THE MIDKNIGHT GARDEN: KNIGHTS OF THE RED ORDER

England into Wales…..

And so we are on day one of another epic Quest into Eire. We will be travelling through England, into Wales across the seas from Hollyhead through to Dublin, then travelling in a mostly south westerly direction through Eire via some most amazing rugged scenery, of both coast and mountains. An epic journey through time and history on this quest in the blazing trail of the enigmatic Grail. We will be connecting to St Michael at many points, as we have always done through times mysterious passage. We will be travelling to the heart of many mysteries both physical and metaphysical in our Grail quest (also both physical and metaphyical) to unravel the mystery and beauty of the grail….

Day One: 12th September 2021: St Michael’s Church, Bray, Berkshire: Bray, is a large suburban village and civil parish in the county of Berkshire, sitting on the banks of the River Thames. The civil parish is far larger than the village itself and includes a number of other villages and hamlets, it had a population of 8,425 at the 2001 census. Bray has some exclusive housing, known, in the press as ‘Millionaires’ Row’, and Monkey Island in the Thames is associated with the 3rd Duke of Marborough and houses two structures that he built and furnished with paintings of monkeys, and the architecturally grade 1 listed building, Monkey Island Hotel. The Jesus Hospital is a red-brick group of almshouses founded in 1609 by William Goddard to house thirty-four of the aged poor of Bray and six of the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers, to which he belonged.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bray,_Berkshire

St Michaels, Bray is a grade 2 listed building and a Keystone church, dating from 1293, supposedly to replace a Saxon Church at  Water Oakley. It was partly rebuilt ca.1500 and extensively restored in 1857–82 by Thomas Henry Wyatt. It has a number of sculptures which may have come from the earlier church, including a damaged Sheela na Gig. The church contains several brasses from the fourteenth to sixteenth centuries, notably that of 1378 to Sir John Foxley, the Constable of Southampton Castle. Sadly we could noy get in but did manage to take some very presentable shots through the glass windows of the church porch.

St Michael’s Church, Bray – shots taken from church porch <click to view>

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Michael%27s_Church,_Bray

It is said that the Grail could have arrived in this area around 450 AD, in the era known as the ‘Saxon’ period when there was much migration going on from places such as Germany and Norway into the old kingdom of England. People were transient then, and with them, their possesions too. Like most churches, this current church is a replacement for a much older church. Many myths and legends surround the building of the older church. St Michaels is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1066, when at that time it was located at the site of an old Roman cemetry. If the Grail did journey here, as suggested,  to St Michaels, it would probably have been a very challenging journey.

You can read more about the Keystone churches and the journey of the Grail in the forthcoming book ‘When thw Trumpet Sounds’ by Mr Karl Neville on Amazon:

Grail Bloodline Connections:

• A Keystone Church
• St Michael – past, present and future.

St Michael’s Church, Cefnllys, Llandrindod: Cefnllys is an abandoned ghost village, formerly a medieval castle town and boriugh near Llandrindod Wells in Wales. The settlement was founded during the 13th century by the Mortimer family in order to strengthen their hold on land in the vicinity of the Cefnllys Castle, with which the town was closely associated. The town was probably intended to become the primary settlement of the lordship and cantref of Maelienydd, but was unsuccessful and declined during the 14th century as a result of bubonic plague outbreaks, economic isolation and military insecurity. Despite this, Cefnllys retained its borough status until the 19th century. Nothing is left of this once thriving town and it is hard to imagine just how commercial a town it once was and you can read much more about it here and watch our own vide about it:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cefnllys

It is said that the settlement was concentrated around St Michael’s church, now a very isolated church nestling in the mountains, almost hidden from view from the outside world and indeed a merry game to actually locate it at all! It is found on low land next to the river, where there would have been easy access to the mill and a nearby spring. A series of earthworks surrounding the church represent raised causeways above boggy land, sunken roads in the direction of the toll bridge and probable medieval house platforms, as well as ridge and furrow patterns from open-field system agriculture which we managed to take photos of. Archaeological finds surrounding the church have been mostly from the Tudor period or later, however. the church’s structure is of 13th century origin, although the date of its founding is unknown and it was heavily restored in 1895.

Hints of the once thriving settlement and town can still be seen, as can the very intriging tree ‘grove’ <click to view>

The church of St. Michael was erected in the 13th century, but most likely it could have been built on the site of an earlier building from the 10th or 11th century. The earliest written references to the building date from 1291. During this period under the Norman rule, a settlement developed near a nearby castle, which became a royal borough with market charter. At the end of the Middle Ages, the castle fell into disrepair, and the village decreased to a small hamlet, with the temple remained, as a symbol of better times. In the 16th century, construction works were carried out at the church, probably from this period the southern porch comes from.

St Michael’s Church, Cefnllys <click to view>

A major renovation was carried out at the end of the 19th century. It included a partial reconstruction of the walls, replacement of windows and a timber ceiling. The church was built on the bend of the River Ithon, which encircled it from the north and west, and further south. On the eastern side, the church was dominated by an oblong hill occupied by Cefnllys Castle, which secured the only land route into the meander of the river.  The church was erected as an orientated building on an elongated rectangular plan, consisting only of the nave, without the externally separated chancel. On the west side, there is a low tower, and right next to it, at the southern wall of the nave, a 16th-century porch. The façades were most likely pierced by narrow lancet windows, perhaps doubled in some places.  Inside, the priestly part was separated from the western part intended for the congregation by inserting a wooden rood screen partition. Sadly we could not gain access to see any of these features or any of the ‘treasures’ contained within such as the oldest element of the temple’s furnishings, the octagonal Norman baptismal font. The late-medieval painted rood screen has also been preserved in the church, divided into 6 sections on both sides of the door. The roof truss and some of the windows (especially on the south side) are the result of early modern renovation. It is a Keystone church with connections to the Grail and of course St Michael, with suggestions in history that the Grail may have spent some time here around 1430 AD. See more in our video, where you can see the contours on the land from past settlements there and also a very intriging grove of trees….

St Michael’s Church, Cefnllys

Grail Bloodline Connections:

• A Keystone Church
• St Michael – past, present and future.

So at this point it was time to make our way to our digs for the next two nights – the appropriately named ‘Cosy Cottage, in Felinhell, in Wales. We were high up in the mountains, and the clouds were low over the mountain tops and in the shadowy dusk it created a very magical and misty effect. One could entirely see why Wales is known as the land of myth and legends. Finding our digs and letting ouselves in, in the pitch black is a story for another day…..

Wales, stunning, beautiful, magical and timeless…

Day Two 13th September 2021: Dolfellau Stone Circle Dolfellau: (Dolgelly or Dolgelley) is a town and community in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, lying on the River Wnion. We had not planned to have wander or indeed some lunch here, but Dolgellau was such a pretty and interesting town, steeped in history that it would have been a great shame not to have stopped. The town was formerly the county town of Merionethshire (now Gwynedd). Its main bridge over the Afon Wnion dates back to 1638 and the remains of historic Cymer Abbey, founded in 1198, can be seen in the nearby village of Llanelltyd. The stone circle on the Marian (the local recreation field) is not ancient, but left over after the 1949 Eisteddfod. Although those whom built it must have known a thing or two for it is situated on old energies. The many buildings, shops and walks here are full of history and ancient character; one can see why it is so popular and it is an excellent base from which to explore Snowdonia. The name of the town is of uncertain origin, although dôl is Welsh for “meadow” or “dale”, and (y) gelli (soft mutation of celli) means “grove” or “spinney”. This would seem to be the most likely derivation, giving the translation “Grove Meadow”. The Encyclopaedia Britanica in 1911 suggested the name means ‘Dale of Hazels’.

Pretty Dolfellau – well worth a stroll around with lots ot see and nice places to eat <click to enlarge>

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolgellau

Our Lady of Seven Sorrows: Not part of our quest as such, but we were drawn there for a reason. There were some interesting artifacts inside one piece was very old and of interest, so including some of the photos i took and an online link for reference…

A bonus church full of surprises….

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Seven_Sorrows_Church,_Dolgellau

A lovely relaxing lunch – just what we needed! <click to enlarge>

So after a delicious lunch we made our way to the Dolfellau Stone Circle, which was the main purpose of our visit here. Although this is a modern stone circle built in 1948, and were erected when the National Eisteddfod came to town. It is important to note that the circle was built on a much more ancient site of pyramid energy. There are indeed mixed and strange reviews on the internet for this peaceful little circle, which instinct tells me does indeed get used in the modern day and age. What the modern reviewers dont know is that like all Craft sites we visit, it is what is under the current structure, of whatever age that is really important; usially pyramid sites of energy and power…. Obvioulsly the folks whom set it up knew just what they were doing and why – another case of something important hiding in plain site for all to see, yet no-one does.. The circle does follow the ancient designs of stone circles and could best be describes as a marking point in time…..

If one looks closely one can see the lines of energy formed from the magnetics of the site <click to enlarge>

On the road again and Barmouth awaits…..

St Mary’s Church Llanaber: Barmouth: The drive to Barmouth on the west coast of Wales, (where the mountains meet the sea) was extremely picturesque, along some beautiful rugged coastline and Barmouth itself, although we only drove though it looked like a lively and arty place for a visit one day. Barmouth is a seaside town in the county of Gwynedd, lying on the estuary of the Afon Mawddach and Cardigan Bay. The Welsh form of the name is derived from aber (estuary) and the river’s name, “Mawddach” The English form of the name is a corruption of the earlier Welsh form Abermawdd. The community includes the tiny villages of Llanaber, Cutiau, and Caerdeon and it was Llanaber were were making our way to…

A scenic drive to Barmouth…

The church was set upon a solitary possition upon the cliffs overlooking the sea and the local railway line. The graveyard was on a slope with some interesting gravestones there, and some hidden Templar symbolism too, and a beautiful lingering perfume that seemed to come from nowhere which permeated the very air… Sadly though the church was shut, but it would have been lovely to go inside. According to one of the church websites, Llanaber is in many ways the original settlement for Barmouth and as such the church served the once thriving local ship building community. Sadly though, the coming of the railway in 1866 finished the shipbuilding industry.

St Mary’s on the cliff top over looking the sea, hiding a few secrets… <click to enlarg>

St Mary and Bodfan is a Grade I listed building, which despite substantial restoration work in 1860, is a well-preserved 13th-century building with lancet windows and arch-braced collar beams (16th-century) to the chancel roof. Ancient maps refer to the church as St Bodfan’s and an association with the saint is preserved in the name of the nearby Bodfan Farm, but the church is more popularly known as St Marys. The present church dates from the early thirteenth century. One of its great benefactors was Hywel ap Meredydd ap Cynan, the Lord of Ardudwy, Hywel was a great grandson of Owain Gwynedd and a near relative of Llewelyn the Great. In the north west corner of the church are to be found two ancient stones. One is the Calixtus Stone, placed in the Church in the 19th century and having been previously used as a footbridge on a neighbouring farm. The inscription has been read as: CAELIXTUS MONEDO REGI, and is thought to mean Calixtus King of Mona. Such a shame we could not gain access to see these ancient treasures…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Mary_and_St_Bodfan_Church,_Llanaber

Grail Bloodline Connections:

• Sir Thomas Neville (4th GGF) 1810 – 1893

In the morning we were catching the ferry from Holyhead to arrive in Dublin early evening.

More Irish adventures were waiting and i was so happy i wanted to dance with joy….

‘The Keeper of Scrolls’  January 2022

<moon.willow@ntlworld.com>