"The Phoenicians and the Carthaginians expanded all across North Africa and western Europe. They pushed past the Straits of Gibraltar and founded the city of Gades (present day Cadiz) in Spain. While active in Spain, these Phoenician/Carthaginian descendants are called 'Celtiberians' by archaeologists. Later, some sailed away from Spain and colonized the British Isles, where they are simply called 'Celts' by archaeologists".- Michael Bradley, Holy Grail Across the Atlantic

'A powerful belief that the islands not far from the British coast were regarded as the homes of the various gods of the sun.'   Celtic myth &

There can be no doubt that there was a flourishing trade relationship between the west of Britain and the Mediterranean from ancient times until the middle ages. 

Some three thousand years, give or take the odd century. 

The coming of the Phoenicians to Cornwall to trade for mineral ore is well documented.  The trade routes were certainly well established by 1000 BC.

The evidence for this trade is not just archaeological, many ancient writers refer to it. Diodorus Siculus ( 8th.C BC) gives us a detailed description of the tin trade. Writing circa 445 BC Herotodus speaks of the British Isles as the Tin Isles or Casserides.

"Europe and the Middle East formed a very small world, and were much closer to each other than some previous centuries have supposed." from 'The Ancient Secret'

"The Phoenicians and the Carthaginians expanded all across North Africa and western Europe. They pushed past the Straits of Gibraltar and founded the city of Gades (present day Cadiz) in Spain. While active in Spain, these Phoenician/Carthaginian descendants are called 'Celtiberians' by archaeologists. Later, some sailed away from Spain and colonized the British Isles, where they are simply called 'Celts' by archaeologists".- Michael Bradley, Holy Grail Across the Atlantic

There has been an upsurge of interest in the Celts recently, with much original research leading to several popular misconceptions being corrected. The traditional theory has been that the celts of western britain were the sad remnants of a people pushed ever westward by waves of invaders 
however more and more evidence is being uncovered which shows conclusively that the 'celts' of western britain were very closely linked with the greek/phoenician/carthginian/celtiberian world of sea travellers 'quote here'
More than they were with their neighbours to the east. The celtic tribes of south eastern britain were very closely linked with the continent.

There are striking similarities between the beliefs of the western Celts and those of the Egyptians and the Greeks. 

Apollo, Hercules, Chronos, Atlas, senior figures in the Greek pantheon,  are all linked in mythology with an island in the far north west, near Britain. 

Another legend describes Apollo travelling from the land of The Hyperboreans to Delphi in a chariot drawn by swans

The author of the journal of Pytheas' travels (Diodoros Siculus, Bibliotheca quoting Hecateus of Abdera as one of the writer's authorities). wrote that there were two temples to the god Apollo on the British Isles...

On this island are  a magnificent sacred precinct of Apollo and a notable temple which is adorned with many votive offerings and is spherical in shape."

"The supreme authority in that city and the sacred precinct is vested in those who are called the Boreadae, being the descendants of Boreas, and their governments have been uninterruptedly passed in this line." (Ashe, The Ancient Wisdom quoting from Graves, the White Goddess).

The Greek poet Pindar wrote of a temple sacred to Apollo, the sun god, in the land of the Hyperboreans. (10th Pythian Ode).

It is also said that from this island the moon appears very near to the earth, also that Apollo visits this island every nineteen years, one complete revolution of the stars. During the season of his appearance Apollo plays upon the harp and dances every night.

The fame of the temples in Britain dedicated to the sun god, Apollo, spread throughout the ancient world. 

One of the temples was Stonehenge the other was on Lundy. 

These Hyperboreans had a longstanding affinity with the Greeks, particularly the Athenians and the Delians.

 In the past the Hyperboreans were visited by Greeks bearing gifts of great value. The priest Abaris came from Hyperborea to the temple at Delios.

'The visit of the British druid, Abaris, was long remembered at Athens. Greek fancy converted the magnetic needle by which he guided his travels into an arrow of Apollo which could transport him at wish whithersoever he pleased.'

 ( Nineteen years is the period required for the moon to return to synchronicity within the solar year. It is also close to the time that passes between solar eclipses. )

."The ancient text 'The Book of Enoch' fully describes the 364 day calender system and is filled with references to the seven visible planetary bodies. There is a description of observing the sun-rises through the year at a 'great and glorious device at the (northern) ends of the earth'. Any astrophysicist can work out the latitude of his observations - it falls not many miles from the latitude of Stonehenge" 

 and Lundy

thoughts

What would it have felt like for a Greek sailor, sailing the seas where legends say the gods live on an island?

What must it have felt like for a Greek sailor, seeing an island, where legends say the gods live imprisoned on an island?

What must  it have felt like for a Greek sailor if he saw this head, on an island, where legends say the gods live, imprisoned in the rock of an island?

'There is one island there (in Britain) where Cronus is a prisoner guarded by Briareus in his sleep .. sleep was the fetters designed for Cronus and many daimones are around him as servants and followers.' (Levi. P, 'A history of Greek Lit.)

'Kronos is imprisoned, with Briareus keeping guard over him as he sleeps, for as they put it sleep is the bond forged for Kronos.' - Plutarch

'The natives have a story that in one of these (islands) Cronus has been confined by Zeus, but that he, having a son for gaoler, is left sovereign lord of these islands ... Cronus himself sleeps within a deep cave resting on a rock which looks like gold .. Birds fly in at the topmost part of the rock, and bear him ambrosia, and the whole island is pervaded by the fragrance shed from the rock.' (Plutarch, Moralia XII.)

The geographer Ptolemy called Lundy island "The Isle of Hercules"

' Knowing as we do that there existed a powerful cult of Heracles in the neighborhood of the Columns which bear his name, we need not be surprised that it was carried up to the British Isles.' from 'Celtic Myth and Arthurian Romance'

Most leading authorities agree that there would most likely have been a similar community on Lundy, Hartland Point or both.

The eleventh of Hercules' Twelve Labours' was to fetch the golden apples of the Hesperides. The Garden of the Hesperides was said to be 'beyond the famous sea, that the golden fruit was guarded by a terrible serpent, and that the garden was situated at a place where Atlas upheld broad heaven, standing on earth's verge.'

Because Hercules did not know where the apples were, he sought help from Atlas, father of the Hesperides. Atlas agreed to help him if Hercules would support the world on his shoulders while Atlas retrieved the apples. The old man did not wish to resume his burden, but Hercules tricked Atlas into taking the world back. Hercules returned with the apples to Eurystheus.

'The  connection of the apple tree with immortality is both ancient and widespread'.  --Robert Graves, The White Goddess

"Mr. Lewis Spence ,The Minor Traditions of British Mythology, tells us that the common apple tree reached Greece from the North. It was adopted by the Greek sun-god as especially sacred to him.

 From the Celtic word 'Abal' an apple, the god derived his name Apollo.

  Avalon, Avallach and Avalloch are Celtic variations of the same word." [Rhys, Arthurian Legend]

In Norse legend the food of immortality of the gods in Asgard was the apple. The Apple of the Hesperides....fruit of which Hercules and Perseus, son of Danae of the Brazen Tower, went in quest......

The poet Virgil tells how when Aeneas escaped from Troy to Italy, the Sibyl told him that the only means of entering and returning safely from the underworld was to carry the fruit of the golden bough. 

In accordance with the cult of the goddess Diana at Nemi most authorities agree it is likely that the golden bough was an apple - branch

The adventures of Jason and the Argonauts and their search for the Golden Fleece would appear to be yet another legend concerning a heroic quest for a golden apple. The Greek word for sheep - 'melon'-  can also mean apple. 'The Golden Fleece' could also mean 'The Golden Apple.'  The adventures of Jason in Colchis are seen to be almost identical with that of Hercules in the Hesperides and also with that of Siegfried. All three fight a serpent dragon. The prize a golden treasure

Hercules, St. Michael, St. George, Siegfried and Apollo are all dragon- slayers. The serpents sent by Juno were strangled by the infant Hercules; Pythos the serpent / dragon occupant of Delphi was slain by Apollo.

St. Patrick drove the serpents from Ireland, and from Lundy

The Garden of Eden has a serpent and an apple.

Uther Pendragon - father of Arthur

archeoastronomy

importance in early times of seasonal and solar alignments

It is easy nowadays to underestimate the importance that the seasonal events, in particular the sowing and harvesting of crops, had to mankind in ancient times. Watches and clocks tell us the time, or we can use the sun, its just not as practical on a cloudy day; we have calenders for the date, or we could go outside and use the moon and the sun, again its not as convenient. But before watches and clocks and diaries people still had an overriding need to be aware of timing. The very survival of the societies depended on the harvest. One bad year was damaging enough, a succession of bad years was devastating. The linking of seasonal events and places of worship continues with harvest festivals celebrated in village churches under their clock tower. The use of stone monuments for solar calculations ......................

for all of these the calculation of dates was of prime importance

The scientific study of the orientation of the remains of temples and other sites in the Middle East and Europe, including the pyramids of Egypt, began early last century. With his pioneering work on Stonehenge in the late 19th century Sir Norman Lockyer brought this and other megalithic monuments under scrutiny. It is generally accepted nowadays that Stonehenge and other similar early megalithic monuments are oriented on celestial events including the summer solstice. Alignments have also been found marking the phases of the moon and the rising of bright stars, for example Sirius.

The Ecliptic

Celestial Navigation

Sirius the Dog star

From rock paintings to Stonehenge, from the calendars of the Babylonians, the Mayans and the Egyptians to the native North American medicine wheels ancient peoples have left behind evidence of their concern with the movement of celestial bodies. Before the advent of artificial lighting, the sun, the moon, and the stars were dominant features to the human world. The regularity of celestial events were also used to measure the passing of time. For agriculture the recurrence of seasonal events was, and still is, essential. 

 since earliest times the heavens have been used for navigation.

The scientific study of the orientation of the remains of temples and other sites in the Middle East and Europe, including the pyramids of Egypt, began early last century. With his pioneering work on Stonehenge in the late 19th century Sir Norman Lockyer brought this and other megalithic monuments under scrutiny. It is accepted nowadays that Stonehenge and other similar early megalithic monuments are oriented on celestial events including the summer solstice. 

Currently the vernal, or spring, equinox occurs around the 21st of March. The autumnal equinox occurs around the 23rd of September. Midway between the equinoxes are the winter solstice around the 22nd of December and the summer solstice, the 21st of June.