Alan Wilson (historian)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Alan Wilson | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Nationality | British |
| Genres | History |
Alan Wilson is an amateur British alternative historian who theorises about the origins of King Arthur and related subjects.
Contents |
[edit] Early career
Wilson studied at the University of Cardiff before a highly successful career in the shipbuilding industry as a master planner. After working in Wales, England, Scotland, Ireland, Italy and Sweden as a consultant, he retired to concentrate on the historical research he first started on a part-time basis in 1956. During his career in industry, he received commendations from both the King of Sweden and the President of Italy for his work, and was instrumental in resolving the Govan Shipyard dispute in the UK.
[edit] Arthurian research
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2007) |
 |
The neutrality of this article is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page.(December 2007) Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved. |
In 1976, after a chance meeting with historical researcher, Anthony Thomas 'Baram' Blackett, at the public library in Newcastle upon Tyne, the two men decided to privately fund full-time research into the origins of King Arthur. The best known versions of Arthurian stories, by Geoffrey of Monmouth, came out of South-Eastern Wales into France, via the Normans, in the 12th century and this encouraged them to start their search in the same place. The search soon moved beyond Wales to include the English Midlands which had been dominated by the old Welsh Kingdoms for centuries.
To date, Wilson and Blackett have published seven books based on their interpretation of the Arthurian legend. They believe that these provide a final solution to the King Arthur story and claim to have identified the true sites of the battles of Badon (Mynydd Baedan) and Camlann.
In 1983, Wilson and Blackett discovered what they believe to be King Arthur's memorial stone at the small ruined church of St Peter-super-Montem on Mynydd-y-Gaer in Mid-Glamorgan, which they subsequently purchased. The stone was offered to the National Museum of Wales for analysis, but the offer was not taken up[citation needed]. Subsequently it went on public display in various venues for some time.
Following this, they employed the services of two archaeologists, (Professor Eric Talbot and Alan Wishart) in 1990, to lead a dig at the same place. During the excavations, which were authorised by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, several artefacts were discovered including an ancient axe, a knife and a small cross weighing two and a half pounds, that reads "Pro Anima Artorius" ("For The Soul Of Arthur")[citation needed]. The cross was subsequently tested by an independent metallurgical house, Bodycote PLC, and found to be made of electrum, and so certified[citation needed]. The cross was offered up to the National Museum of Wales for public testing, but this was declined[citation needed]. Wilson and Blackett claim that the church is an ancient historical site possibly originally dating from the first century A.D. Other major Welsh kings are buried locally[citation needed].
More recently, Wilson and Blackett began a search for what they allege was known as 'The Greatest Work of the Cymry' - "Cyfrangon"[citation needed]. This is allegedly a massive, hollow, man-made hill concealed somewhere in Wales (similar to Silbury Hill). Treasure hunters in Wales have long sought this fabled hill[citation needed] in which, it is believed, lie several objects of tremendous historical and archaeological value, many of which may be covered in gold or copper.[citation needed]
The use of deep ground probing metal detection and analysis equipment revealed non ferrous metal artefacts some fifteen feet below the surface of the hill at Twyn y Glog, near Ynysybwl in mid Glamorgan. Further investigation by collaborators proved that the original height of the hill lies some 30 or more metres below the Ordnance Survey height, and that the hill is therefore an artificial construct. (Berkley, G., 2007). No further tests have been made to date (10 September 2007).
[edit] Lecture tours
Alan Wilson and his colleague lectured extensively in the UK, including Manchester and Jesus College, Oxford, and Alan Wilson gave the Bemis Lecture in the rural town of Lincoln, Massachusetts in 1993. Research into the well-known claim, dating from the 16th century, that some of the Welsh settled in mid-western America in the Middle Ages (see Madog ab Owain Gwynedd) led to Wilson and his colleague, Baram Blackett, accepting invitations from American supporters to visit US sites of historical significance in 1994. The visit led to several television appearances and the deciphering of alphabetic inscriptions which they claimed to be in the Coelbren alphabet; however the Coelbren is known to have been invented around 1791 by literary forgerer Iolo Morganwg.[1] Wilson also claimed that the many snake mounds in the American Mid-west were of ancient Cymric construction. Whilst in America, the two men were also commissioned to produce a detailed genealogy for the Bush family (friends and supporters of President George H. W. Bush).
[edit] References
[edit] Published works
- Arthur, King of Glamorgan and Gwent (with Baram Blackett, MT Byrd Partnership, 1980)
- Arthur and Charter of the Kings (with Baram Blackett, MT Byrd Partnership, 1981)
- Arthur The War King (with Baram Blackett, MT Byrd Partnership, 1982-3)
- Artorius Rex Discovered (with Baram Blackett, MT Byrd Partnership, 1986)
- The Holy Kingdom (with Adrian Gilbert and Baram Blackett, Bantam, 1998)
- King Arthur Conspiracy (with Grant Berkley and Baram Blackett, Trafford, 2005)
- Moses in the Hieroglyphs (with Grant Berkley and Baram Blackett, Trafford, 2006)
- The Discovery of the Ark of the Covenant (with Grant Berkley and Baram Blackett, Trafford, 2007)
[edit] External links
- nexistepas.com Article refuting Wilson's claims to have found the burial place of Arthur
- badarchaeology.net Another article refuting the Arthurian claims of Wilson and others
