur. Arthur and the lost kingdoms, by Alistair Moffat. London: Orion Books, 1999. King Arthur; Myth Making and History, by N.J. Higham. London : New York, Routledge, 2002. King Arthur's Avalon, by Geoffrey Ashe.Harmondsworth, Middlesex: Penguin Books.
The Quest for Arthur's Britain, by Geoffrey Ashe. Harmondsworth, Middlesex: Penguin Books.
King Arthur in Legend and History, by Richard Barber. London : Cardinal, 1973.
King Arthur's place in prehistory; the great age of Stonehenge. by W.A. Cummins. Godalming, Surrey: Bramley Books, 1992.
St. Joseph of Arimathea at Glastonbury: or the Apostolic Church of Britain. (Sixth Edition). by Lionel Smithett-Lewis. London: A.R. Mowbray & Co., 1937. The seventh edition of this book was published as: St. Joseph of Arimathea at Glastonbury : or, The Apostolic Church of Britain / Lionel Smithett Lewis. Cambridge : James Clarke, 1988, c1955.


Some Glastonbury References Mentioned by Lionel Smithett Lewis, 1937.
*Augustine, St., Archbishop of Canterbury, (ob. A.D. 604 or 605). Epistolae ad Gregorium Papam.*
Domesday Book. , Doomsday Survey, folio, p.149b. Editions include: Morris, John, 1913- Domesday book / text and translation edited by John Morris. English & Latin. Morris, John, 1913- Chichester : Phillimore, 1975-[1986].
Eusebius, A.D. 260-340. De Demonstatione Evangelii Lib. III. Editions include: Montagu, Richard, 1577-1641. De demonstratione evangelica libri decem; quibus accessere nondum hactenus editi nec visi Contra Marcellum Ancyrae Episcopum libri duo; De ecclesiastica theologia tres; omnia studio R.M. [i.e., Richard Montagu] latine facta, notis illustrata, [et] indicibus loco suo necessariis ocupletata. Colonia, Weidmann, 1688.
Gildas the Wise, Albanicus, A.D. 425-512. De Excidio Britanniae Sec.8,p.25. Editions enclude: Kerlouégan, François. Le De excidio Britanniae de Gildas : les destinées de la culture latine dans l'île de Bretagne au VIe siècle / par François Kerlouégan. Paris : Publications de la Sorbonne, 1987.
*Gildas Badonicus, A.D. 516-540. [supposed author]. [Victory of Aurelius Ambrosius], [Acts of the Illustrious King Arthur].*
Hilary, St., of Poitiers, A.D. 300-367. Tract. in XIV Psalm 8. in Haddan & Stubbs, v1.p.5. Known editions include: Hilary, Saint, Bishop of Poitiers, d. 367? Tractatus Psalmi. I-XCI Sancti Hilarii Pictaviensis episcopi Tractatus super psalmos : instructio psalmorum : in psalmos I-XCI / cura et studio. J.Doignon. Turnholti : Brepols, 1997.
Ine, Edgar, Kings of England - [various charters] "mentioning the XII Hides of land". Maelgwyn of Avalon (Melchinus), fl.ca.A.D.540. [British Antiquities], [Acts of the Britons],[Of the Round Table of King Arthur]
*Nicephorus, Patriarch of Constantinople. A.D. 758-820 [Opera omnia?]* Lib.1, ch.1).**
Pseudo-Nicodemus. Gospel, ["towards the end states that St.Joseph suffered persecution"]. Editions include: The Gospel of Nicodemus / edited by S.J. Crawford. --Uniform title: Crawford, S. J. (Samuel John), 1884-1931. Gospel of Nicodemus. Edinburgh : I.B. Hutchen, 1927.
Theodosius, Roman Emperor, [quoted in John of Glastonbury, (C13th), and John Capgrave (1393-1464) as having discovered a book called De Sancto Joseph ab Aramathia]. The Capgrave work is likely: Capgrave, John, 1393-1464. The chronicle of England / by John Capgrave ; edited by Francis Charles Hingeston. London : Longman, Brown, Green, Longmans and Roberts, 1858. The John of Glastonbury work may be: Joannes, Glastoniensis. The chronicle of Glastonbury Abbey : an edition, translation and study of John of Glastonbury's Cronica sive Antiquitates Glastoniensis Ecclesie / James P. Carley ; translation by David Townsend. Woodbridge : Boydell, 1985.


Fiction and Poetry
*Powys, John Cowper. A Glastonbury Romance.*
*Tennyson, Alfred, (Baron), 1809-1892. Idyls of the King.*
*White, T.H. The Once and Future King.*
William Blake [1757-1827]. "The Glastonbury Hymn".


Some Arthurian & Mediaeval Web Sites
Britannia's King Arthur Homepage Includes a history by Geoffrey Ashe, interviews, and a "magical history tour" featuring over 100 Arthurian photos.
Celtic Twilight Provided by Gordd Cymru.
Iter: a bibliography of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, 400-1700). An excellent scholarly database.
The Labyrinth: Resources for Medieval Studies Sponsored by Georgetown University.
The Grail Quest (Detail) from The Truth In Cinema Quest by Gregory & Maria Pearse.
Odin's Castle Legends of King Arthur and Robin Hood.
Online Medieval & Classical Library (UC Berkeley). Online Reference Book for Medieval Studies. www.skupinbooks.com Michael Skupin's Merlin pages.
Copyright © Christopher Brown-Syed 1995-2003. Disclaimers.