King Arthur's greatest victory?
Published 21 Jan 2012 10:00
AN AMATEUR historian says he has found evidence which proves that the legendary King Arthur won his greatest battle in Dumbarton.
The exact location of the epic Battle of Badon - the site where the British leader crushed the Saxon army and killed 940 men single handedly - has been a hot topic of debate for years.
Some researchers argue that the clash happened south of the border.
But last week literary archaeologist Damo Bullen told the Reporter that after years of studying the conflict he is "absolutely convinced" that the fierce battle took place at Dumbarton Rock.
The 35-year-old came to his conclusion after studying the language used in various historical texts describing the battle and the movement of the legendary figure throughout the British Isles at the time.
He said: "It's a strategic thing and looking at the rest of the battles it makes sense that the last one was there. I started investigating it and everything makes sense that it happened in Dumbarton.
"You have to think outside the box, strategically you have to think about them moving throughout the country and Dumbarton was the main kingdom of Strathclyde.
"It is also mentioned that Arthur set up three courts, one in Cornwall, one in Pembrokeshire and another in Dunbartonshire.
"That means that at some point he would of had to have gone there."
Information about the Battle of Mount Badon is shrouded in mystery, although it is widely believed to have involved the siege of a fortress and taken place around the 6th Century.
Dumbarton Castle was one of the few fortified structures in existence in Britain at that time.
King Arthur's chief bishop, Saint Mungo, was also based close-by around the same time, which adds to the theory that he must have have travelled to the Dumbarton area.
And after spending years of studying the dark ages and uncovering what he believes to be the truth about one of history's forgotten secrets, Damo is glad all of his hard work has paid off.
He added: "Most historians don't verify their sources but I don't leave any stoned unturned and always dig a bit deeper.
This article appeared in Dumbarton & Vale of Leven Reporter 17 Jan 12
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