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Arthuriana

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Anonymous

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Hi there :)

A freind and I have been investigating the Arthurian legends associated with the Scottish Borders area. There is a well known tale reported from Thomas the Rhymer concerning a horse dealer, who crossing the Bowden Moor, met a man who (cutting it short) led him to a cave in which Arthur and his knights were sleeping. There is reference in this tale to a place called 'Lucken Hare' which we have been attempting to locate. The tale was reported by Scott in 'Waverley' and, although it has been said that Scott was given to inventing placenames. However, we feel that this might be a real one as other placenames in the tale are but have had no luck in tracking it down on maps, old or modern. We would really like to place this tale within the landscape setting. Does anyone out there know of the location of 'Lucken Hare'?

Thanks for any help on this.. [

B]Jules[/B]
 
Hi there

Thanks for those links but we've already seen most of them.. Actually, this query was a bit of a last ditch attempt, we did a websearch on all the keywords we could come up with. I was vaguely hoping someone local to the area might possibly see it and happen to have some local knowledge on placenames. But thanks for your efforts anyway :)
 
Lucken Hare = Lucken Howe?
The smallest of the 3 Eildon Hills by Melrose? which seems to tie with the directions of the story
Piccy at the top of the brittania link.
For more onfo try Talisman Books of Melrose Tel:01896 822196
Might be able to give you info on local historians?
More use?

:)
 
I am just reading a old book called tales of dewentside in it there is a story called KING ARTHERS ENCHANTED CAVE. In this story it says that Arthers resting place is in a hidden cave near to Muggleswick wood in the Derwent valley.
If you want a copy of this story I will send it too you no problam
 
That story, if I have guessed its content correctly) appears to turn up in a whole bunch of places, including south wales, cheshire (although I don't know if Alan Garner moved it there from elsewhere) up to the Scottish borders, usually involving a treasure chamber containing sleeping knights and a bell that must not be rung or else. Of course, the passerby who finds the cave eventually rings the bell by accident, the knights awake and the visitor tells them to go back to sleep and the cave seals itself.

I don't recall if I had a point to make with that, now, but there you go.
 
Having another look at Eildon Hillfort.

Some of the country's leading archaeologists have spent the week on top of one of the south of Scotland's most iconic hills.

Finds and dating samples from Eildon Hill North could help rewrite history by proving knights from King Arthur's era were still calling the hillfort their home. Historians have believed for centuries that the numerous hillforts across southern Scotland were deserted by native tribes when the Romans came marching through the Cheviots in about 73AD..

Eildon Hill North, near Melrose, was the largest hillfort in northern Britain, covering more than 18 hectares with 530 roundhouses and a population of up to 4,000 people, Previous studies have placed occupation from the early Bronze Age (circa 2,500 BC to 800 BC) to the late Iron Age (circa 100 AD to 400 AD), when it was used as a Roman signal station.

Past excavations have found native Bronze Age artefacts and Roman pottery mixed together in the core of the once vast ramparts, which has led to varying interpretations of when developments at the hill fort were made. Roundhouse platforms have shown usage in both the Bronze Age and Roman Iron Age.

This latest study could override previous thinking, with the view that Eildon Hill North was expanded and fortified either during or after the Romans' occupation of the nearby Trimontium fort.

A similar study by the University of Aberdeen team at Tap O' Noth, near Huntly, found evidence that the hill fort was of the early Medieval period (after 500 AD), rather than the earlier Bronze Age or Iron Age.

Lead archaeologists on Eildon Hill North believe their carbon data samples will return similar results.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-61258228
 
"I see you have found something in trench No.6, Phil?"
"Arghh! It's a bit of a surprise is this, Tony. Just look at that!"
"It looks like a treasure chamber full of sleeping knights to me."
"That, it is, Tony. Right now, I'm more interested in this . . . "
"It looks very like a bell that must not be rung . . . or else. See you after the break." :oops:
 
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