Is Chard Camelot or Shamalot ?
|
 My Book : Conscience of the King by Alfred Duggan
"Cerdic
Elesing, King of Wessex and ancestor of all subsequent British
monarchs, narrates in
this fictional biography how he murdered, cheated, looted and lied his
way
to the great position he ultimately held -- and in the process served
with
the great Roman leader Ambrosius and the Saxon warlord Aella, and was
the
foe Arthur defeated at Mount Badon."
£7.99
Paperback 240 pages 198 x 129 mm ISBN: 0304366463 Publication:
July 2005 Orion
Publishing Group, Orion House, 5 Upper St Martin's Lane, London, WC2H
9EA tel: 020 7240 3444 www.orionbooks.co.uk
Wessex is the name of the former kingdom which originated in
south-central
England and expanded to cover the whole of the south west. The
Encyclopaedia
Britannica lists Hampshire, Wiltshire, Somerset and Dorset as the
"permanent
nucleus" of Wessex.
Wessex began with the landing of Cerdic Von Wessex in Southampton Water
in 495AD.
*Some experts believe that Cerdic was another name for King Arthur and
that Camelot was in the area.
Don't let it be forgot,That once there was a spot,
For one brief, shining moment that was known as Camelot
THE KINGS of WESSEX
Wessex Rule
| Cerdic |
519-534 |
| Cynric (son of Cerdic) |
534-560 |
| Ceawlin (son of Cynric) |
560-591 |
| Ceol (son of Cutha) |
591-97 |
| Ceolwulf (son of Cutha) |
597-611 |
| Cynegils (son of Ceol) |
611-643 |
| Cenwalh (son of Cynegils) |
643-645 |
|
Under Mercian Rule 645-648
|
|
| Cenwalh (again) |
648-672 |
| Seaxburh (Queen of Cenwalh) |
672-674 |
| Cenfus(line of Ceolwulf) |
674 |
| Aescwine (son of Cenfus) |
674-676 |
| Centwine (son of Cynegils) |
676-685 |
| Caedwalla (line of Ceawlin) |
685-688 |
| Ine (line of Ceawlin) |
688-726 |
| Aethelheard (brother-in-law of Ine) |
726-740 |
| Cuthred (kinsman of Aethelheard) |
740-756 |
| Sigeberht |
756-757 |
| Cynewulf |
757-786 |
| Beorhtric |
786-802 |
Wessex Rule claimants to the
title, 'King of the English'
| Egbert |
802-839 |
| Aethelwulf |
839-858 |
| Aethelbald |
858-860 |
| Aethelbert |
860-865 |
| Aethelred I |
865-871 |
| Alfred the Great |
871-884 |
|
CERDIC VON WESSEX (d. 534),
At the end of Roman Times ,
there were lots of Saxon Mercenaries ( hired soldiers) living in
Britain. The Roman government had paid them to protect many of the
towns.
Archaeologists have dug up many graves from this time. Some
of the skeletons were wearing special belts and carrying spears. They
are thought to be Saxon Mercenaries because similar objects have been
found in Saxon graves
in Europe.
We know of some Saxons who had British names, The most
famous was
Cerdic, the first King of Wessex. In Brythonic ( the British Language)
his
name is Ceredig.
Old documents say that, like other Saxons, he came to
Britain from
Germany or Denmark. However,
Cerdic was probably born in Britain. His father was probably a Saxon
Mercenary in Winchester ( in Hampshire) and his mother was a local
Briton.
When the Roman Army left Britain, Cerdic would have been a
respected officer in the mercenary army. He would have easily been able
to make himself into a local ruler or King. He probably called for his
Saxon friends and relatives
from Germany and Denmark to join him
.
They set up the Saxon Kingdom of
Wessex and
made Chard their capital. Cerdic is described as an ealdorman who in
495
landed with his son Cynric in Hampshire, where he was attacked at once
by
the Britons. Nothing more is heard of him until 508, when he defeated
the
Britons with great slaughter.
Strengthened by fresh arrivals of
Saxons, he gained another victory in 519 at Certicesford, a spot which
has been identified with the modern Charford, and in this year took the
title of king. Turning
westward, Cerdic appears to have been defeated by the Britons in 520 at
Badbury or Mount
Badon, in Dorset, and in 527 yet another fight with the Britons is
recorded.
His last work was the conquest of the Isle of Wight, probably in the
interest
of some Jutish allies.
|
"ALFRED THE GREAT
(848?-899).
The course of English history would
have been very different had it not been for King Alfred. He won renown
both as a statesman and as a warrior and is justly called "the
Great."
The England of Alfred's time was a country of
four small Saxon kingdoms. The strongest was Wessex, in the south. Born
in about 848, Alfred was the youngest son of Ethelwulf, king of WessexEach of
Alfred's three older brothers, in turn, ruled the kingdom. Alfred was
by temperament a scholar, and his health was never robust.
Nevertheless in his early youth he fought with his brother
Ethelred against Danish invaders. Alfred was 23 when Ethelred died, but
he had already won the confidence of the army and was at once acclaimed
king in 871. By this
time the Danes, or Vikings, had penetrated to all parts of the island.
Three
of the Saxon Kingdoms: (Northumbria, Mercia, and East Anglia) had one
after
another fallen to the Danish invaders.
Under Alfred's leadership, the Saxons again
found courage. The worst crisis came in the winter of 877, when the
Danish king, Guthrum, invaded Wessex with his army. In 878 Alfred was
defeated at Chippenham, where he was celebrating Christmas, and was
forced to go into hiding.
A few months later he forced Guthrum to
surrender at Chippenham. The Danes agreed to make the Thames River and
the old Roman road called Watling Street the boundary between Alfred's
kingdom and the Danish
lands to the north. The treaty, however, did not assure permanent
peace.
The Danes assaulted London and the coast towns repeatedly. In about 896
they
finally admitted defeat and ceased their struggle for a foothold in
southern
England.
Alfred was much more than the defender of his
country. He took a keen interest in law and order and was concerned
with the improvement of the cultural standards of his people. He
encouraged industries of all kinds
and rebuilt London, which had been partly destroyed by the Danes. He
collected
and revised the old laws of the kingdom. He invited learned men from
other
countries to instruct the people because even the clergy of Wessex no
longer
knew Latin, the international language of the church. He established a
school
similar to the Palace School of Charlemagne.
The "books most necessary for all men to know" were
translated from Latin into English so that the people might read them.
Alfred himself took a part in preparing the translations. The
'Anglo-Saxon Chronicle' was probably begun under his direction.
Alfred died at the age of about 51 in 899. He
was in no sense a true king of England, for he ruled less than half of
the island.
After his death, however, his capable son, Edward the Elder, and his
grandsons extended their rule over all of England."
*From Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia Deluxe
© 1998
The Learning Company, Inc.
All the sovereigns of England, except
Canute, Hardicanute, the two Harolds and William the Conqueror, are
said to be descended from Cerdic.
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle states that
the kingdom expanded from south to north .
In the 9th Century, Wessex rose to become the dominant power
in a newly united England, which led to its distinctive identity being
subsumed into the larger kingdom.
However, when Canute became king in
1016, he revived the names of the former English kingdoms and applied
them to the newly created office of Earl. Canute originally kept the
Earldom of Wessex for himself, but later awarded it to Godwin, who
became the most powerful private citizen in England as a result. He was
succeeded by his son, Harold Godwinson, later to become king Harold II
of England.
When the Normans invaded in 1066, one
of their first acts was to abolish the Earldoms in favour of the more
manageable shires as the largest units of sub-national government,
fearful of the threat that powerful regional government posed to their
centralising authority.
The office of Earl of Wessex remained
dormant until our own time, when Prince Edward, the third son of Queen
Elisabeth II,
became the 3rd Earl upon the occasion of his marriage to Sophie Rhys
-Jones.
Therefore once more bonding the Royal connection to Wessex.
We congratulate them on the recent birth of their daughter Louise.
By 1066, Harold Godwinson's earldom of Wessex had expanded
to include
all the above counties, plus Cornwall, Sussex and his original
territory of
Herefordshire. The Wyvern, the mythical symbol of the ancient
kingdom of Wessex still appears on many county crests in the region
today. The Wyvern emblem was carried at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 .
|
Chard (Cerdre, Cherdre, Cherde)
was commercial in origin, being a trade centre near the Roman road to
the
west. There are two Roman villas in the parish. There was a British
camp
at Neroche in the neighbourhood. Chard is situated on the highest
ground
between the Bristol and English Channels, on the border of Devonshire,
and
was anciently spelt Cerde, or Cherde. - the royal house of Cerdic.
Because of it's position being the highest ground it was
strategically in the best position to defend and is more obviously
"Camelot" than other such claimants.
In the Doomsday Survey it is called Cerdre, at which time
the manor
belonged to the Bishop of Wells.
The bishop of Bath held Chard in 1086. Bishop Jocelyn,
of Bath and Wells, incorporated this borough 1234, and gave the land
from his manor of Chard for the building of the town, previous to which
it is supposed to have constituted what is now known as the old
town. He made Chard a free borough, each burgage paying a
rent of f 2d. Trade in hides was
forbidden to non-burgesses.
This charter was confirmed in 1253, 1280 and 1285. Chard is
said to have been incorporated by Elizabeth, as the corporation seal
dates from 1570, but no Elizabethan charter can be found. It was
incorporated by grant of Charles I. in 1642, and Charles II. gave a
charter in 1683.
Chard was a mesne borough, the first overlord being Bishop
Joceline, whose successors held it (with a brief interval from 1545 to
1552) until 1601,
when it was sold to Earl Poulett.
Parliamentary representation began in 1312, and was lost in
1328 by the neglect of the freemen.
A market on Monday and fair on the 25th of July were granted
in 1253, and confirmed in 1642 and 1683, when two more fair days were
added (November
2 and May 3), the market being changed to Tuesday. The market day is
now
Saturday, fairs being held on the first Wednesday in May, August and
November,
for corn and cattle only, their medieval importance as centres of the
cloth
trade having departed.
Chard was therefore a town of great significance in the
past.
In Stuart times it was from Chard that Charles I of England
tried to sue for peace with Oliver Cromwell. It was refused and Charles
was soon defeated and ultimately beheaded.
Duke of Monmouth Crowned King in Chard
1685
Then in the reign of James II it was
at the
epicentre of the uprising against the King. The final major
turmoil for 17th-century Chard came in 1685 when the Duke of Monmouth
landed at Lyme Regis on June 11 and recruited 3,000 volunteers as part
of his famous rebellion. He marched into Somerset, was crowned king in Chard
and was the subject of more coronations in Taunton and Bridgwater,
where more local rebels swelled his army to 7,000 men.After a series of
skirmishes near Bristol and Bath, the rebels returned to Bridgwater
from where Monmouth led them into the famous Battle of Sedgemoor
against James
II's Royalist army, which was encamped at Westonzoyland.It was the last
land
battle on English soil and it ended in defeat for Monmouth who was
later
beheaded at the Tower of London. The locals who had joined the
uprising
were severely dealt with by the infamous "hanging" Judge Jeffries at
both
Dorchester and Taunton Assizes.* See list of those
executed
below
The town was also very much at the centre of the industrial
revolution.
One of Judge Jeffries' victims kept in the stocks for 320 years!
In 1843, some 50+ years before the
Wright brothers, the first powered flight aeroplane was made and took
to the air in Chard. The inventor was John Stringfellow. It was also
the place where the first artificial limbs were made. Full descriptions
and models can be viewed at the Chard Museum.
|
READ
ABOUT THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE LIFE OF CERDIC & KING
ARTHUR - Click HERE or *Ref:
Arthur, Cerdic, and the Formation of Wessex By: John C. Rudmin, 864
Chicago Av, Harrisonburg, VA, 22801
Joseph W. Rudmin, Physics Dept., James Madison
Univ., Harrisonburg, VA, 22807 (First submitted for publication in Oct
1993) http://camelot.celtic-twilight.com/
rudmin/
Also
view: http://www.jmu.edu/montpelier/summer97/arthur.html
PEOPLE OF
CHARD EXECUTED AFTER THE MONMOUTH REBELLION
CROSS, SIMON
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EASTERBROOK, HENRY
|
HITCHCOCK, HUMPHREY
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PILL, ABRAHAM
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DAVY, WILLIAM
|
FOOTE, EDWARD
|
JERVIS, JOHN
|
WARREN, EDWARD
|
DENNETT, JAMES
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GODFREY, WILLIAM
|
KNIGHT, JOHN
|
WILLIAMS, WILLIAM
|
Only three
years later the Protestant William of Orange landed in Brixham, Devon
& became King of England
|
|
Cerdic reports on behalf of
Citizens of Chard.
Hail to my kingdom. and to my
capital
town, Chard. I am King and like it and I keep an eye on my subjects. In
these
columns I still reign. 497 - 2009AD. I have seen a lot of changes and I
am
sure there will be many more. European Federation ? Is that something
new
? I think not - I am in charge here and I am a Saxon. Warnings to
my
subjects will be covered by my Knight in Shining Armour. Welcome to
www.wessex.me.uk,Camelot
and Wassail. I am always available by clicking here
Oy vey we are all Jewish
Want
a laugh I have been writing to one of those silly Jewish Conspiracy
sites who accuse the Royal Family of being Jewish because they had
their children circumcised by a Jewish surgeon. They also claim that
the British Aristocracy is Jewish & much more.
The word “Brit” apparently derives from the Hebrew for “pact” or
“covenant” ( i.e. the Jewish Covenant with God.)
They have been
publishing the
comments from Cerdic Von Wessex, who denies he or his family are
Jewish! They are simple enough to not realize that a man who died in
534AD is writing to them- no wonder they believe such rubbish. Small
minds are easily led. Can
anyone direct them to the Synagogue in Chard? Their source is someone
with a surname that sounds like Madcow. Local farmers should be ready
for a cull.
From The
Knight in Shining
Armour
In our area we have found that whilst
goods are good value many of the services are overcharging mainly
because they feel
they have a monopoly in the area. We feel that consumers have the right
to
know about overcharging, bad workmanship & downright roguery. So we
are
prepared to name & shame such traders. Your Knight in Shining
armour will
report regularly on this page- don't be caught out be wary.
|
Avoiding a cowboy builder
or unqualified electrician has been made easier by the launch of a new
scheme to register and assess tradesman who work in your home or
business.
Trustmark is a scheme
endorsed by the Government and Trading Standards that
can help you be sure that the tradesmen you ask to work in your home
are reputable and trustworthy.
Firms wanting to use the
Trustmark badge must satisfy the scheme operator that they are fit to
do the work proposed, have adequate insurance and operate a
user-friendly complaints procedure
in case anything goes wrong.
Many recent television programmes reveal ‘rogue traders’ or
‘dodgy builders’ and have the audience shaking their heads in disbelief
as to what they are witnessing. Many of us take it for granted that we
are not or will not be a victim.
The Office of Fair Trading
state that ‘cowboy builders’ and ‘rogue tradesmen’ are a £1.5
Billion problem, with 38% of the public not trusting tradesmen at all,
and 65% of people feeling uncomfortable about leaving trades people in
their home unaccompanied. Having trust in your tradesman is paramount
when you have to live with the final consequences
|
J.M.REFRIGERATION
It has
unfortunately been brought to our attention that a trader in Chard has
failed to meet his obligations in regards to another trader in Chard, Mr.
Jon Sloman trading as J.M.Refrigeration of 4 Leicester House, Crewkerne
Road, Chard, Somerset TA20 1HA who states " For All Your
Refrigeration Needs Sales & Service" took a Williams Refrigerator
from a well known local shop on the understanding that he would sell it
for the trader. It is believed that
he sold it for £300 well over a year ago. However he has never
passed
the money on - further he claims that the money was used to pay for his
"Service
Contract" with that trader. Yet since the date he took the refrigerator
away
he has failed to appear to do any service. (They have full receipts of
the
service done prior to that date) He has been requested to produce
documentation
but has failed to do so. Caveat Emptor- It is in the interests of the
community
that the Knight in Shining Armour warns the people and businesses
of
the area.
|
Con-Man Selva Carmichael to star and produce
Bollywood Movie in Chard
after his earlier appearance at Bristol Jail!!!
Selva
Carmichael , real name Selvaraj Narasimman, 46,( Known as El Con by Daily
Mirror readers) who wooed investors with trips abroad and promises of a
quick return on their money, was jailed for four-and-a-half years in
Bristol Jail for cheating
investors in a Spanish property scam. Carmichael, who operated his
company,
The Carmichael Corporation, from offices in Bristol, offered people the
chance
to invest in property options or plots of land in the Spanish resort of
La
Manga. But soon after the operation began in 1996 "the whole thing was
falling
to bits". Most of the investors never saw their money again
including
one woman who lost £100,000. Despite a police raid on his offices
in
1997, Carmichael continued to trade as normal, telling investors that
it
was "all a mistake" and blaming the police for his problems.
Promising
investors that he was going to transform the La Manga resort, the
self-proclaimed multi-millionaire, "wooed" his investors with
lavish trips to apartments in
Spain and promised them a 100% return within six months. Carmichael
pleaded guilty to nine counts of obtaining money transfers by deception
and one count of attempting to obtain property by deception. It was not
known what Carmichael had done with the money. After that
he conned people in the village
of Coin outside Marbella when he started managing the old BBC village
of
El Dorado. Stating that he was best friends with Richard Bransom
who he called Branston and that he rode with royalty. It did not
take long before he was exposed by the Daily Mirror and ousted from
Coin & El Dorado.
He also opened a
restaurant in Newcastle Upon Tyne and fell foul of the local health
authorities and was
fined.
Then this year from "the Mail
on Sunday"
21 May 2006 by Tony Hetherington:
"ONETV
is a shambles. The Advertising Standards Authority upheld 65 complaints
against the company, all from viewers who said goods had not arrived
and OneTV had failed to refund their money. The company in Colchester,
Essex, whined that several top managers had quit. And it is true that
four directors have walked out in recent months, but that is just the
start of it. Trading in the company's shares has been suspended and
customers seeking reassurance from the friendly smiles of presenters
displayed on OneTV's website should know that some of them have jumped
ship as well. Debbie Flint is one of the bestknown faces on various TV
shopping channels, but despite appearing on OneTV's website, she quit
last month, announcing: 'I have decided not to present any more OneTV
for the time being.' Hinting at problems behind the scenes, she offered
her
good wishes to employees 'during this difficult time'. The people
really facing
difficulties though, are the customers like the couple in Buxton,
Derbyshire,
who told me they paid £97 for a DVD recorder to be delivered by
Christmas.
When it had not arrived by January, they cancelled, but months later
were
still awaiting their refund. In the face of all this, OneTV boss Graham
Avery,
61, will say absolutely nothing. Avery, who has
half-a-dozen
other directorships, is probably too busy driving between his
television
studio in Colchester and his home in Ipswich in his luxury Mercedes.
But
at least he is more savoury than one of OneTV's owners, 45-year-old
Selva
Carmichael - he prefers this to his real name, Selvaraj Narasimman
."
Guess what!
I
found con-artist Selva Carmichael in a winebar in Chard on Wednesday
13th December 2006 spouting his next venture, and giving out his card
under the name of a dissolved company. ( He is banned as a Company
Director and been made bankrupt twice). Mr Selva Car
Michael is now self-styled President of SELVASCREEN INTERNATIONAL
PLC.
His card reads:
SELVASCREEN INTERNATIONAL PLC
Film
Financing
Film Production
Film Acadamy
Film
Documentaries
Hollywood
Bollywood
Pinewood
Studios,
Pinewood Road,
Iver Heath ,
Buckinghamshire
SL0 0NH
|
On Location
To The Manor Born
at Cricket St.Thomas
or is it another El Dorado?
or in OneTV's studio
selling Sponsorships.
|
Our Search shows: Company Details -
SELVA SCREEN INTERNATIONAL PLC Registered No. 05189862
Address: CGC 33-01 25 CANADA
SQUARE CANARY WHARF LONDON E14 5LB
Type: Public limited with share capital
Incorporation Date: 27/07/2004
Status: Dissolved
company.
Last Accounts Filed: - Last
Accounts Analysed: -
See: http://www.ukdata.com/company-listings/Se-59.html
He
pays by American Express card No 374289252191009. He claims the
Company is owned by his wife and a friend, but it has been dissolved.
He arrived in
Chard on Wednesday 13th December & announced he will be filming and
starring as the Indian Prime Minister in his Bollywood spectacular in
February at Cricket
St.Thomas & that he wants to shut Holyrood Street for filming.
This article has been followed up by
the Western Daily Press see:
Response
from Mr Selva Car Michael... alias of Selvaraj Narasimman
I will try
and reply the best whey I can and I trust this might clarify the
situation and I hope you reflect on it.
In
la manga , i felt that at the time there was a great potential in
acquiring land on option and hold them for a period of time and ofload
them for a profit and thus make monies for a small number of investors
. As you expect a large proportion of monies were laid out by myself ,
my immediate family and a small
group of friends, we started well but because our lack of understanding
of
spanish laws and things taking longer then our prediction we
encountered financial
problems and we just ran out monies thus the predicment we got
ourselves
into and some late investors losts monies and in any business there are
risks
for high returns.
since i owned the
company I am responsible for the outcome, To deal with spanish was
difficult enough but to be caught up in their system was even more
difficult. Because of non payment of promised dividends the police
became involved and their presence made in more difficult for us to
proceed to finalise matters on behalf of us and our small number of
investors and all we were delayed.
I pleaded non-guilty
to charges for over 5 years but on the trial week I was advised that
these matters were complicated for a simple jury to understand and
against my better judgement pleaded guilty. on sentencing i realised
that i should have pleaded not-guilty and tried very hard to change the
plea on the basis that i made a mistake but failed.
on you have pleaded
guilty you know the rest. I didnt wish to enter into something to lose
monies for me or my investors but these were circumstances beyond my
control. We were in La- Manga when a few people knew it ,its fair to
say its a popular resort.
I am involved in
other business including the one you potray , but as for One TV , i
invested in shares with Mr Graham Avery with a group of friends and
have no direct involvement in the management of One TV and have sold
that stock a long time before it surfaced the company was in trouble ,
unfortunately the reporters in papers concerned are not the most
credible and tend to make up their own stories and I taking legal
advise on how to handle it. I have new been the owner of
One TV or had anything to do with the management.
I took time to
respond to this, I have never said that I was closing any street for
filming, I am working on a film project and at cricket st -thomas
witness by two individuals and i am even more baffled why you placed my
card number and its a clear violation
of privacy , we came to your bar had drinks and paid for it and left. I
trust
you will remove it .Should anybody use it clearly you are responsible
as
a manager of the pub and i will inform the authorities. I didnt
come
to chard to con anybody as you portray and I trust you do understand .
I
took the time to write this and when I am chard next I will pop in to
see
you.
Kind
regards,
selva
Second
email from Selva Carmichael
I have e-mail
this article to my lawyers and asked them to look into the content as
its although you based in on article that are written are wholly
un-true and are under litigation you are demed liable for its content
and clearly gone to other receipient and liablious. will be in contact
soon.
Kind regards,
selva
Editoral Comment: We are amazed to learn that twice
bankrupt Selva Carmichael has money to invest in both a restaurant and
One TV whilst the poor investors who lost their money, when he failed
to buy the Spanish Land Options for them,
have not seen a penny in retribution. The authorities should look into
where
the money he has to invest eminated from. It is all very well a man
being
convicted on 9 counts, but in excess of £1 million disappeared
never
to be found. Innocent citizens lost life savings and the perpetrator
continues
on his merry way. From
1997 Mr Carmichael was asked to produce the purchased options &
always
stated that they were elsewhere or some other feeble excuse. If he was
innocent
he only had to produce them. He never did. By any chance we are a
website
protecting unwary readers- not a pub
|
Chard Is In The News
Yes, at last we have
fame in Chard with romance in the air. As you will see from the photo
adjoining this article it's all smiles as our happy couple proceed to
play bingo at the Lacemill. Unfortunately all is not as it seems as the
poor chap is a little
short of funds as a result of his passion for bingo. After working hard
for
the community for over thirty years the ex-mayor is in need of funds
and
obviously needs assistance from all those he has helped over the years.
So
we ask all of you to give generously this festive season and think of
the
poor. He has thought about you in the past.
|
My next story is about a newly found descendant of mine.
There has been a similar story in the Daily Mail on February
9th 2007 in regards to Albert James Turnbull from Newcastle-upon-Tyne,
written by Liz Hull, and incorporating my picture which was drawn for
this website by Juliet Davey.
Maine man traces
ancestry
to 1st English king
By
Glenn Adams, Associated Press Writer | September 3, 2006
My Picture is copywrite of Juliet
Davey.
For permission to reproduce:
julietdavey&yahoo.co.uk
 HALLOWELL, Maine --After countless hours in
libraries and on the Internet, painstaking searches through public
records and a couple of trips overseas, Francis Harwood says his direct
bloodline to England's first king more than a millennium ago is
confirmed.
Standing in his living room before a 4-foot framed diagram of his
family line, authenticated by the venerable College of Arms in London,
the 72-year-old Harwood smiled with satisfaction.
"I gave them a lot of information so they could connect the bloodline"
to King Egbert as well as all of the royal houses of Europe, the
white-haired Harwood said. That included copies of birth, marriage and
death certificates and wills.
Many of the records are from archives in London, but Harwood was able
to do much of his research in libraries of Maine's private colleges and
state university.
Along the way, he was gratified to draw information by meeting distant
cousins but he also encountered frustrations of finding that some
potentially useful records had been destroyed during World War II or
otherwise disposed of.
As blessed by College of Arms heralds, the bloodline takes Harwood
directly back to Egbert of Wessex, who is widely considered to be
England's first king
and died around 838. Also known as Egbert the Saxon, he unified all of
the
kingdoms of England under his rule in the early 800s.
The research even highlights ties, through Egbert's marriage, to the
emperor Charlemagne, in whose court Egbert is believed to have lived
during a period of exile from Britain.
Harwood said his direct tie to Egbert makes him a relative of the
present Queen Elizabeth II and her son Charles, who will assume the
throne.
"Many people have the pedigree, but they don't have the bloodline," he
said.
Paul Milner, chairman of the British and Irish Forum for the National
Genealogical Society, said royal connections are not so unusual, but
it's not easy to prove
it.
"If he's used the College of Arms, chances are he's got good
documentation, especially on the earlier generations," said Milner, who
was among more than 1,800 people attending a four-day Federation of
Genealogical Societies conference in Boston that concluded Saturday.
Milner said tens of thousands of people in America have royal English
ancestors, but many who try to prove it find that it gets harder to
make the connections the farther they go back.
To someone who's had occasion to spend time in London, the name Harwood
may
have a familiar ring. Francis Harwood showed photos taken during his
visit
a decade ago to what was long known as the Harwood Estate in a section
of
the British capital that touches the Thames River.
Many of the hundreds of houses, shops, pubs and banks in the area were
occupied under 99-year leases, some of which expired in the 1990s, then
sold to lease holders, Harwood, a retired accountant, explained as he
spread out an old map of the sector.
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He said the family in
the
United States lost contact with the Harwood family heirs in 1910. But
if
they had stayed connected, the American Harwoods might have gotten a
share
of real estate Harwood says is now "priceless."
A real
estate agent told Harwood that a one-bedroom flat was going for 350,000
pounds, or
about $750,000. But Harwood's quest isn't so much about money, it's
more about
the intrigue.
"I've
had a ball with this thing," he said. "I love it."
He
recalled walking along Harwood and Tyrawley roads while visiting the
former estate in London in 1996. The latter name corresponds with the
middle name of the first Harwood to come to America, whose portrait
hangs over the fireplace in Francis Harwood's modest home.
Julian
Tyrawley Harwood, Francis' great grandfather, settled on an expansive
farm that was
something of a mini-estate itself in Augusta, Maine's capital city
which borders
tiny Hallowell. The elder Harwood, bearded and gazing soberly in his
portrait,
lived comfortably there off the family estate.
"He
never worked a day in his life," his descendant said with a grin.
Also
invigorating Harwood's decades-long quest are still-unanswered
questions about his lineage. His research has led Harwood to seek a DNA
match with a German nobleman, Ernst
August, Prince of Hanover, to see if Harwood's roots go back to Prince
Edward,
the Duke of Kent, who was Queen Victoria's father and the fourth son of
King
George III.
If so,
it would prove that Harwood's great, great grandfather, British Lt.
Col. Edward
Harwood, was the son of the Duke of Kent, said Harwood.
That
father-son relationship has never been mentioned in family
documentation, said Harwood, who sees the omission as a cover up of an
illegitimate birth.
"It
would have been a cover up for 198 years," Harwood said.
That
matter drew the attention of Hereward Davies in his 1985 book "Channel
Crossing." The book goes into considerable detail about the Edward
Harwood and the London estate, while raising the question of how
Harwood came into all of his money.
"What
was the origin of his wealth?" Davies' book asks. "If a deception
actually took place, can it be that the Duke was gratified to have
fathered an English son,
would have him named Edward, would cherish him discreetly, and would
make
provision for silence, upbringing, and posterity?"
Some
illegitimate births were openly documented centuries back, genealogists
say. Paula Stuart-Warren of the Federation of Genealogical Societies
and herself a genealogist, advises people who are learning to trace
their lineages to be prepared to make uncomfortable discoveries.
"I
tell people, if you're afraid of finding a skeleton in your family
tree, stop now,"
she said.
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Adverts
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MERCHANDISE
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Cerdic's Medieval Banqueting
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Opening
soon the finest food in Wessex - straight from my banqueting hall
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King Arthur's Pewter Round Table 
One of the greatest myths of medieval literature
certainly is the epic tale of King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table
and their quest for the Holy Grail. In the writings of Chretien de
Troyes the quest for the Grail becomes a symbol for the medieval ideals
of knighthood, gallantry, and
chivalry. The Holy Grail is a cup in which Joseph of Arimathia gathered
the
blood of Jesus Christ during his crucifixion. After uniting the
Kingdom, King
Arthur sends out his best and most valiant
knights,
Lancelot, Gavian, and Parcifal among them, to quest for the Holy Grail.
To
share their adventures with their brethren the knights come together in the castle of Camelot
around a large round table where all are equal in honor. No one shall
fee superior to the other knights and all of them share a place of
equal prestige. Thus is formed the Brotherhood of the Knights of the
Round Table. Many of them will die on King Arthur's side in his last
battle against the evil Mordred. Only Galahad, the son of Lancelot and
the most noble and purest of all Knights will finally find and be
allowed to touch the Holy Grail. This replica of King Arthur and his
Knights of the Round Table is magnificent in detail and clarity and is
sure to be the centerpiece of hours of conversation. The table is a
pedestal table that is elevated higher than the stone floor on which it
sits. There is an
indention on the
stone floor to secure the round table. The floor is 18" in diameter and
the
table is 10" in diameter. The Knights of the Round Table pewter
sculptures
are 4"+ and are accompanied with chairs, which sit 1 1/4" tall and 1"
wide.
Also, the knights have a pewter base and do not come a wood platform.
King
Arthur has a prestigious throne to denote his station. The entire set
makes
for a breathtaking scene of King Arthur and his noble knights.
Available from
http://www.historicalnames.com/
detail.aspx?ID=444
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The Cerdic Badge
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Cerdic's Armour
White T-shirt
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Cerdic's Crown
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Make Your Dog King For A Day With his
own T-Shirt
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Cerdic Wall Clock Its Been ticking
since 497 B.C.
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Cerdic's
Saxon Lager Drinking Vessel
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|
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Just
click on Cerdic or the Blue Line to go to the purchase site.
Cerdics
merchandise
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CERDIC's COLUMN
INFRASTRUCTURE
MISSING
Chard is a wonderful sleepy town in South Somerset. Having
come from the bustle and problems of Saxony I find it refreshing and
the people friendly and polite.
In summer one notices the beautifully kept flowers and the
pride that townsfolk have in their town. Whilst many townsfolk are
quick to show their discomfort in the problems of modern day living, on
the whole, there is an excellent quality of life here.
But one feels there is a burning question. Wither Chard? For
this one time market town, lace town, wool town, Capital of Wessex has
actually lost its "raison d'etre" in the 21st century.
Whilst there is an excellent industrial base here one should
realize that "industry" is a thing of the past in Britain. Dysan are
moving their industrial base abroad, many industrial companies find it
too expensive to continue in Britain. Will Numatic also think the same
way as Dysan?
Those that do
not understand that our industrial base will continue to wither have
their heads in the sand.
So what will replace it? What is the new revolution in the
21st century? As silicon valley has shown it is new technology. Today
one must embrace this new technology rapidly. Therefore Chard's future
is in our youth. They MUST be educated to face today's world. Our one
skill over developing nations is our education, knowledge, and
vision.
Our vision is to prepare our youth to be white collar
workers
instead of blue collar workers. To have have an educated centre of
excellence so that new companies want to come here to utilize that
knowledge.
Now is the time to create that new generation that wants to
bring vision and prosperity to Chardshire rather than letting them go
elsewhere to seek it. Everyday we neglect this forward planning is
another day lost to other competitive areas.
Chard was, some time ago,
designated to be a town of 60,000 yet today only boasts 12,000
inhabitants. It is the largest and most important town between
Dorchester and Exeter. It is close to a motorway and the coast. What a
haven for tomorrow's entrepreneurs.
In Tower Hamlets, one of the most deprived areas of London, the local
council is awarding grants to companies of up to £10,000 for
computers and computer
training. The most available here is £700.
Over the last few years new towns have evolved like Telford and Milton
Keynes. Older towns like Peterborough, Runcorn and Cumbernauld have
refound themselves. One must ask themselves why a major company like
Thomas Cook went to Peterborough.
It was because their town council and particularly my old friend Jean
Barker realised the necessity for that change. Oh yes she was a
Conservative mayor and because of the influx of population Labour took
control.
Fear of change is a disease that is terminal. Since We have been here
we have been attacked by a narrow minded civil servant for having the
audacity to start the www.wessextouristboard.org.uk website and we have
been attacked by a group of shopkeepers and bed & breakfast
internet dyslexics for unfounded and untrue morality reasons. In both
instances the real reason was the fear of constructive criticism and
change.
Now they have sacked their
Independant Mayor for blowing a kiss at the town clerk & offering
her a holiday. That
was after he had given over 30 years fantastic service. One can only
laugh
at the dinasaurs who then banned him from holding public office.
John Wilkes was not the most popular of politicians but he upheld the
right to freely criticise and be constructive.
That is progress and we must expect some change.If we are to proceed
forward we need fresh blood, new ideas and a vibrant community. If we
don't then will
the last person in Chard remember to turn the lights out."
Restaurants Galore
The centre of Chard is becoming
alive at night with new restaurants and cafes opening. Go to our
restaurant & cafe guide and select your favourite repast.
Coming soon are two new eateries.
A Pizza & Pasta restaurant in Fore Street and the glamourous
Cerdic's Banqueting Hall.
At Cerdic's there will be medieval banquets together with Court
Jesters, Musicians and gallons of scrumpy and mead. It is
rumoured that anyone found drunk in the centre of Chard will be placed
in the stocks to dry out.
We now have an
excellant Chinese & Continental establishment in Holyrood Street
and Gandhi's Indian eaterie. And the food at the Gallery at the
back of "Hooked on Books" has some of the finest British cooking in the
South West.
The new Vineyard restaurant behind the Dolphin Inn looks well
worth a visit. New York may have its restaurant row but Chard is
catching up fast.
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AN OFFA YOU CAN NOT REFUSE
Now that our site
www.wessex.me.uk has
been such a success I hear that King Offa of Mercia is opening a new
competitive
site called www.mercia.me.uk
ROYAL CHARD'S
CLAIM TO FAME
Our claim to fame? Is it artificial limbs? Is it powered
flight? Is it the first woman Cabinet Minister? or is it that
Charles Ist tried to sue for peace from here before being defeated in
the Civil War. We could have a statue to him with or without his head.
Our research fails to show that Judge Jeffries ever came
through Chard. It seems that many people from Chard joined up with the
Duke Of Monmouth when he tried to wrest the throne from JamesII. The
result was that the Bloody Judge Jeffries sat in both Dorchester and
Taunton and condemned people from Chard to death. We thank the Chard
History Group for their help in providing background material.
Those people were brought back here and the lower classes
were hung somewhere near Tescos whilst others were beheaded near the
toll house.
Who do we celebrate? What will bring the tourists to Chard?
Should we recall Judge Jeffries to deal with the crime in Chard to-day?
A few hangings and beheadings are cheaper than CCTV. Or we could let
them get a tongue lashing from that certain "polite" shopkeeper in
Holyrood Street!
Of
course not
- There is only one way to bring people to Chard. That is to celebrate
and
tell the world about me, Cerdic Von Wessex. I was the King of Wessex
and
my descendant Alfred became King of England. The basis and stories of
the
mythical Camelot were based on me. So if Camelot was anywhere it was
here. My escalibur
sword should
be placed in a rock in the middle of Chard.
Newspaper Articles on King Arthur being Cerdic
Debate
on whether King Alfred was based on Cerdic and whether Chard could be
the site of Camelot has produced much discussion locally with articles
in :
The
Chard
& Ilminster News
The Western Daily Press
Wyvern/
Wessex Car Stickers Now Available
 
Support
Wessex and CCTV in Chard by purchasing a Wessex Car Sticker. They are
now available in Chard at both The Tourist Office in the Guildhall in
Fore Street or from Hooked on Books in Holyrood Street at £1 each
A Knight's Tale
I had to let the drawbridge
down recently to entertain Barry Lawrence Goble of Boden Street, Chard.
He brought a copy of his coat of arms verified by the College of arms.
The
name of Goble, sometime Gobel is believed to have been a comparitively
recent variant
on the ancient Anglo-Saxon personal name of Godbold or Godbead. Godbold
is
recorded in the "Doomsday Book" "as a previous Anglo-Saxon tenant".
It is believed that the family, which included the
Earl of Arundel" (beheaded by Elisabeth I for being Catholic) are
renowned through history and include Mamie Doud Eisenhower, wife of
President Dwight Eisenhower. The interesting part of all this is
that the crest includes the Wyvern
which, historically could only have been carried by the Royal Family of
Wessex. Note it is a green wyvern .
Heraldic records, however, seem to point more towards Sussex and
Burpham and Petworth. This ties in with the connection with the Earl of
Arundel. Obviously
the Godbold ancestor came from Saxony and was connected with the Saxon
conquest
of South East Briton. However we can not be sure that they were here at
the
time of Cerdic.
Still Barry you were welcome to tarry at the Court. Are there any more
applicants for the round table?
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