The Marvels of England, Part One

Two later versions of the 9th century Historia Brittonum contained a section that is referred to as Mirabilia, "marvels" or "miracles." These legends were repeated by others who borrowed from the Historia and became part of the fabric of the "Matter of Britain" in people's minds. A couple of them are legends of King Arthur, of whom the Historia had a lot to say.

The 12th of the Mirabilia listed is about the Cairn of Cabal, Arthur's dog:

There is another wonderful thing in the region which is called Bucit. There is there a mound of stones and one stone placed on top has a footprint of a dog on it. When hunting the porker Troynt, stamped Cabal (who was the dog of the soldier Arthur) the step in the stone, and afterward Arthur gathered together stones under the stone on which was the track of his dog, and it is called Carn Cabal. And men come, and they take the stone in their hands through the space of the day and night, even so, in the daylight of the following day it is come upon on top of his collection.

There was a medieval cantrev (a Welsh unit of land similar to the English Hundred) named Builth, within which is a hill called Carn Gafallt. There are three Bronze Age burial mounds at the top, constructed of stones loosely held together. Depressions made by small stones falling out of place could be taken to resemble a canine paw.

The marvel that follows this is about the Tomb of Amr, Arthur's son:

There is another miracle in the region which is called Ercing. A sepulcra is shown near a spring which is given the name Licat Amr, and the name of the hero who's grave is in the tumulus, it follows, was called Amr. He was the son of Arthur the soldier, and he himself has killed him in that very place and done the burying. And men come to measure the tumulus in length: sometimes it is six feet; sometimes nine; sometimes twelve; sometimes fifteen. For whatever the measurement you will measure it in such a succession, again you will not find it with the same measurement; and even I have made confirmation on my own.

Later stories of Arthur refer to the Wicked Day of Destiny when Arthur defeats his son, Medraut or Mordred, at the Battle of Camlann. Those are later versions of the son's name than what is found in the Historia. A mound south of Hereford, England, called Wormelow Tump, is sometimes pointed out as the burial place of Amr.

Another marvel (number three in the list) is the Hot Pool:

Wonder three - the hot pool, which is in the region of the Huich and encircled by a wall made of brick and stone and to that place men go during all seasons to be washed and to each, as it may have pleased them, the bath thus may be made according to his own will: if he may have willed, the bath will be cold, if warm, it will be warm.

This one is a little easier to explain. The "region of the Huich" refers to the Hwicce, Saxons who lived in the area that includes Bath, a place then and now known for its hot springs.

I'll share a few more of the Mirabilia tomorrow. See you then.