I ‘borrowed’ these words a few years ago from a well-known singer “Do you want the truth or something beautiful?”
I ‘borrowed’ these words a few years ago from a well-known singer “Do you want the truth or something beautiful?”
“Like time and like life too, the quests really do fly by and here we are nearing the end of this great Welsh and Irish Aventure. One realises that life is here to be embraced to it’s fullest, for it is over far too soon and every part of life is indeed an amazing and exciting journey for everyone to enjoy. The quests have been amazing so far, on a physical, spiritual and metaphysical level for a Light is truly shinning and guiding me on my way through this labyrinth of life….”
24th SEPTEMBER: WICKLOW GOAL. Wicklow: Wicklow Goal does has a pervading sense of darkness hanging over it, and indeed it truly should have, considering it’s history. It is said to be haunted and that is no suprise, and indeed it has been featured in a television ghost hunter show. It is a great tourist attraction with a lovely rustic style resturant serving great food! There has been a prison on this site since the late eighteenth century. Prisoners were held at the gaol during the 1798 Rebellion and the Great Famine, many being held there prior to penal transportation.
“The outside of Wicklow Goal, looking very bleak and barren” <click to enlarge>
The goal is now a very well laid-out with plenty to see, and there is a fantastic interactive augmentive reality experience, which really does have to be experienced to be believed. It throws one right back into those dark depressing times of the rebelion and beyond, to the start of the ‘troubles’ in fact, and one really does think one is actually there – very eye opening and a excellent experience. read more about the gaol’s history here:
“From inside Wicklow Goal where one small Grail clues can be located….” <click to enlarge>
“Outside in the yard, it was hell on earth working on the treadmill…” <click to enlarge>
Grail Bloodline:
ST KEVIN’S CHURCH: KNOCKFIN: Co Wicklow: St Kevins Church was set in a beautiful garden setting with some quite magical touches about it. There was a beautiful labyrinth there with many meaningful ornamental touches around with words of explanation. But what does one do when surprised by a beautiful labyrinth? Why one just has to walk it! And walk it indeed i did! 🙂
The Labyrinth
‘An ancient symbol found in several religous traditions representing ‘wholeness’
The Labyrinth is a ‘metaphor’ for life’s journey, a symbol that creates a sacred space and place, which takes us out of our own ego to ‘that which is within’
Sadly there is nothing on the internet for this church so one just has to go by the ‘feel’ of it and that fact that it is a part of our quests so of course connected to Craft. There are some really lovely words on the plaques and stones around the grounds that document the life and times of St Kevin. We were able to pop inside for just a very short time as we ‘happened’ upon the caretakers who were just locking up for the day and managed a few nice photos.
I was able to capture a few of the treasures inside the church before it was locked….
St Kevins Church is set in a quiet tranquil area and one can understand why he himself pilgrimaged there…
Within the well thought-out garden of the church are some lovely plaques and stones that tell of St Kevins journey depicting his gentle life, with some very meaningful works <please click each image to view in detail>
Grail Bloodline Connection:
Another very fascinating day and more was yet to come as we drove through the stunning Wicklow Mountains; mountains that have securely held on to all their secrets throughout modern time. Forget about what you know, it’s what you dont know that is important, we all see through different eyes, some are open while others are not. One needs to have one’s eyes well and truly open in those Wicklow Mountains, for then one can see it all. But if you dont ‘see’, then you were not meant to… The hidden riddles of an alternative history are all there, just hidden in plain sight….
The mysterious and magificant Wicklow Mountains <click to enlarge>
25th SEPTEMBER: ST JOSEPH’S CHURCH TEMPLERAINEY. Dublin Road. Tiknock. Arklow. Co Wicklow: Sadly again no information on the internet on the history of this church. It looks very modernish in comparison with many of the other churchs we have visited, but as we always strive to say, it is not the building but the actual site it has been built upon. There are no grounds as such, it’s mostly car park, but just a few shrubs and a rather lovely statue. We were very lucky to gain access as this church too was just being locked up, so i had a rather whirlwind photo oportunity inside to say the leat!
St Joseph’s Church – we really ‘flew’ around it!
Grail Bloodline Connection:
25th SEPTEMBER: ST. ENOCHS CHURCH. KILLINICK. Sanctuary. Co Wexford: Again sadly another church we could not get inside of and no info as such about it. It was set in pretty grounds with some old gravestones with some interesting iron railings. It looked to be as if it was not used much, but one never knows. This present church was built in 1828 on the site of a much older church. The whole village seemed extremely quiiet and deserted and the preserved old water pump on the green, made one really feel like one was back ‘in time’.
St Enoch’s Church: A peaceful corner of time…. <click to enlarge>
I did find this ‘historical’ description on Killinick itself though: “a parish, in the barony of FORTH, county of WEXFORD, and province of LEINSTER, 4½ miles (S.) from Wexford, on the road to Rosslare; containing 591 inhabitants. It comprises 1254 statute acres, which are chiefly under tillage, and in a good state of cultivation: there is a quarry of shingle, which is used for repairing the roads. Coal and other commodities are brought up in cots from Wexford harbour, by an inlet which is navigable at spring tides. Some of the inhabitants on the banks of this inlet are engaged in fishing. Fairs are held in the village on Easter- Monday, Whit-Tuesday, April 8th, May 27th, Sept. 21st, and Nov. 30th. Petty sessions are held every fortnight or month, on Tuesdays, and here is a constabulary police station. The living is a rectory, episcopally united to the vicarage of Maglass, and to the impropriate curacies of Killiane, Kilmocree, St. Michael’s, and Ishartmon. The tithes amount to £102. 18. 5½., of which £3. 14. 5. is payable to the impropriator, £85. 2. 7. to the rector, and £14. 1. 5½. to the rector of Ballybrennan. The church, a plain modern structure with a square tower, was built in 1828, by a loan of £1100 from the late Board of First Fruits, but has lately been condemned as unsafe. In the R. C. divisions this parish forms part of the union or district of Maglass, and has a neat chapel at Ballymore. The parochial school is held in a private house, and is aided by donations from the rector; and there is another public school, in which 120 children are educated, and 40 are taught in a private school. Ballyran Castle is situated about a quarter of a mile south of the church, and is the property of the Lett family”
Eventually i did find a bit more info of the construction/building kind on ‘The Buildings of Ireland’ search page if anyone is interested, but sadly the page would not let me leave a link here or copy and paste the info, so maybe that was meant to be….
The old graveyard of St Enoch’s, plus it’s interesting wall (another way in for pilgrims) and the old village pump <click to enlarge>
Grail Bloodline Connection:
26th SEPTEMBER: FARE THEE WELL IRELAND: So that was it then and it was once again to be a fond farewell to Ireland and home once again to the UK via ‘The Last Pub in Ireland’ and a very stormy ride on the high seas! Then back to the UK via Wales….
“There is often a great sense of ‘time’ when on our quests. It may be that certain place are ‘timeless’. Others places have a feeling of ‘going back in time’. Even more interesting some sites have a sense of being ‘time out of time’. A few places do have a sense of ‘drifting in and out of time’ – maybe thats a story for another day. In the Wicklow Mountains area there was definitely a feeling of time, but it was a sense of known history hidden in time. Pockets of ‘other time’ do exist within our reality, yet many will never have an inkling of what is really out there in their ‘time’….”
“Never forget that time is everything.
Time heals, time hides and time will always reveal….”
“There is a season for eveything.
A time for every occupation under heaven.
A time for giving birth.
A time for dying.
A time for planting.
A time for uprooting”
13th November 2022 “The Keeper of Scrolls”
email me here ‘moon.willow@ntlworld.com’
“So it was time to say goodbye to our lovely ‘Beach Pad’ on the Hook Penisular. We had thoroughly enjoyed staying there for the four nights and were very sad to leave, as we we also sad to be nearing the end of this amazing quest. We had stayed here amongs some of the most beautiful counrtyside and coastal scenery i have ever seen. There are many stunning places left in this realm, more people need to get out and about and enjoy it more and see what really matters in this life….”
23rd SEPTEMBER 2021:
Dunbrody Famine Ship Experience. Quayside. New Ross. Co Wexford.
This reproduction of the original sailing ship cuts a fine historic figure along the quayside of New Ross, and is certainly a step back in time to what life used to be like and very eye-opening too when one takes the tour of the ship. One gets a real sense of how hard life could be and of how so many people risked their very life for the promise of a better life elswhere, and yet immigration and migration still goes on today, so for some folks nothing has changed. After we had been thrown back in time, we had a lovely meal in the resturant there and browsed the shop, which did had some good quality Celtic gifts there.
A fascinating experience for anyone and i discovered a couple of ‘Fords’ too! <click to enlarge>
Grail Bloodline:
Church of St Mary. Cushintown. Co Wexford: For a church that is so full of beautiful and meaningful symbolism relating to Craft, there is practically nothing on the internet in respect of any history of this church, but maybe that is the way it is meant to be…
A beautiful church in a lovely setting. One can see that the remains of St Teresa visited this church, so maybe a story for another day… <click to enlarge>
Look closely at some of the windows here, some of you may recognise what that represent <click to enlarge>
Grail Bloodline:
Ferns Cathedral: Ferns Lower. Co Wexford: Sadly the cathedral was closed when we arrived, but it did have some pretty grounds and an old cemetry we could wander around and the remains of a medieval monastry nearby. But happily i have managed to find some info on it. The cathedral church of St Edan is a cathedral church of the church of Ireland in the ecclesiastical province of Dublin. Until 1949, the designation of the Cathedral was the Cathedral Church of St. Ædan, a variant spelling of Edan or Aidan. The original medieval Roman Catholic cathedral was built by Bishop St. John in the 1230s. The building was burnt down in Elizabethan times by the O’Byrnes of Wicklow, and only a small portion of the ruins remain. Although Queen Elizabeth 1 of England ordered it rebuilt, only a section of the choir was restored. This was subsequently further altered in the early 1800s and the cathedral was reordered again in the early 1900s. An internal chancel arch was raised, and a quire and sanctuary created. Chapter stalls were re-used from Kilkenny cathedral. A new episcopal ‘cathedra’ was provided and the flat plaster ceiling of the church was replaced with one of boarded wood in a gothic revival style and various other works completed over the years, but sadly of late both the cathedral and the cemetry have been vandalised.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferns_Cathedral
A bit more interesting on this site:
https://www.discoverireland.ie/wexford/ferns-cathedral
Grail Bloodline:
“So the end of another very interesting day had arrived and time to make our way to our lasts digs of this quest, a rather sumptous apartment at Rosslare Harbour, rather handily situated near the ferry terminal…”
‘The Keeper of Scrolls’
AKA ‘moon.willow@ntlworld.com’
5th October 2022
‘We have arrived at the last chapter of this magificant Irish Quest, where many truths and revelations were revealed. I have become a little behind with these updates, due to life and covid and also covering (and enjoying) more quests too, so lots of learning, photography and of course great companionship has certainly been experienced. Re-capping here after such a long gap will be like a learning process for me all over again. As i have become so far behind i will try and keep the write-ups shorter than usual and maybe just allow the wiki descriptions to come into their own by sharing the link rather than a long description. Of course all Craft info will be shared as before’
Wednesday 20th July 2022:
Day Eleven: All Saints Church. Templetown. Fethard County Wexford. The area is on the beautiful Hook Penisular, the area we were staying in for a few nights, with sea views and stunning landscapes everywhere one looks. This elevated ‘Keystone Church’ church looks over the countryside with some lovely views all around it. Over one of the doors is a lovely image of the Archangel Michael, whom is turning out to be some kind of protector (or guide) to us on these quests – he is certainly a guide to me…..
All Saints Church Templetown <please click to enlarge>
Inside the church is some rather unusual and beautiful decor, the likes of which i had not seen before, full of colour and symbolism and of course the connection to Templarism is extremely obvious from the symbolism here, and if ones knows what one is looking for, some well placed Grail symbols are to be discovered. The church dates from 1895/1900 and was ‘restored in 1998 and you can read more on its architectural features in the link below:
The beauty of the well-loved interior <please click to enlarge>
However this may be of more interest to Craft folks, for, according to this article, the church shares a Knight Templar history: https://www.patrickcomerford.com/2019/03/a-church-in-templetown-that-owes-more.html
Just a snippet of the article but more to read on the link above: “Templetown on the Hook Peninsula takes its name from the Knights Templar who were granted large sections of land in this remote area of south-west Co Wexford shortly after the arrival of the Anglo-Normans in Ireland. The Knights Templar were a religious, monastic order formed in 1118 to defend the Kingdom of Jerusalem and to protect Christian pilgrims during the Crusades. Their official name was the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon. The Templars arrived in Ireland in September 1220, and their foundations in Ireland included the Templar church in Templetown, Co Wexford, Clontarf Castle, north of Dublin, Baldongan Castle near Skerries, and, perhaps, Askeaton in Co Limerick. They continued to hold vast estates across Europe until King Philip IV, who was heavily in debt to the Templars accused them of heresy and sexual misconduct. Many of the Templars were arrested and Pope Clement V disbanded the order. Like their counterparts across Europe the Templars in Ireland were ruthlessly suppressed amidst bizarre allegations between 1308 and 1310. The Templars in Ireland were arrested on 2 February 1308 and held in Dublin Castle. Their estates were seized by King Edward II, who leased them to close allies and associates. Five inquisitors, three Dominicans and two Franciscans, arrived in Ireland in September 1309 to oversee the trial. The trial began on 6 February in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, and lasted four months, concluding on 6 June 1310. The historical records of the time do not show any evidence of the use of torture on the Knights Templar in Ireland” contiued on wepage….
For a tour around the churchs with many of the symbols explaind – please see our youtube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZfJOxSLz-4
All Saints Church Templetown: For those of your following our Quests you will see that the symbolism here simply screams Templarism, and for those of you going that bit deeper deeper Grail clues may be revealed… <please click on photos to enlarge them>
Hook Lighthouse. Hook Head. Churchtown. Co Wexford: Set on a spectacular coastal headland, where the seas are wild and untamed, the Hook Lighthouse on the Hook Penisular is a fascinating place to visit and is on the Norman Way Footpath. It is one of the oldest lighthouse in the world, and the second oldest operating lighthouse in the world, after the Tower of Hecules in Spain. We took the guided history tour of the lighthouse and climbed to the very top up a very steep old stone spiral stairway, to amazing views all around. The existing tower dates from the twelth century and apparently a beacon has been in place since the 5th century. When we were there in 2021 the lighthouse would have been 849 years old. The tower was built by Strongbow’s son-in-law William Marshall, Earl of Pembroke, who succeeded Strongbow as Earl of Leinster. Hook lighthouse is a fascinating example of Irish medieval architecture.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook_Lighthouse
A gorgeous day in Ireland on the Hook Penisular where we spent a fascinating few hours <please click to enlarge>
Grail Bloodline:
The stunning coast of Co Wexford, on our way to the Star of the Sea Church <click to enlarge>
Our Lady Star of the Sea Church. Duncannon. Co Wexford. Ireland: This beautiful church dedicated to Mary (whom of course is the s’tar of the sea’) was built in 1896 and stands on Duncannons highest point, overlooking the Waterford Estuary. It proved impossible to find out any info from the internet on this church, so maybe it was not meant to be. The church did have a few surprises inside in the way of clues to our quest and to the Fisher King. It also had a rather beautiful energy that aligned with my own. Some things are not alway meant to be obvious, for what they truly are, in the world of men and i guess this is one such place. If you watch the video above, the astute of you may pick up on some Grail clues, but anyway you will recieve knowledge not shared afortime.
The beautiful ‘Star of the Sea’ in its elevated setting <click to enlarge>
Subtle clues for the keen-eyed to pick up on….
The flower of southern Ireland surrounds this church
Grail Bloodline clues:
Meanwhile on a deserted hillside in Co Wexford, the last visit of the day was this lovely ruin of a Templar Church, of which Templetown was named after. We quietly wandered around on our own enjoying these old Templar ruins. Again not a lot in the way of info apart from the notice here, it’s part of the ‘Norman Way’ too, and ramblers like a bit of useful info…
And so it was that we bade a sad farewell to the Hook Pennisular, for we had truly enjoyed being here, for many reasons… <click to enlarge>
The dawning of another day would take us on another part of this Irish Quest; our last chapter in fact….
‘The Keeper of Scrolls’
AKA ‘moon.willow@ntlworld.com’
“I am always please to hear from you, feel free to drop me a line, teachings also available”
3rd October 2022
“Grounding and settling down in Ireland was a much quicker process than last time we were there; tuning into the energies, we quickly found our feet and indeed became energised by it all. With lovely realxing views from our accomadation, we swiftly settled in, full of anticipation into quest mode…”
Thursday 1st July: St Coleman’s Church: Newcastle: St Colemans Church is situated in a quiet area of Newcastle, in lovely spacious grounds with views all around. Newcastle is a small yet beautifully vibrant coastal resort in County Down, with a population of 7,672 at the 2011 Census. It lies within the Mourne Mountains district and is extremely popular. The name of the town is thought to derive from the castle built by Felix Magennis of the Magennis clan in 1588, which stood at the mouth of the Shimna River. This castle was demolished in 1830. The Mourne Mountains are the setting for many local myths and legends. There are stories of ‘The Blue Lady’, a woman abandoned by her husband whose ghost still haunts the mountains, and more recently the idea of a wild cat living in the Mournes. Many of the stories although having true origins are only folklore and give many of the towns attractions their names, such as Maggie’s Leap being named after a local girl called Maggie, who leapt over the impressive chasm to her death while fleeing soldiers with a basket of eggs. You can read much more via the link below:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newcastle,_County_Down
A peaceful site but little known about the church….
Sadly though, this little church was closed to us on this day: it was erected and opened in 1927, but the site would have been established long before that. There are some interesting artworks and pulpit to see inside, if we had been able to actually get inside. The parish graveyard adjoins St Colman’s. The churchyard is about 1 mile from the Church of Ireland Church, to which it belongs. It is therefore, technically a church cemetery as it is detached from the church. There are two Commonwealth burials of the 1914-1918 war here. One of which, in the South-West part, is the grave of an unidentified Naval rating whose body was sadly washed ashore in May,1918.
Such a peaceful gravyard with some splendid memorials within. Many of the relevant churches upon this quest are shut do to covid and so i cannot show you any of the amazing artifacts and symbols that may be inside – instead some peaceful strolls around the grounds to soak up the enegies there… <click to enlarge>
It is written that St. Colman’s mother Queen Rhinagh, when in an advanced state of pregnancy in late 559 A.D., became the object of jealous hatred of her husband the King. The King had heard that according to a prophecy of authority his future son (St. Colman) was destined to surpass in greatness all the others of his illustrious lineage. Fearing the worst for her child still in her womb and for herself, Rhinagh was obliged to flee her husband’s company. She was nevertheless caught by the King’s men and cast with a heavy stone tied around her neck into the deepest portion of the Kiltartin river. Miraculously, Our Blessed Lord intervened, and in an instant, the heavy stone floated like a cork to the surface, bringing Rhinagh and her future offspring (St. Colman) safely to the river’s bank.
You can read more about St Coleman and his miraculour birth and life here:
http://www.stcolman.com/life_baptism.html
Grail Bloodline Connections:
Inch Abbey: Downpatrick: (from Irish Dún Pádraig,) meaning ‘Patrick’s stronghold’ is a small town about 21 miles south of Belfast in County Down, Northern Ireland. It has been an important site since ancient times and it’s cathedral is said to be the burial place of Saint Patrick. Downpatrick had a population of 10,822 according to the 2011 Census. It is known for it’s historical connection to St. Patrick; the town being named after him. It is believed during the 5th century he had lived in Downpatrick and is currently buried in Down Catherdral. An early Bronze Age site was excavated in Downpatrick, revealing two round houses and some archaeological evidence indicates a Neolithic settlement at the Cathedral Hill site.
Lots more to read here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downpatrick
Inch Abbey, located on the north bank of the Quoile River, was founded by John de Courcy in atonement for his destruction of Erenagah Abbey. The buildings are mainly from the 12th and 13th centuries. The first monastery established on the northern banks of the river Quoile in 800 AD was known as Inis Cumhscraigh, but clearly the area was in use way before that, in order (from a Craft connection) for King Niall (see below) to have an interest in the area. Nothing remains of the early monastery, but traces of the Early Christian earthworks enclosure can be seen on aerial photographs. The setting is really beautiful, and you can see why the Anglo-Norman knight John de Courcy established the Cistercian abbey here in c.1180. It is believed the Abbey was founded as an act of repentance for his destruction of the Abbey at Erinagh three years earlier.
Layout of how Inch Abbey would have looked <click to enlarge>
The abbey was colonised with monks from Furness Abbey in England. It was built to a typical Cistercian layout, a large cruciform church with a low tower at the crossing of the north and south transept. The cloister garth is situated to the south of the church. Along the east of the cloister are the ruins of a vestry, chapter house, parlour and day room. To the south is the refectory and kitchen. There was a well and a bakehouse situated to the southwest of the cloister. The abbey, which retained a strong English influence refusing to accept Irish monks into the community, was remodelled in the 15th century, before being suppressed in 1541. It’s name is derived from the Irish word inis, meaning ‘island’, referring to the fact that the monastery was originally surrounded by the River Quoile. Interstingly another ‘Game of Thrones’ location.
Inch Abbey where time reveals the hidden and ancient energies reveal. Inch Abbey still has many secrets yet to be revealed, many buried underground, within time. Many secrets, of a kind not visible, only sensed, waiting hidden in time, maybe never revealed…. Ireland, whatever the weather, is a beautiful country full of surprises and interesting enenergies. <click to enlarge>
At the time of King Niall (Karl’s 46th GGF) there was also a lot of Danish influence in the area, which will be a story for another day, but the Vikings did plunder the settlement in 1149 AD and carried out a great deal of destruction, that later had to be rebuilt, so the abbey has always been under attack over the years. What is interesting is that it was almost ‘lost in time’, because of how the valley is situated and how the land lies, a lot of the valley area was covered up totally, and it was only through exavations, that what was hidden was revealed again and the abbey discovered underground. This does prove that there is so much history hidden underground, and still to this very day much lies hidden, Sometimes the history is only revealed when new bulidings or carparks etc are excavated, so much still hidden within the earth. But in a way this is similar to history and knowledge being buried within the minds of folks, especially Craft or spiritual folks; the knowledge is buried deep within but unlike the buildings, time will forever hide it, and the passing of a person, unlike the simple passing of time will never reveal the knowledge gained – unless of couse we of Craft, of these modern times can pass it on to true and willing students – the ball is in your court guys – do you or do you not wish to learn the ways and knowledge of Craft or shall it be forever hidden within time itself?
More words and pictures here: http://www.megalithicireland.com/Inch%20Abbey,%20Downpatrick.html
Grail Bloodline Connections
Ballee Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church. Downpatrick: This T-shaped meetinghouse has been at Ballee since 1721, originally a thatched building but at some point, later in the eighteenth century, a new roof was built from Memel pine. Later still the old box pews were removed and used to fit out new rooms in the church. But the walls are the same walls that have stood as silent witness for three hundred years. There’s no minister here and the church is amalgameted with a nearby church. We were very lucky to meet and chat to Lorna, who was very kind and made a special effort to get the key to let us in. So very lucky to get inside to take some good photos but sadly no video for we were escorted around on this occasion, not underestimating the kindness shown though.
Ballee Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church. Downpatrick <please click on the image to view>
There are some lovely artworks and plaques on the walls, a wonderful collection of vintage religious books; any antique book lover would be in a personal heaven here, as indeed i was after just a short glimpse at the archives here. Elaborate timbers/roof beams, imported from the far eastern end of the Baltic Sea, from trees 100’s of years old, from the lands that were once East Prussia, adorned the ceiling overhead. Trade links with the Baltic were already established at the time by the Presbyterian merchants in Belfast. The church inside is very well looked after, with lots of natural wood used and the flaming emblem of the non-subscribing church on the pulpit cloth and plaques are indeed very striking. I noticed the interesting barrel-shaped mausolea, mostly dating from the late eighteenth or early nineteenth centuries in the graveyard here and other graveyards in the area too. Downpatrick has a large number of what have been describes as being of ‘the barrel-vaulted variety, rather like a Nissen-hut ’.
Karl discovered some of his own family line here in the cemetry; the ‘Hill’ surname <click to enlarge>
Again a connection here to King Niall 342 AD; the name of which would later become the Neville surname, in time becoming the House of Neville, traced into Scotland, County Durham, Raby and Raby Castle itself (see previous quests), showing how fascinating it is, the migration and movement of names. Lovely energies, we saw what we needed to see.
https://velvethummingbee.com/category/ballee-non-subscribing-presbyterian-church/
Grail Bloodline Connections:
Castle Ward National Trust: Strangford Downpatrick: ‘The very popular ‘Game of Thrones’ is based in this area, where lots of filming has taken place, and this is certainly what many folks tune into, but these two questers here have never seen it. It certainly is a stunning area, all the countryside around is magnificant. The unique 18th-century mansion, famed for its mixture of architectural styles with its gothic and classical style collide at Castle Ward, rests on rolling hillsides, looking out over the tranquil waters of Strangford Lough. One can walk or cycle along the Lough trail or through the sheltered woodlands and spot butterflies, rabbits, ducks, and swans. One can step into a fantasy world of castles and dragons, when exploring the Georgian farmyard, the lough shore, and film locations for Game of Thrones. The restored Victorian sunken gardens are a gardeners delight. There is a lot of walking, but even though very beautiful, not really suitable unless one is very fit.
The whole area is connected to the High King of Ireland, King Conaill, 409 AD, in the Ulster area, which folks may know from the ‘red hand’ of the flag, seen in many places and buildings in Ireland. The Neville house or line has always had a big connection/obsession with the colours of Red, White and Black which featured very prominently in the early degrees of Craft, so there still may be some connections there, yet to be discovered.
The sunken gardens at Castle Ward and the view looking over towards ‘Winterfell’
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Ward
Grail Bloodline Connections:
Temple Water: Downpatrick: This very picturesque beauty spot is part of the Castle Ward estate and of course a part of our quest too. On foot a lot of walking needed to be carried out to get there but we did get some wonderful views overlooking this artificial, yet stunning lake. There are various trails and walks that take one around the lake, upon the shores. The whole arera is rather focussed on family activities these days.
Grail Bloodline Connections:
Audley’s Castle: Portloughan Downpatrick: Again another ‘Game of Thrones’ location and one can certainly see why, but long before that of course and much more important is it’s connection to our quests. One can park quite near, just a short walk up a gentle slope with wonderful views or one can, if up to it, drive up the very ‘off the beaten track’ way. It is a spendid building, what remains of it, with wonderful views overlooking the Temple Lake and it has a small courtyard area alonside it, where one can sit on the wall and admire the view. As a castle in it’s heyday it would have commaded an excellent position. It is 15th-century, located 1 mile north-east of Strangford, County Down on a rocky height overlooking Strangford Lough. It is a three-storey tower house, named after its 16th century owner, John Audley, of an Anglo-Norman family who held land in the area in the 13th century. There are thousands of small stone towers similar to Audley’s Castle in the Irish countryside, made for the lesser lords and gentry. Most were built in the late Middle Ages (roughly 1350–1550). Audley’s was built towards the end of this period. It was sold, with the surrounding estate, to the Ward family in 1646 and used in 1738 as an eye-catching focus of the long vista along Castle Ward’s artificial lake, Temple Water. The site has a number of paths to allow you to get to the Castle.
But also a connection here to King King Conaill, 409 AD, Ulster and of the Neville lineage.
Audley Castle and Temple Lake <click to enlarge>
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audley%27s_Castle
Grail Bloodline Connections:
Friday 2nd July: St Mary’s Church, Lordship: Riverstown: So the first church of the day and to our delight we were able to get inside. However there is not a lot on the internet about the area or the church. The Parish of Riverstown incorporating Sooey and Gleann is located just off the N4, 15 minutes outside Sligo town. Riverstown, historically called Ballyederdaowen (Irish: Baile idir dhá Abhainn, meaning ‘town between two rivers’), is a village in County Sligo, known for its musical traditions.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riverstown
St Mary’s Church, Lordship: Riverstown; some noce symbolic items and windows here…
St Mary’s Church, Lordship was immaculately kept, both inside and out and there were some beautiful windows and artworks to see inside. Sadly there was not a lot on the interent about it; just a simple word or two such as the fact that the OS 1835 survey shows a cruciform ‘R.C. Chapel’ here and present nameboard states ‘Erected 1834’. Remodelled or rebuilt 1858-74 by architect John Murray. This Catholic parish church in the Cooley Peninsula dates from 1834. It stands alongside the R173.
Some beautiful and symbolic artworks and windows <click to view>
As always on these quests, whether we gain entry or not to a particular church or site we are able to mark off the ‘trail’ of the ‘lines’ as they travelled around, back through time to the days (in this case) of the 1700’s and 1800’s.
Grail Bloodline Connections:
Church of the Immaculate Conception: Lisaturrin: A stunning looking church, in the parish of Kingscourt, in a very elevated position with amazing views all around and happily again we were able to gain access. This time we managed to squeeze in before the start of a funeral, which at the time we was not aware was imminent. An interesting church with a connection to John Fordham 1883, we do know that the Fordhams were originally out of Colooney, south/east of Sligo and prior to that, they were in France (the Desposyni line) and because of the migrational patterns the Fordhams spent time in this area of Cavan County. The whole area is quite mountainous and one can easily get ‘off the beaten track’ and explore wherever the tracks may lead to, but we do have to stick to the main purpose that is at the heart of our quests.
An impressive Victorian Gothic-Revival church, embellished with fine stonework and stained glass, designed by Cavan architect William Hague (1836-1899), and built to replace an earlier chapel. The plan and elevation are reflective of a literal interpretation of medieval church plan and elevations. The colourful note added by the alternating slate and stone to the exterior are aesthetically pleasing, while the variety of stonework finishes to both interior and exterior exemplify local craftsmanship of the period. The retention of original detailing such as floor tiling and pews is also important. The building is of national artistic significance for its stained glass windows by the Dublin-born painter and stained glass artist Evie Hone (1894-1955), commissioned 1946, as well as windows from the studio of Harry Clarke, added c.1960. There are also some stuning Celtic crosses in the gravyard (see above) and you can read more about the stunning windows and interior from the link below.
A beautiful interior with many symbolic artworks and windows <click on image for close ups>
Grail Bloodline Connections:
Virginia Church: Virginia: Quite a large church in big grounds right in the heart of Virginia on a busy road junction. Again we could not get in but had a good look around before having a lovely lunch (outside because of covid) in a bistro across the road. Virginia (Irish: Achadh an Iúir, meaning ‘field of the yew) is a town in County Cavan, Ireland. Founded in the 17th century at as a plantation town, it now holds both local industry and commuter housing. Founded at Aghanure it was named Virginia after Queen Elizabeth 1 of England, the “Virgin Queen.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia,_County_Cavan
Virginia Church, some lovely old Celtic crosses <click to enlarge>
The church serves as a symbolic focal point in this former plantation town, the church enjoys a monumental setting which is enhanced by its ample grounds and mature trees. The plan is simple but effective, placing the focus on the church tower and spire which can be seen from a distance. The building is a good example of a Board of First Fruits church with early nineteenth century ‘gothic’ style details such as the cusp mouldings in the windows and crenellated parapet buttresses serving more decorative than structural functions. Major alterations were made to the church following a storm on Christmas night in 1818 when the steeple fell and destroyed the roof, and after a fire which caused major damage in 1830. There are some attractive old Celtic crosses in the graveyard.
St Mary’s Church of Ireland: Dillonsland: It was a very fleeting visit to this church as we could not even get into the grounds for a wander around – so a few quick snaps from the roadside had to suffice! The modern Navan Parish is made up of five mediaeval parishes: Athlumney, Cannistown, Donaghmore, Dunmoe and Navan. Although cemeteries still survive in these locations, the churches were suppressed in the Penal Laws era, with many surviving simply as derelict buildings. St. Mary’s Church is named after the mediaeval Augustinian abbey which was located on the outskirts of the Parish called St. Mary’s. St. Mary’s Abbey and its associated granges were suppressed on the orders of King Henry VIII, the English monarch.
Just a few quick snaps from behind the railings!
Detached church, built c.1815, with three-bay side elevation to nave, having single-bay chancel attached to east. Earlier three-stage pinnacled tower, built 1762, attached to west. Set behind railings in graveyard. Double-pitched and hipped roofs, natural slates, dentil eaves course, cast iron gutters. Uncoursed rubble limestone walls with ashlar trims signal and diagonal pinnacled buttresses at corners and west wall – some pinnacles removed. Perpendicular-style openings with stone frames and timber tracery, dark coloured glass, 1870’s east window. Surrounded by graveyard with graves dating from mid 18th century, ashlar gate piers and cast iron railings and gates c.1870.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Mary%27s_Church%2C_Navan
http://www.navanhistory.ie/index.php?page=st-mary-s-church-of-ireland
Grail Bloodline Connections:
See our video on the first few days of our adventure!
Karls Comments on the First Few Days
The Purpose of the Quests from Karl: “The purpose of what the quests are really about, and what we do on these quests is to ‘sign off’ or ‘tie off’ some of the churches that we know from the past, which will of course mean different things to different people. What we are trying to do is to establish the past in order to try and understand the future, and of course we have the Grail in that line there, along the way. As i have said so many times before – what is the Grail? It is a mystery and perhaps it will always remain a mystery, perhaps it is meant to, but what’s interesting is, there are different messages that our forefathers, our ancestors left for us in different places, and these churches often have the signs, and symbols and codes that will allow us to see and know which direction the path is following in. Will we ever find the Grail – who knows, perhaps the Grail has been with us all the time, who knows that? At the end of the day though the Grail means something, and it’s a pathway to follow”
Ireland is a beautiful place and we hope it stays that way for many years to come……
‘The Keeper of Scrolls’ August 2021
<moon.willow@ntlworld..com>
“After about 18 months of trying to get to Ireland on this mighty long awaited quest because of covid, we were full of happiness and anticipation to have finally made it. The journey to the Liverpool ferry was of course part of the quest itself, visiting two beautiful churches along the way and for those who have been following our quests you will have picked up maybe, the reason why we visit the sites we do. Altogether it turned out to be at least a 2000 mile round trip where we travelled from coast to caost of both the north an south of Ireland; a truly amazing adventure!”
Day One: Tuesday 29th July 2021: Saint Savours Church: Aston-by-Stone, Stone. Set in a gorgeous part of the English countryside, in a ‘middle of nowhere’ peaceful setting, this church really did look a picture postcard, with beautifully maintained gardens and flowers everywhere. An interesting little church but sadly closed. Yet when one looked closely a few surprises with a little ‘secret’ around the back….
Aston-by-Stone: Staffordshire: The pretty silhouette of the spire of St Saviour’s Church is what folks see at first, yet there is also the Catholic Church of St Michael in the grounds of Aston Hall, now run by a small group of nuns who care for sick and aging clergy. The relics of St Chad were rediscovered in the chapel at Aston Hall in 1838, where they had been hidden during the Reformation. Legend has it that a cross on the Hall’s boundary wall marks the spot where a monk was killed by lightning. There is a large pond and old osier bed, reflecting the connection to the potteries, that require baskets for transporting their products. A stream runs down to the pool at Aston Farm, which at one time provided the power for a waterwheel. This wheel still exists and was used to grind corn, and earlier this century to power a milking machine.
The name Aston is probably derived from the Anglo-Saxon for ‘Ashtown’ and was recorded in the Domesday book as Estone. It is an ancient crossing point, and a ford or bridge has existed there since the 15th century, and pre-dates the bridge in Stone. The main road from Stafford to Stone crossed the Trent in Aston until the Stafford-Stone turnpike was opened in 1761. The former is now a quiet lane, with a narrow humped-backed canal bridge on a bend and the banks are rich in wildflowers. There is an old wharf at Mill Farm, the site of a water-powered flint mill. Ground flints were also required by the Potteries.
St Savours Church: Situated in Church Lane, Aston, the church serves the area of Aston, and Little Stoke. 1846, the architect was James Trubsham, the steeple was added in 1870 by J R Botham. It is Gothic style and an A grade 2 listed building, with a stone with slate roof, nave, chancel, and north-west tower with broach steeple. It has a good east window by C A Gibbs and a WW2 memorial plaque. The parish church was built in the Early English style during the 1840s by local landowners, the Parker-Jervis family. As it was closed due to covid (i guess) there was no chance of getting inside to take any photos. It is recorded that the church has records from about 1870 circa, however there are older records going back to 625 AD, from the very foundation of the church, which clearly there had to be, as Karl’s 49 x Great Grandfather was there in his own time up until 494 AD.
Upon the church building are carvings of geometric pyramid shapes (meaningful in Craft) and a Lord and Lady take guard over the entrance, while round the back of the church a secret path leads to a treasured building with an angel keeping a silent watch… <click to enlarge>
Symbols in stone, an angel guards a secret path to a building unspoken of, and the Lord and Lady stay silent…..
After doing some research on the internet it seems that the mysterious building is the Parker Jervis Mausoleum, which sadly gives the appearance of being very unattended, but maybe it is meant to look that way? It is a Grade 2 listed building built in 1864 by John Wood for the Parker Jervis family of Aston Hall, made from Hollington sandstone ashlar. It is rectangular on the plan with walls having a pronounced batter with roll moulded cornice in the Doric style. <interestingly a few masonic references here> A blocking course conceals a flat roof of stone,with a straight head doorway on the short side, with plain lintel and a plank door with wrought-iron hinges. The mausoleum is sunk into the ground of the churchyard with roughly hewn sandstone retaining walls. It was erected at the expense of the Honourable Edward Swinfen Parker Jervis of Little Aston Hall and his son Edward John Parker Jervis of Aston House, Aston by Stone, and consecrated on 9th April 1864. I do not know whom Parker Jervis was, apart from being a prominent person in his day, or if anyone (or anything for that matter) is still lain inside the mausoleum, but it is a fascinating and secretive building hidden away as it is, and one cannot but wonder why? Maybe more rresearch for another day…..
http://www.mmtrust.org.uk/mausolea/view/491/Parker_Jervis_Mausoleum
Grail Bloodline Connections:
Day One: Tuesday 29th July 2021: Our Lady & Saint Nicholas Church: Liverpool. The Anglican Parish Church of Liverpool is on a site said to have been a place of worship since at least the 1250s. The church is situated close to the River Mersey near the Pier Head and controls a prominent view. One would have thought it to be easy to locate, right on the river front as such, but what with all the road-works in the area and placement of the windows and other things within the car, we ended up driving around for a bit before finally seeing it! Of course Liverpool is a very vibrant and busy city with lots of regeneration going on, especially in the waterfront area where we were.
A sailors church overlooks the quayside, the old resides amongst the new, symbols set in stone and wood, past memories cherished in time….
The Chapel of St Nicholas (Patron Saint of Sailors) was built on the site of St May del Quay, which in 1355 was determined to be too small for the growing borough of Liverpool. It is recorded as a designated Grade II listed building and was constructed between 1811 – 1852 from designs by architect’s Edward C Butler and Thomas Harrison. It is an active parish church in the diocese of Liverpool, ye sadly although folks were around there, we were still not allowed in to do our research – so maybe not that active then in respect of visitors traveling from afar?
The church was once the tallest building in Liverpool at 53 metres from 1813–1868 when surpassed by the Welsh Presbyterian Church in Toxteth. The church stands in the heart of Liverpool Business District and is one the city’s oldest and most historic churches. There was a nice peaceful energy there and some very symbolic pieces in the gardens and upon the church exterior walls.
Many fascinating symbols of a Craft nature are to found all over the church here & who knows what was waiting to be found inside… <click to enlarge>
There has been a place of worship on this spot since at least 1257 with St Mary Del Quay mentioned in records from around this time, a larger chapel was constructed in 1362 and dedicated to St Nicholas patron saint of mariners, as Liverpool grew as a city the church grew in size doubling itself by the 15th century. During the Civil Wars the defeated and captured Parliamentarians were imprisoned in the church. The continued growth of the city saw a spire added in 1747 and the Churchyard extended two years later, around 1775 the church underwent extensive rebuilding due to its state of disrepair but by 1810 the church was once again in a state of neglect to such an extent that the spire collapsed with tragic consequences, the tower was rebuilt in 1815 and till 1927 the church changed very little but on the 21st of December 1840 the church suffered wartime bomb damage, the tower and administration section of the church survived but what we see today was rebuilt post war.
Lord Edward Neville had a particular interest in this church, around about 1471 AD, although he was based in Abergavenny, he was very interested in what was going on in Liverpool at that particular time and of the deep-rooted connection to religion and of how people lived their lives on a daily basis revolving around religion, at that time.
The garden area is fabulous and very well kept – a little oasis of tranquillity in fact and there are so many statues and memorials there which are a delight to see and the views of the three graces are stunning from the church grounds, which one can read more about from the last link below.
The gardens here are full of meaningful memorials <click to view>
Grail Bloodline Connections:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Our_Lady_and_Saint_Nicholas,_Liverpool
https://www.lan-opc.org.uk/Liverpool/Liverpool-Central/stnicholas/index.html
https://www.thetrailblazer.co.uk/blog/liverpools-3-graces-a-brief-history-1
Liverpool skyline at dusk showing the Three Graces
From Cambridge to Liverpool, and now it was time to catch the night ferry and in the morning we will be in Ireland; we were both so excited and full of anticiapation, hardly believing we were actually on our way after all this time – so dreams do come true and all one needs is patience and an understanding of time… The night ferry crossing from Liverpool turned out to be very smooth and comfortable, in our lovely new cabins, and despite hardly any sleep for a couple of nights, i felt rested and excited. A new day and a new adventure was waiting – touring the Mourne Mountains and coastal areas of Newcastle; it’s all so stunningly beautiful and will all be below… I was feeling very blessed.
Leaving Liverpool with a magical looking quayside….<click to expand>
Day Two: Wednesday 30th July 2021: After a cosy and comfortable night on the ferry, we disembarked at Belfast at 6am; a time of day that this writer rarely ever sees! But the excitement of being in Ireland and finally starting this major important quest quickly overcame any thoughts of tiredness. Driving through Belfast it was sunny and quiet, but of course it was very early! The suburbs of Belfast looked very attractive in the early morning light, which just served to motivate us on our way even more.
A suuny early morning drive through Belfast <click to enlarge>
St John’s Church. Hilltown. County Down: After a short drive, admiring the scenery along the way, we arrived at St John’s Church, Hilltown, a small village within the townland of Carcullion (Irish: Carr Cuilinn) in County Down, the main village of the parish of Clonduff, with a population of 899 people in the 2001 census. Hilltown has eight public houses in the high street, a legacy from 18th century smugglers who shared out their contraband here. The village has a livestock market on alternate Saturdays and a Georgian market house opposite St John’s parish church (1766) which adjoins the old inn, the Downshire Arms. Hilltown did not get its name from the two hills that it spreads over, but was named after the Hill family and Wills Hill, 1st Marquess of Downshire; the family were English politicians who also gave their name to nearby Hillhall and Hillsborough.The Hills founded the village in 1766 so people living in the area could find employment in the linen industry, and also built the church in the eighteenth century. Despite its early history, Hilltown has a very strong connection to Irish culture. It is a strongly nationalist/republican village, as is Cabra and the surrounding rural areas that comprises the parish of Clonduff. Throughout the troubles, both had a small contingent of paramilitaries, mainly the Provisional Irish Republican Army.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilltown,_County_Down
As we probably suspected St John’s Church was closed, maybe due to covid but also it was still fairly early in the day! The original building on the site was built 9th August 1771, and the current building was built near the site of the ancient pre-penal times catholic parish church. The gable of the ancient church still remains with an old graveyard surrounding it, the ruins forming part of the district crest. Nearby is the largest fairy thorn bush in Ulster and according to local legend called ‘Old Bull and Bush’, which grew, it is said, from a stick planted by a priest who had used it to drive off a bull which had knocked over the church wall several times during construction. The church was designed by Thomas Duff in 1842, but the building was suspended during the famine years, then completed in 1850. From a Craft/Quest perspective John Fordham paid a vist here in 1883 for a meeting, but also something interesting may have occured in that area in the same year, so is there as connection there?. An interesting church with lots of connections to the past and like all the churches we visit on our quests, it not the buildings we visit but the connection to why the church was built there originally. A reason then, that over time the churches have been built upon over and over again until the true reason has become well and truly hidden in time. One has to look deep to discover just why these churches are built in these specific places, and in these current times often in isolated places but usually in an elevated position – so lots to think about folks! Some lovely views, but as we could not get in we simply had a stroll around.
Ancient Crosses and Religious Shrines nestle near the foothills of the magificant Mourne Mountains.
Churches built upon over and over again in time: why? <click to enlarge>
Read more below:
Grail Bloodline Connections:
St Malachy’s Church. Main St. Castlewellan: So a further short drive to reach St Malachy’s Church in Castlewellan; a bustling, vibrant little town. Sadly although the church was open, a funeral service was taking place and so out of respect for the mourners we did not venture inside and sadly we could not stroll around the grounds either, out of respect for all those whom were there… However we stayed awhile as we found a nice littel cafe almost opposite the church, in which to have a tasty breakfast and wonderful coffee! Castlewellan (Irish Caisleán Uidhilín ‘Hugelin’s Castle’) is as said, a small town in County Down in the south-east of Northern Ireland close to the Irish Sea, beside Castlewellan Lake and Slievenaslat mountain. It is not far from the Mourne Mountains, with a population of 2,782 people in the 2011 census. It has a wide main street which runs through two main squares lined with chestnut trees, designed by a French architect for the Annesley Family. The town is unique within Ireland due to its tree-lined squares both in the old town (upper square) and new town (lower square) as well as its very wide main street. The old market house in the upper square was built in 1764 and now houses the public library. 12 July 1849 saw the Dolly’s Brae conflict when up to 1400 armed Orangemen marched from Rathfriland to Tollymore Park near Castlewellan. On their homeward journey, shots were fired and police were unable to control the situation. None of the Orangemen were harmed, but it was estimated that about 80 Catholics were killed and homes burnt. Castlewellan throughout the course of ‘the troubles’, had a significant paramilitary presence in the village, mostly through the presence of the Provisional Irish Republican Army
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castlewellan
The church is a Catholic church and is in the centre of the town and was built in the 1880’s on the site of an older church, by father James McWilliams, from designs by Mortimer H. Thomas. From photos on the internet, there looks to be some interesting pieces inside; many of the adornments and beautiful pieces were provided by donations and bequests of Messrs. Mooney Brothers, merchants of Castlewellan. The church was constructed from Magheramayo granite and it is certainly magnificant to look at with a very Italian feel to it. It’s name, from Saint Malachy, bears more than a passing connection to Malak, meaning ‘messenger’ from the Sumerian times, so there could be a connection to the church, but as we could not go inside maybe the clues and answers are yet to be discovered, and of course a connection again to John Fordham.
A fine, Italian-style building, so sad we did not get inside…. <click to enlarge>
Grail Bloodline Connections:
The drive to the next church took us towards the lovely town of Newcastle and the Mourne Mountains, where we stopped for a short while along the coastal path, near the Bloody Bridge to admire the view and take some photos. The scenery in this area is beyond beautiful, and is almost divine i might add! It was such a glorias day and we were certianly feeling blessed to be here.
Kilhorne Parish Church. Annalong, Newry: Situated near the Mournes and the sea, Annalong is a picturesque fishing village in the heart of the ‘Kingdom of Mourne’. Annalong (Irish: Áth na Long, meaning ‘ford of the ships’) is a seaside village in County Down, Northern Ireland at the foot of the Mourne Mountains. It is situated in the civil parish of Kilkeel and the historic baronry of Mourne. It had a population of 1,805 people at the 2001 census. The village was once engaged in exporting dressed granite and is now a fishing and holiday resort.
Kilhorne means ‘church of the river’. This church is on the site of an old Pre-Reformation Catholic church with traces still of the old cemetery. It was built in 1840 with the chancel added 1883. Rev. George M. Black was appointed perpetual curate 17 Oct 1846, under the patronage of Rev. Close of Kilkeel. This magnificent church is located directly on the north-east coast of Ireland facing the Irish Sea and North Channel. It is a small Gothic church, consisting of nave, projecting chancel and side-corner modern vestry. Fronted by a square 3 stage tower with crenellation, and corner pinnacles. It has a front pointed arched recessed door with moulding and clock face. It has tall lancet windows along the nave. with ashlar quoins, and a modern Chinese granite disability ramp and a pitched slate roof with strap pointing. But sadly we could not get inside so who knows what treasures and clues it could have provided us on our quest.
As probably expected, some lovely anchor symbols in the graveyard and beautiful words upon a gravestone… <click to enlarge>
This historic church had stood in its original condition until the early 1980’s after which it was painstakingly restored to its present state. The restoration work was carried out by Mourne Granite Quarries, using Mourne granite. Part of the restoration work included removing the original aging render on the exterior of the building and exposing the beautiful coarse cut granite we see today. The newly exposed granite was then sand-blasted and re-pointed. The deterioration is ongoing though so work too has to be ongoing. I guess the wonderful site of this church, right overlooking the sea makes up for all the restoration work. In the graveyard there are graves to those killed in action…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annalong
Grail Bloodline Connections:
And so after a very busy day, we finally made it to our cosy and welcoming cottage near Newry, our home for the next two nights….
A last look at the marvelous Mournes for the night; always there to take our breath away…. <click to enlarge>
Some last words from Karl (Neville): “What a #Quest32 we had guys. There was no stone left unturned on this returning visit to the Emerald Isle. Some may even mark an area of County Mayo as the remains of Atlantis? Who can say? What is good to know about both Northern Ireland and Eire, is that the people are awesome, the views are divine, and the food is second to none. Bring it on Ireland ! We toured many churches and places of interest that Janis will be lisiting on her social media feeds and webpages, (she is!) so be sure to check these out. What a ride, what an adventure – Pieces of the jigsaw are certainly coming together…”
“FOR THOSE WHOM HAVE DREAMED OF A WORLD WITHOUT BOUNDARIES, THOSE WHOM HAVE SEEN THAT SHADOW IN THE CORNER OF THEIR EYE, AND THOSE WHOM HAVE HAVE HEARD THAT ‘ECHO IN TIME’.” K.N.
“It’s always exciting when someone you know brings out a new book and even more exciting when that ‘someone’ is one’s best friend and tutor and founder of ‘The Knights of the Red Order’.
Both the new books and the excellent podcast below, are full of amazing knowledge and info, giving an indepth insight into our Craft path of ‘The Knights of the Red Order’. I hope lots of you folks will watch and enjoy – and maybe even ask a question or two…” J.F.
<click the link below for the books>
THE GENESIS CODE. FINDING CAMELOT. UNDER THE DOME
A little lowdown then on these three important books (in my own words), for all you ‘Truth Seekers’ out there. These books are the cornerstone of the teachings of The Knights of the Red Order, formally known as The Priory and follow on from the previous Knight Templar and Priory books.
THE GENESIS CODE: Many would consider this book to be controversial in it’s exploration of human ancestry and the existence of G-d. Time and space is crossed to reveal the true royal bloodline, taking us back to the beginning of humankind, travelling up to date, exploring the existence of G-d and the Arch Angels along the way. The understanding of sacred rites, blessings and the importance of colour is also included. It is the first step to understanding that our reality is not as previously taught and will empower one to think outside of the box.
FINDING CAMELOT: Not as many would think, another book about King Arthur and his Knights, but rather a sharing of the true metaphysical links and truths of this famous legend throughout time and space. It explains many connections with the physical to the metaphysical realms and of how cycles do indeed repeat. It also explains in great depth, the true structure of our reality, of our world and of the creation of humankind (not for the faint-hearted) but for those wishing to evolve. It also touches on the fate and murder of Jesus by humankind. The earth’s magnetics and how ‘leylines’ work is explained from a perspective of the world not being round. It opens one’s mind to the other ‘energies’ and indeed species out there and of how signs and magical practices play an important role to open ones minds to unexplored truths. Once one reads this book, one certainly can never ‘go back’.
UNDER THE DOME: Natural and supernatural aspects are contained within this book. The fact that we all live ‘under the dome’ in a prison planet or false reality certainly does put many things into perspective, but also what is really beyond our known reality? As always, blessings, rites and practices are included. The truth of death and dying is also part of that which no one is told about, as is how ‘religion’ has supressed the truth for centuries. Controversial most certainly and many folks will not even be able to go here – yet in order to evolve, mankind needs to understand the true nature of the reality we all live in.
“Do you want the truth or something beautiful?” It is up to us to decide.
Mr Karl Neville was recently the subject of a very excellent podcast produced by Angelina Carleton which one can view in it’s entirety here below by clicking on the link, and also read the transcript below, with questions and aswers by Karl and Angelina:
SACRED MYSTERIES THROUGH LEGACY
SACRED MYSTERIES THROUGH LEGACY: The Neville Family Legacy Curated
<Karl’s answers to Angelina’s questions are in italics>
Have you ever been told something but, there was more to the story? What if there is additional knowledge to help you evolve as you unravel a mystery?
Like the adventures of Professor Langdon in the movie, The Da Vinci Code, we too can find ourselves on journey of exploration. Here to provide his perspective and to overcome any myths and perceptions is my cousin and author, Karl Neville, who will dive deeper into these subjects. Karl, can you tell us a little bit about your last 3 books…?
I WILL REFER TO ANOTHER’S PERSPECTIVE, ONE OF MY STUDENTS OF MANY DECADES AND HER PERSPECTIVE ON THEM… “The Knights of the Red Order, formally known as The Priory and following on from the previous Knight Templar Books and Priory Books”. (see The Genesis Code, Finding Camelot, and Under The Dome descriptons above)
Let’s start with any objections, to get them out of the way: can you identify objections to your book’s contents?
What has the response been from rabbis and clergy regarding the content in your books?
Generally a PC approach – But, most remain silent
What was right and wrong about the movie, The DaVinci Code directed by Ron Howard? How would You address any doubters?
As your books are the cornerstone of the teachings of The Knights of the Red Order, formally known as The Priory, would you share what these cornerstones are?
Given the risks and the controversy, why is it important for you to share what you know? In other words,how do you think it will assist the reader in their journey?
I opine that developing and executing one’s legacy is part “healthy ego” and part “conscience”; what was on your conscience in having the courage to write these latest three books in your name vs. a pen name? After publishing many books, I finally realised that if I write it, I must stand by it
I also opine that defining, developing and executing one’s legacy requires self-knowledge, no longer Being distracted by other’s opinions. What did you learn about yourself in the process of writing these last 3 books?
In THE GENESIS CODE you share insights about human ancestry and the existence of G-d? From your view, why do you think this knowledge has been suppressed in the scientific and educational communities?
Would you challenge our understanding of reality and why thinking outside the box matters? i e the Understanding of sacred rites, blessings and the importance of colour.
After your book The Genesis Code, comes “FINDING CAMELOT” what made you want to share the actual metaphysical links and truths of this famous legend throughout time and space, in expanding the narrative around King Arthur and his Knights?
Controversial most certainly and many folks will not even be able to go here and yet in order to evolve, mankind can grow from understanding the true nature of the reality we all live in. You say those whom are meant to will certainly ‘get it’, will have their souls evolve, in discovering additional truths… Do you believe young people are more ready to learn today?
QUEST 31 CONT: “So here we are on Tuesday 4th August, day 5 of our epic quest through the magical west country of England; a land known for its many myths and tales. As hinted previously all was not lost when we found the doors of St Edward’s Church, Eggbuckland closed to us on the previous day. A quick freindly phone call enabled us to have access, thanks to the kind and friendly reverend of the church, whose name i have sadly forgotten, but what a friendly man with an amazing mental hord of local knowledge. The extra photos taken are below, turning the day into something very worthwhile and maybe a taster of what was to come. So just goes to show, always have faith and never give up…”
St Edwards Church: Buckland Plymouth:
A traditional setting for a church and graveyard, all looking fresh and verdant after the rains, with bee hives around the back behind the trees, just follow the path into the bushes.
It was well-worth waiting and going back, for St Edwards Church, Buckland was full of many traditional treasures and artworks relating to Craft. Some lovely symbology here especially on the old wall hanging; symbology that relates to Templarism, King Arthur and The Grail. Always a pleasure to see such amazing peices.<please click to enlarge>
“…OF KINDRED NAMES”
Tuesday 4th August: St Pauls Church. Charlestown. St Austell.
Sadly another church that was shut to us on this day, whether due to ‘Miss Rona’ again or whether due to the Clergy being ‘otherwise engaged’ elsewhere i do not know, so not much to say about it really. We did walk around the outside of the church and graveyard, where they were some lovely memorials, so outside only photos will need to suffice on this occasion. It is said that this church is an active church, yet obviously not on the day we were there! It was built in 1849-51 and has been Grade II listed since 1999. St Paul’s is built of granite stone, sourced from a quarry near Stenalees with slate roofs, in the Early English style, built with a cruciform plan made up of nave, north and south aisles, transepts, chancel, vestry and porch. The original pulpit and reading desk of carved oak was gifted by local residents, and the granite font gifted by T. G. Vawdrey.
Charlestown became its own parish separate from St Austell in 1846, at a time when the village was experiencing an increase in its population due to local industrial activity. With services initially held in a room licensed for public worship near the Pier House Hotel with funds for a permanent church being raised by public subscription. In 1848, a plot of land was donated by the proprietors of Charlestown, while various other grants were also received. The foundation stone of St Paul’s was laid on 27 November 1849 by Charles Graves-Sawle of Penrice. It was built by Messrs William Kitt and William Drew of St Austell to the designs of Christopher Eales of London The church was consecrated by the Bishop of Exeter, the Right Rev. Henry Phillpotts, on 30 May 1851.
A stroll around the outside of St Paul’s Church was all we could manage on this occasion <please click on photos to enlarge>
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Paul%27s_Church,_Charlestown
We were hoping for a nice lunch in Charlestown but due to ‘Miss Rona’ again, who would be following us around everywhere we went on this quest, numbers where limited in all the resturants and bars, so we had to make do with a relaxing walk around the pretty harbour and a wee bit of retail therapy! This quest was certainly proving to be one where adaptability was the order of the day! Charlestown (Porth Meur) means ‘Great Cove’ and is a pretty looking village and port on the south coast of Cornwall in the civil parish of St Austell bay, about 2 miles south east of St Austell town centre. The port at Charlestown, developed in the late-18th century from the fishing village of West Polmear Charlestown, grew out of the small fishing village of West Polmear (or West Porthmear), which consisted of a few cottages and three cellars, in which the catch of pilchards were processed, and over the years it has remained relatively unchanged.
Charlestown looking like it has been unchanged for decades… <please click to enlarge>
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlestown,_Cornwall
Grail Bloodline Connections:
“FORDHAM HILLS”
St Saviours Church. Trevone. Pastow:
We drove onwards to Trevone, Padstow only to end up in a carpark near the sea that had no relevance to our next destination whatsoever! Thank you ‘satnav’! However the destination did prove to be elusive and take a bit of finding, but we are not ones to give up, and we eventually found it quietly sitting in an elevated postition overlooking the sea. Sadly though after all that trouble; yet another church well and truly locked up, which is a great shame on this occasion, for looking on the internet there would have been some relevant ‘Craft’ artifacts to see. Trevone itself (Treavon in Cornish means river farm) is a seaside village and bay near Padstowe, Cornwall; in Cornish ‘Porth Musyn’ meaning Musun Cove or Mother Sun Cove).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevone
https://padstowparishchurch.org.uk/about_us/st-saviours-church/
The stone used for the exterior walls is a fine textured sandstone from the local Middle Devonian and was quarried at Tredinnick on St. Columb Downs. The roof is a well cleaved slate from the Upper Devonian at Delabole. The floor, window sills, terrace and steps together with the stones surrounding the West Window (depicting “The Stilling of the Storm”) and the two small windows beneath are slightly cleaved slate also from Delabole.There is a Foundation Stone of dark grey uncleaved slate from the Tremadoc slates at Portmadoc, in North Wales at the west and to the south of the main church door. It reads: “Edmund ninth Bishop of Truro laid this stone on the 30th April, 1958″. Buried beneath the stone is a daily newspaper, coins of the realm, a bible and a 1662 Prayer Book. One can read more about the church on the link above. It was such a shame we could not get in considering that the bloodline connection was that of Great Uncle, so finding relevance here in modern times….
Grail Bloodline Connections:
‘A TRUE LAST WORD’
Temple Church, Temple, Bodmin:
Most definitely the highlight of the day, being the most important and sacred site of the day (even this quest) in relation to our Grail Bloodline Quest. This church is truly hidden away from the eyes of the world, hidden within a dip in the landscape with no views from the roads that cross the moor. It seemed to be totally lost in time, or maybe just out of time, totally isolated yet open to all true pilgrims who came that way. It was lovingly looked after, very welcoming and with an amazing ‘energy’ in a true ‘Craft’ sense. Full of Knight Templar history and interestingly our lead researcher’s Great Grandfather (46 x GGF) traveled here, and was involved for a short time within this area, enough to place his mark; that Great Grandfather was of course Lancelot Desposyni of the Fordham line, so a very personal quest.
The beautiful and peaceful Temple Church on Bodmin Moor <please click to enlarge>
The Church of St Catherine as it is also known as, is a Grade II listed building in the small hamlet of Temple not far from the busy A30 but far enough away not to be affected by the traffic noise, yet it could be a million miles away in another century. This peaceful, almost ‘pocket’ of timelessness feels as if it has been suspended in time. The church itself has no electricity, just beautiful and very fitting candlelight. The church was founded in the 12th century by the (said) mysterious and secretive medieval Order of the Knights Templar, after they procured a large parcel of land on Bodmin Moor, which then was was nothing but wild, open moorland, to the unititiated eyes. From that gift a religious community grew and a church was built, but as the centuries passed it is said (maybe as misdirection) that Temple became synonymous with lawless, some might even say ungodly, behaviour. In an area not entirely unfamiliar to strange goings on, Temple Church too became infamous. Irregular practices (it is alledged) continued until in the late 18th century when the church again became subject to normal diocsean discipline.
It was the duty of the Order to protect and provide hospitality to journeying pilgrims and it is believed that they established a chapel on the site as a refuge for those pilgrims en route to Santiago de Compostela, Rome and of course the Holy Land itself. The pilgrims journeyed from Wales and Ireland and took the land route across Cornwall, perhaps first stopping over at Little Petherick, reaching the port of Fowey and continuing across the seas to the continent. Sailing around the treacherous waters off Land’s End was to be avoided at all costs.
A sanctury for journeying pilgrims and travelers alike
The hamlet of Temple was very isolated in the Middle Ages, even more so than today. From the time of the Reformation, when the Order of Saint John was dissolved, Temple Church fell outside the jurisdiction of the bishop and gained a reputation as the place to go, if you needed to be married fast, under the cover of darkness and without the necessary permissions, which seeings how isolated and hidden it is, this would be very easy to imagine. Weddings would be performed here without the reading of the banns or the need for a licence, and the parsons were happy to receive the couple’s ‘grateful donations’. It was not only illicit marriages that were undertaken, according to John Norton, Temple Church also allowed anyone who had taken their own life to be buried in the churchyard.
By 1777 it was reported that the fabric of the building had descended into a ruinous state and services were having to be held in neighbouring parishes. From then on no services were held at Temple Church for more than 100 years. During the Victorian era there was a trend for restoring and renovating churches across England, not all of them sympathetic, but enough money was raised to have Temple Church restored by the Cornish architect Silvanus Trevail. Trevail began work in 1882 following the original ancient foundations. The Knights Templar (it is said) often built circular churches but there is no evidence that their Cornish version was anything other than its present day shape.
During the rebuilding an old Ash tree had to be removed from within the ruined walls. When the tree was cut down it’s roots were found to be entwined around the bones of a human skeleton. Whoever it was, they must have had a certain status to have been buried beneath the floor of the original church. There is no record as to where Trevail had the bones reinterned, so a mystery remains of whom the bones belonged too and where they are now….
The church is full of Knight Templar symbolism both old and new, giving many clues as to the sacred history of the site. As in all our quests nothing can be overlooked , as it is often the tiniest detail that is the most important <click to enlarge>
The ‘new’ church was officially opened in June 1883 and a tea party was held in the graveyard after the first sermon had been given and celebratory hymns sung. The only remnants of the original building constructed by the knights are a few pieces of decorated stonework which can be seen just outside the church door in the wall of a small inconspicuous outbuilding. All the sights we visit on our quests, we do so for very important Craft reasons and although many of the sights are marked ‘in time’ by a church building or the like, it is about what one cannot ‘see’ physically that is the important factor, for in this physical realm, not everything is as it may seem, so a small out-building around the back can remain un-noticed for decades, cenuries even. It is the same thing with tales, mythologies and ‘so called’ histories; it is not that on the surface which is important, but that which has lain hidden beneath, for centuries. One has to keep digging deep to find the truth and answers and yet only those whom have knowledge of the KEYS, will ever be able to dig deep enough. Yet that is the way, the way it has always been, the way the truths have always been protected over the years, within this very shallow world of men; truths hidden behind tales of misadventure, tales of misdoings and tales of misdirecton, thus keeping that which needs protecting, forever secret, yet hidden totally within plain sight….
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple,_Cornwall
Grail Bloodline Connections:
“He prayeth well who loveth well
Both man and bird and beast”
“And so our time in this area was coming to a close, with lots of new experiences undertaken and certainly lots to think about and much to digest in the coming weeks; knowledge and discoveries that would continue to have a profound effect upon my life, for example, for many years to come as i continue on my search to unravel the mysteries of the Grail Quest”
‘The Keeper of Scrolls’ October 2020
<moon.willow@ntlworld.com>
Next Stop: Southhampton….