Artavia

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Lundy, Isle of Avalon

Contents

Lundy Island

Arthur, the rightful king

The Knights Templar

The Holy Grail

Gods, Saints and Heroes

Stonehenge

Celestial Stuff

Mythological Stuff

Historical Stuff

Mystical Places

St. Michael Lines

The Romans

Picture Galleries

References & Texts

In his 'Geography' or 'Itinerary and Commentary de Situ Britanniae' Richard of Cirencester describes the different tribes who inhabited Britain and names their principal cities.

He mentions Artavia, a city of the Cimbri in North Devon.

He adds 'From hence, according to the ancients, are seen the Pillars of Hercules, and the island of Herculea not far distant.'

The geographer Ravennas names Mostevia as a town in the western peninsula.

"Polwhele says, that undoubtedly these places are to be considered as flourishing towns before the Romans arrived .... There are some towns in the North of Devon, which doubtless existed in very early times, connected by Roman ways, such as Hartland, the Artavia of Richard, where the high northern road is supposed to terminate." (Trans #2).

The identification of 'Artavia' or 'Mostavia' with Hartland is accepted by most modern scholars.

But if, among others, (Hoskins) in 'Devon and its People' is correct in surmising that the modern Hartland village has all the typical signs of being one of the nucleated villages founded by the Saxons as a means of defensive protection in a hostile countryside, others in North Devon include Braunton, Pilton, Bideford and Northam, then we have to look elsewhere for a possible site for a Celtic 'city.'

Just four miles inland from Hartland Point stands the imposing earthwork of Clovelly Dykes, one of the largest fortifications in the south-west of England. It stands on a watershed at the junction of four Ridgeways.

Iron Age hillforts were not merely military fortifications, they were defensive settlements. People lived in the huts within the ramparts.

Clovelly Dykes is the most likely site of Richard's Artavia.