October 10, 2001
On september 20th, Vortigern Studies had its th unique site visit!
With only a short time since the last update, still a good number of additions. First, a new poll! Yes, finally, it was meant to change sooner.Two new plays about Vortigern; the 1661 play by Middleton, Hengist, King of Kent, or The Mayor of Quinborough, and the 1796 'Shakspear'-forgery by William Henry Ireland, Vortigern, an Historical Play. Also a new, modern conflict between Hengist and Vortigern on the high seas, and a new guest-article from Jason Godesky: Vortigern the Big Man.
New additions to the Arthurian Collection are 4 novels, a study, a movie and a music CD:
Barber, Chris, and David Pykitt: Journey to Avalon, The Final Discovery of King Arthur, (Weiser, 1997).
Crompton, Anne Elliot: Percival's Angel, (ROC, 1999).
Haws, Kate: The Lovers, The Legend of Trystan and Iseulte, (Avon, 1999).
McCormack, Patrick: Albion, book 1, The Last Companion, (Robinson, 1997, repr. 2000)
Pyle, Howard: The Story of King Arthur and his Knights, (1903, repr. Dover 1965)
(VHS) Merlin and the Sword, (Paramount 1982)
(CD) Maddy Prior: Arthur the King, (Park Records 2001)

New in the Bibliography for October:

• Chandler, John (2000): The Vale of Pewsey, Ex Libris Press.*
• Jones, Roger (1998): Where Wiltshire Meets Somerset, Ex Libris Press.*
• Mielczarek, Mariusz (1993): Cataphracti and Clibanarii, Studies on the Heavy Armoured Cavalry of the Ancient World, Oficyna Naukawa, Lódz.*
• Nurse, Keith (1990): Digging up Dark Deeds, in: Country Life, August 30 1990, p. 133.*
• Watts, Ken (2001): Exploring Historic Wiltshire, vol. 1: North, Ex Libris Press.*
• Wilson, Margaret (1994): The Limpney Stoke Valley, Ex Libris Press.*
• Windrow, Martin and Angus McBride (ill.) (1996): Imperial Rome at War, Concord Publications.*

September 11, 2001
Because of the holidays, a delayed update of the site:
A new guest-article by August Hunt, The Myth of the British Vortigern, in which he digs deeper into the resemblance between the British king and the Irish Vortigerns. Also, a Foot & Mouth page for the benefit of visitors of Wansdyke.
New additions to the Arthurian Collection are 4 novels, a comic, 3 movies and a game:
King, J. Robert: Mad Merlin, (Tor, 2000).
Miles, Rosalind: Guenevere, book 3; The Child of the Holy Grail (Pocket Books, 2000).
Radford, Irene: Merlin's Descendants, book 1; Guardian of the Balance, (Daw, 2000).
Whyte, Jack: Camulod Chronicles, book 2; The Singing Sword, (Tor 1996)
Foster, H.R.: Prins Valiant 1 - In de Dagen van Koning Arthur, (1937, repr. Amsterdam Boek 1973)
(VHS) Bugs Bunny in King Arthur's Court (Warner Bros 1977)
(VHS) A Young Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court (Hallmark 1995)
(VHS) Camelot (Anchor Bay 1998)
(Game) King Arthurs Knights

New in the Bibliography for September:

• Burkitt, Tim and Annette Burkitt (1990): The Frontier Zone and the Siege of Mount Badon: A Review of the Evidence for their Location, in: Somerset Archaeology and Natural History 134, pp. 81-93.
• Eagles, Bruce (1994): The Archaeological Evidence for Settlement in the Fith to Seventh Centuries AD, in: Aston, Michael and Carenza Lewis, eds: The Medieval Landscape of Wessex, Oxbow Monograph 46, pp.13-32.
• Grundy, G.B. (1939): The Ancient Woodlands of Wiltshire - Melksham Forest, in: Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine 48, pp. 576-79.*
• Nurse, Keith (1992): Digging around in Deal, in: Country Life, May 28 1992, p. 128.*
• Williams, Geoffrey (2001): King Arthur lived in Amesbury, in: Wiltshire Life march 2001, pp. 24-26.

August 1, 2001
A new full English translation of Constantius of Lyon's 'Vita sancti Germani', the 'Life of Germanus of Auxerre'. Also new is the visit to Wansdyke by Keith Nurse, who remembers his visit to Shepards' Shore in 1994. New additions to the Arthurian Collection are two Dutch comics:
Reculé, H.J., J.L. Sala: De Legende van Kynan, (Le Lombard ).
Mills & Tappin: Slaine 14 - Het Geheim van de Graal (Arboris 2000).

New in the Bibliography for August:

• Constantius of Lyon: The Life of St. Germanus of Auxerre, eds. Thomas Noble and Thomas Head, translators, in: Soldiers of Christ: Saints' Lives from Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, (Pennsylvania State University Press, 1994), pp. 75-106.*
• Dark, Kenneth R. (2000): Britain and the End of the Roman Empire, (Tempus, Stroud).*
• Iles, Rob (1988): West Wansdyke: Recent Archaeological research and Future Prospects, in: Bristol & Avon Archaeology 7, pp. 6-10.*
• Gardner, Keith S. (1998): The Wansdyke Diktat: A Discussion paper, in: Bristol and Avon Archaeology 15, pp. 57-65.*
• Lendering, Jona (2000): De Randen van de Aarde, de Romeinen tussen Schelde en Eems, (Ambo, Amsterdam).*
• Swift, Ellen (2000): Regionality in Dress Accessories in the Late Roman West, Monographies Instrumentum 11, (Éditions Monique Mergoil, Montagnac).*
• Whittock, M. (1998): Reflections on the Cultural Context and Function of the West Wansdyke, in: Bristol & Avon Archaeology 7, pp. 2-5.*

July 12, 2001
Vortigern Studies is now an established factor as it seems, and reactions as well as contributions are now coming in regularly. A result of this is the updating of St Gurthiern and the 'Life of St Gurthiern', which now has three editions of the text. The visits to Wansdyke are now fully updated, and two new ones by Edwin Deady and 'Mike' are added, th first of a series of reports on the current state of Wansdyke.
Three (Dutch) additions to the Arthurian Collection:
Chrétien de Troyes: Lancelot of de Ridder van de Kar, translated by Sander Berg (Amsterdam, Athenaeum 2001).
Bullinga, Nicki: In de Voetsporen van Koning Arthur, (Bloemendaal, Dominicus Thema Reeks 2001).
Kruijssen, Agave: Lancelot, Ridder van de Ronde Tafel, (Fontein, 2001).

New in the Bibliography for July:

• Jenner, Michael (1992): A Traveller's Companion to the West Country, (Penguin, London).*
• Macdowall, Simon and Howard Gerrard (ill.) (2001): Adrianople 378 AD, (Osprey, London).*
• Nurse, Keith (1990): History Unearthed, in: Country Life, March 1 1990, pp. 118-9.*
• Nurse, Keith (1991): Wiltshire: Rich but Rough - England's Dark and Deadly Past, in: Country Life, November 21 1991, p. 128.*
• Nurse, Keith (1993): New Light On The Dark Ages - Recent excavations on the age of King Arthur, in: Country Life, February 4 1993, p. 73.*
• Nurse, Keith (1993): New Dating for Wat's Dyke (Wales), in: History Today August 1999, at: http://www.findarticles.com/m1373/8_49/55481493/p1/article.jhtml
• Pooley, Michael, and Jonathan Gaunt (1994): Marlborough and the Kennet, a View of the Downs and Villages, (White Horse Bookshop, Marlborough).*
• Swift, Ellen (2000): The End of the Western Roman Empire, An Archaeological Investigation, (Tempus, Stroud).*

June 4, 2001
After the presentation of Wansdyke, this month's update is somewhat less massive. I've updated the Wansdyke visits section with new pictures and text. The pictures have been re-scanned, and most of them can now be viewed in screen-wide size.

Two new guest articles by Frank D. Reno: Vitalinus/ Guithelinus and  Vortimer: Welsh Hero of the Arthurian Age. Both are very interesting theories about these key-figures of the Vortigern saga.
A few additions to the Arthurian Collection:
Arleston, Hubsch: Excalibur 2 - De Sidhe van de Duizend Zaligheden, (Talent 1998)
Haar, J. ter: Koning Arthur, (herschreven, Callenbach 2001)
Marie de France: The Lais of Marie de France, (ca. 1160-80, trans. Glyn S. Burgess and Keith Busby, Penguin Classics 1999).

New in the Bibliography for June:

• Alcock, Leslie (1966-7): Roman Britons and Pagan Saxons: an Archaeological Appraisal, in: The Welsh History Review 3, pp. 229-249.*
• Casey, P.J. (1979a): Magus Maximus in Britain, a reappraisal, in: Casey, the End of Roman Britain, pp. 66-79.*
• Green, Cynthia Whiddon (1998): Saint Kentigern, Apostle to Strathclyde: A critical analysis of a northern saint, A Masters Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the Department of English University of Houston, at: http://www.gypsyfire.com/Thesis.htm
• Higham, Nicholas J. (1992-3): Medieval 'Overkingship' in Wales: the Earliest Evidence, in: The Welsh History Review 16, pp. 145-159.*
• Jocelyn: Life of St. Kentigern, at: http://www.gypsyfire.com/Translation.htm
• Jones, Michael E. and John Casey (1990): The Date of the Letter of the Britons to Aetius, in: The Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies 37, pp. 281-290.*
• Jankulak, Karen (2000): Cartulary of Sainte-Croix de Quimperlé, in: Literature and Politics in the Celtic World, pp. 45-58.*
• Nurse, Keith (1989): Emerging from Post-Roman Fog - the Roman Research Trust, in: Country Life, August 17 1989, p. 73.*
• Nurse, Keith (2001): 'A famous thing ... that reacheth farre in lenght', in: New Welsh Review 52, pp. 21-27.*
• Reiss, Edmund (1968-9): The Welsh Versions of Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia, in: The Welsh History Review 4, pp. 97-127.*
• Sims-Williams, Patrick (1994-5): Historical Need and Literary Narrative: a Caveat from Ninth-Century Wales, in: The Welsh History Review 17, pp. 97-127.*
• Wilson, P.A. (1966-7): Romano-British and Welsh Christianity: Continuity or Discontinuity? Part 1, in: The Welsh History Review 3, pp. 5-21.*
• Wilson, P.A. (1966-7): Romano-British and Welsh Christianity: Continuity or Discontinuity? Part 2, in: The Welsh History Review 3, pp. 103-120.*

May 5, 2001
At last, a promise made good: after 2 years, I can present to you the complete description of Wansdyke! Well, maybe I'm not THAT ashamed, after all, my visits pages were the best on Wansdyke you could get on the net. But now, to all of you who kept pestering me (rightly) for more, here it is. From West to East, the complete course, with dozens of images and drawings, each section accompanied by a set of directions to several points, from several main starting points in the area. Satisfied? There's more: the complete course of Wansdyke in 19th century Parish maps!

Oh yes, and more of Vortigern as well: thanks to the kind offer of mr. Paul E. Cullity of the Department of History of Keene State College, I can present to you the new translation in English of the Vita sancti Gurthierni (Life of St Gurthiern).

New in the Bibliography for May:

• Chandler, John (1991): The Vale of Pewsey, West Country Landscapes.*
• Crittal, E. (ed.) (1973): The End of the Roman Era (367-c. 500 A.D., in: The Victoria History of the Counties of England, A History of Wiltshire, vol 1: part 2, pp. 460-67.*
• Crittal, E. (ed.) (1973): The Pagan Saxon Period (c. 500-c. 700), in: The Victoria History of the Counties of England, A History of Wiltshire, vol 1: part 2, pp. 467-84.*
• Watts, Kenneth (1993): The Marlborough Downs, West Country Landscapes.*

April 1, 2001
First, just a few thechnicalities: MyComputer.com seems to be the latest casualty in the ending E-business hype, which has resulted in the loss of a few counters, all polls and the internal search engine. While I am replacing the former with Votations.com, the latter has been far more than replaced by Atomz. Vortigern Studies is now also a proud associate of HISTORY TELEVISION.
Just one new article: The Treasure of Vortigern. And a new poll.

New in the Bibliography for April:

• Anderson, Thomas (1995): Roman military colonies in Gaul, Salian Ethnogenesis and the forgotten meaning of Pactus Legis Salicae 59.5, in: Early Medieval Europe 4.2, pp. 129-144.*
• Behr, Charlotte (2000): The origins of kingship in Kent, in: Early Medieval Europe 9, pp. 25-52.*
• Harvey, Robert B. (1998): Shaftesbury Abbey's 12th-century Rentals for Bradford-on-Avon, in: Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine 91, pp. 76-89.*
• Hill, David (2000): Offa versus the Welsh, in: British Archaeology 56 (December), at: http://www.britarch.ac.uk/ba/ba56/ba56feat.html#hill.*
• Howlett, David (1998): Literate Culture of 'Dark Age' Britain, in: British Archaeology 33 (April), at: http://www.britarch.ac.uk/ba/ba33/ba33feat.html#howlett.*
• Humphries, Mark (1996): Chronicle and chronology: Prosper of Aquitaina, his methods and the development of early medieval chronography, in: Early Medieval Europe 5, pp. 155-175.*
• Janes, Dominic (1996): The golden clasp of the Late Toman state, in: Early medieval Europe 5, pp. 127-153.*
• Jelley, Harry (1998): Saint Patrick's Somerset Birthplace, (Car Valley, Somerton).*
• Jelley, Harry (1998): Locating the birthplace of St Patrick, British Archaeology 36 (July), at: http://www.britarch.ac.uk/ba/ba36/ba36feat.html#jelley.
• Mathisen, Ralph W. (1999): Sigisvult the Patrician, Maximinus the Arian, and political stratagems in the Western Roman Empire c. 425-40, in: Early Medieval Europe 8, pp. 173-196.*
• Radnorshire: Discovery of ancient jewellery at Corregwynion Rocks, Nantmel, History of Radnorshire, 2nd. Edition 1859, published by J. Williams. ed. E. Davies. Brecknock (1905).*
• Rahtz, P.A. and K.J. Barton (1963): Maes Knoll Camp, Dundry, Somerset, 1: Trial Excavations, in: Proceedings of the Spalæological Society, University of Bristol 10, pp 9-11.*
• Remfry, Paul (1998): Discovering the lost kingdom of Radnor, in: British Archaeology 34 (May), at: http://www.britarch.ac.uk/ba/ba34/ba34feat.html#remfry.*
• Tratman, E.K. (1963): Maes Knoll Camp, Dundry, Somerset, 2: The Iron Age Defences and Wansdyke, in: Proceedings of the Spalæological Society, University of Bristol 10, pp 11-15.*
• White, Sally et al (1999): A Mid-Fifth Century Hoard of Roman and Pseudo-Roman Material from Patching, West Sussex, in: Britannia 30, pp. 301-315.*

March 9, 2001
A few additions to the Arthurian Collection: 21 old Prince Valiant editions and a new theory about the supposedly Scythian or steppe nomad background to the Arthurian legend:
Reid, Howard: Arthur, the Dragon King, The barbaric Roots of Britain's Greatest Legend, (Headline 2001). Also new are:
Lawhead, Stephen R.: Avalon: The Return of King Arthur, (Avon 1999, repr. 2000) and McCormack, Patrick: Albion, book 2; The White Phantom, (Robinson 2000).

New in the Bibliography for March:

• Henig, Martin (1998): The Lullingstone Mosaic, Art, Religion and Letters in a fourth century villa, ASPROM, at: http://www.asprom.org/articles/lullingstone/2.htm
• Fenn, R.W.D. (1966-7): Who was St. Harmon?, in: The Radnorshire Transactions, pp 50-55.*
• Grebanier, Bernard (1965): The Great Shakespeare Forgery, a new look at the career of William Henry Ireland, (Heinemann, London).
• Wace: Roman de Brut - a History of the British (1155, trans. Judith E. Weiss, University of Exeter Press).*

March 1, 2001
It's official: VORTIGERN STUDIES HAS MOVED !! The site can now be found at www.vortigernstudies.org.uk/
This means that the old site at Tripod will no longer be updated, all pages will be replaced by referral pages, though I will keep them on this server for a few months yet.

A new guest-article by August Hunt: Cunedda as Vortigern , and a whole new section of Vortigern Studies: Art and Literature, in which we discuss subjects such as illuminations, poems and plays concerning Vortigern. No less than 9 new articles now and more to come.

February 14, 2001
The main activity over the last month has been the re-designing of the entire site, as the last one appeared to make most pages inaccessible to users of Mac/Netscape. I sincerely hope this has now been remedied.
However, that does not mean that additions were halted! Two long-awaited arrivals: new articles on Bede (2) and 'Nennius'! Which hopefully means that those links in the text finally go some place.. Two more new guest articles: A note by David White about the start of the Saxon occupation, and an article by August Hunt about interpreting Vortigern's epithet 'Guortheneu'.
A main addition is the new Messageboard. I have created a custom-made forum for the main topics of Vortigern Studies, the Vortigern forum and the Arthurian Collection forum. Come and see, log in and add your messages!

New in the Bibliography for February:

• Dumville, David N. (1990): Two Troublesome Abbots, in: Celtica 21, pp. 146-52, at: http://www.celt.dias.ie/publications/celtica/c21.html.*
• Miller, Molly (1991): The Chronological Structure of the Sixth Age in the Rawlinson Fragment of the 'Irish World-Chronicle', in: Celtica 22, pp. 79-111, at: http://www.celt.dias.ie/publications/celtica/c22.html.*
• Mommsen, Theodor ed. (1892): Historia Brittonum, at: http://www.gmu.edu/departments/fld/CLASSICS/histbrit.html.
• Notitia Dignitatum, IN PARTIBUS OCCIDENTIS, IN PARTIBUS ORIENTIS, full text (Latin) at: http://www.gmu.edu/departments/fld/CLASSICS/notitia.html.
• Ó Riain, Pádraig (1990): A misunderstood Annal: a hitherto unnoticed caín, in: Celtica 21, pp. 561-6, at: http://www.celt.dias.ie/publications/celtica/c21.html.*
• Simms, Katherine (1990): Images of Warfare in Bardic Poetry, in: celtica 21, pp. 608-19, at: http://www.celt.dias.ie/publications/celtica/c21.html.*

January 4, 2001
The update to Vortigern Studies is now complete, and all links should work properly. There is a new poll as well (come and vote!), as well as a new webring, PEN-DRAGON Poetry and Fantasy Sites.

January 1, 2001
Welcome to the new Millennium! Yes, as I referred to a year ago, Vortigern Studies is a historically correct website..