Why Arthur’s Seat?

Luc and Lucy on top of Arthur’s Seat, June 2022

I never really thought about why Arthur’s Seat was so named until recently when I read Adam Ardrey’s book “Finding Arthur: The True Origins of the Once and Future King.”

Ardrey’s premise is that King Arthur was not really a king and didn’t really come from England but was in fact the great great grandson of the Druidic warrior Fergus Mor Mac Erc, born c. 500 who came from Ireland and invaded Argyll, becoming King of the Scots of Dalriada.

Ardery is a lawyer and family researcher who is perhaps descended from Arthur mac Aedan b 559. Ardery has read all the histories, assessed all the theories, and come to his conclusion that Arthur died c. 596 at the Battle of Camlann. This was the last of twelve battles he fought described by the 12 C writer Nennius in his “Historia Brittonum”.

I won’t bore you with the details but it’s a good read and he explains how the popular Arthurian myths came to be.

I was interested in Arthur as our Perthshire family, the Clarks, lived on the Arthurstone estate in Meigle, named after an ancient stone that was found there. It was broken up in 1792 for building material for the house.

Nearby in the Meigle Museum is a stone that supposedly marked the death of Guinevere, Arthur’s wife (Scottish name Vandora).

Vandora’s Stone, Meigle Museum

This side of the 8’ tall stone shows Vandora/Guinevere being torn apart by a pack of wild dogs, being punished for her transgressions. The other side has her name and a Celtic cross.

Ardrey doesn’t mention the Meigle connection and probably that part is just lore but a fascinating legend all the same!