Local Place and the Arthurian Tradition in England and Wales, 1400-1700 - (Arthurian Studies) by Mary Bateman (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The first in-depth study of Arthurian places in late medieval and early modern England and Wales.

Winner of the 2024 Dhira B. Mahoney Prize for Outstanding Scholarly Book in Arthurian Studies

Places have the power to suspend disbelief, even concerning unbelievable subjects. The many locations associated with King Arthur show this to be true, from Tintagel in Cornwall to Caerleon in Wales. But how and why did Arthurian sites come to proliferate across the English and Welsh landscape? What role did the medieval custodians of Arthurian abbeys, churches, cathedrals, and castles play in "placing" Arthur? How did visitors experience Arthur in situ, and how did their experiences permeate into wider Arthurian tradition? And why, in history and even today, have particular places proven so powerful in defending the impression of Arthur's reality?

This book, the first in-depth study of Arthurian places in late medieval and early modern England and Wales, provides an answer to these questions. Beginning with an examination of on-site experiences of Arthur, at locations including Glastonbury, York, Dover, and Cirencester, it traces the impact that they had on visitors, among them John Hardyng, John Leland, William Camden, who subsequently used them as justification for the existence of Arthur in their writings. It shows how the local Arthur was manifested through textual and material culture: in chronicles, notebooks, and antiquarian works; in stained glass windows, earthworks, and display tablets. Via a careful piecing together of the evidence, the volume argues that a new history of Arthur begins to emerge: a local history.

Review Quotes

Provides a refreshing new perspective on widely discussed Arthurian material and the extensive
references to recent works reflecting this approach will be appreciated anyone wishing to move beyond
the usual Arthurian discussions. Bateman's book will rightly stimulate further research on this topic and
will be a valuable addition to any Arthurian bookshelf.-- "ARCHAEOLOGIA CAMBRENSIS"

Committee members praised this book in various ways: it was called important; its archival work was touted as impressive and simultaneously accessible to a wide range of readers; and it was considered a foundational work for antiquarian and historical pursuits. Several of us immediately saw ways in which the book and its intervention would make their way into our teaching. We commend and congratulate Bateman for this fine work.-- "MAHONEY PRIZE CITATION 2024"