The domain of East and West Camel which, for centuries, figures as part and parcel of the “ Eorinsecus ” or outer Hundred of Somerton, the erstwhile capital of the Sea moor settlers. At the time of domesday , Queen’s Camel, as East Camel appears to have been named , was in the hands of Queen Gytha, Harold’s wife, like Puriton (Peritona), the port on the Parret,leading to the Poldens and Glaston.
the old landscape ,, gone
Chapter II.
Dumnonia and Glaston.
DUMNONIA,therefore,as a geographical term, seems to lie in the background of our national, and especially West-Country, annals, as a somewhat dim and uncertain region, regarded as a half fabulous realm, not to be defined by modern counties or by modern Bishoprics, although the name has survived in Devon. It has long since dropped out of use and finds little mention in our text-books. William of Malmesbury could say “ In Dumnonia quae Devenscire dicitur 55 and render himself intelligible to men of his own age (1143) ; and, further back still in our history, Asser, the biographer of King Alfred, could quote “ Dumnonia" , as already noted, probably meaning Devon and part of Somerset reaching up to the Parret mouth and, perhaps, further east still, towards Bristol (a .d . 875-900).
That there was a Church if not a distinct Diocese in Dumnonia, we may infer from a letterwritten by Aldhelm, Bishop of Sherborne in a d 704 who gave a kind of pastoral charge to Gerontius, King of Dumnoiiia, and to all priests (sacerdotes) living inDumnonia. The view of Aldhelm, who was partially Romanized, was that Dumnonia was rather uncivilized (dira), a view we need not endorse, as he probably meant that the Celtic Church was not sufficiently imbued with Roman and papal influences. The old Roman geographers used the name of Dumnonia mid had a definition for it, Claudius Ptolemaeus ad 150 placing the Dumnonii next to the Durotriges or Dorsaetas , i.e. men of Dorset, on the east, and extending this region to" Volida" ie Fowey or Falmouth in Cornwall .
of Somerset Dumnonia included Uxella on the Axe and Uphill above Brean . This certainly would include Anchor Head , on the present site of Weston-super-Mare with the old fort of Worlesborough above it. It is worth noticing that a later Roman geographer , Caius Julius Solinus ad 238 extended the Dumnonii much further up the Severn and placed them opposite to the Silures.
Dr. Guest in his “ Origines Celticae,” 2 conjectures that the bounds of Dumnonia stretched from Malmesbury to the
Land’s End and that the kings of Dumnonia had added to this realm by conquest and that, in the days of Gereint, Dumnonia must have been in power and dignity the first of
the British Kingdoms.
He writes : " It is not my object to trace the several stages of decay through which the power of Dumnonia passed as it melted away before the ascendancy of England. The more intimate relations of this British Kingdom were no doubt with the kindred races of Wales and Brittany, but the influences it exercised over the national progress and even over the literature of its English neighbours were by no means of slight account, though they have been strangely overlooked. They afford, I think, the only solution of some of the most intricate problems connected with our early history, and materials for such inquiry may be scanty, but they are not altogether wanting.” The three chief “ perpetual choirs ” of the Isle of Britain were : That of Llan Iltud Vawr in Glamorgan ; That of Ambrosius in Ambresbury, near Salisbury ; That of Glaston. In each of these choirs there were 2,400, that isthere were one hundred for every hour of the day and night
in rotation perpetuating the praise of God without rest or intermission. What may be termed the spiritual life of an enlarged Dumnonia was centred around these places about a .d . 500. This implied a kind of national unity from Salisbury to the Land’s End. When, later on, the Bishopric of Sherborne was formed and Aldhelm ruled over “ Selwood1. See “ George of Ravenna,” p. 424. Urbs ab Uxellae ostio longe separata. Fluvius est Axe— Uxella forte est Axbridge : also “ History of the Ancient Britons,” by J. A. Giles, D.C.L., vol. ii, p. 102.
2. Vol. ii, pp. 270-2.
Dumnonia and Glaston this inland continuity from Wiltshire westward was slightly impaired about ad 700. But Dumnonia unity was preserved along the north coasts and littoral of the Severn
Sea, being in its very nature maritime and its inhabitants seafaring. Glaston and LlanIltud Vawr preserved their Celtic traditions. It was a matter of navigation and of a sea-and river-intercourse, easier in its way than travel through inland forests and less perilous. That road or highway, possibly of Roman origin, linking Dumnonia and its northern parts together, leading from Bristol and Bath westward to Uxella or Axbridge, Brent and so to Cynwith or Comwith passage on the Parret was first
constructed with a strategic and maritime purpose. It was the trunk road of ancient Dumnonia for all purposes. It helped the pilgrim also on his way to Glaston and was connected with all land routes and especially with the sea routes across Severn. Glaston also had its river anchorages, its canals and moorland boats (batelli) and river craft. The tidal wave swept humble currough or larger barge and vessel up to its sacred portals. If we adopt Sir Charles Elton’s definitions of ancient Siluria and infer that it meant a block of Wales including Glamorgan and Hereford, as well as Monmouth, it will be seen that the Dumnonii must have been found some distance up the Severn. Hath and Bristol (Bristowa, the town of the British) ; both with churches dedicated to St. Michael, would have been
occupied by them. Gildas, our oldest historian, who knew the Severn well, mentions a certain “ King of Dumnonia ” Constantine by name (Dumnoniae tyrannus), as apart from
Vortipore, King of Demetia which we assume to mean geographically, South Wales and not simply Pembroke. The name of Constantine, it may be noted, introduces early Christian association (300-400). To-day there is a Cornish parish near Falmouth called Constantine where it is said although the rumour cannot be substantiated silver coins of Arthur were found near the church.2 Constantine, also,
1 Elton’s “ Origins of English History,” p. 141.
2 Lewis’ “ Topographical Dictionary,” vol. i, p. 509.