King Arthur & the shropshire connection

Although there has been many claims associated with King Arthur at many locations throughout this country it is difficult to seperate fact from fiction. However there may be more truth to the following account as the legend of King Arthur may have been based on an actual person. He was the ruler of the part of the country known as Shropshire in the 5th century and he would have been known as Owain Ddantgwyn, he was a fierce warrior who defeated the Anglo-Saxons when they invaded his lands after the Romans had left. His name that he would have been known by in battle was “The Bear” and in Old English this word would have been translated as Arth. Owain’s Father’s battle name would have been known as, “Terrible Head Dragon” which in Welsh can be translated as “Uthr Pen Dragon” which is very similar to Uther Pendragon who was Arthur’s Father in the Arthurian legend. It has been suggested that the city of Virconium in Roman times and which now is the town of Wroxeter, and which can be found four miles from the town of Shrewsbury was the real Camelot.

Another odd coincidence can be found on the outskirts of the town of Oswestry found close to the English and Welsh borders, here can be found an ancient well preserved hill fort which is known as Caer Ogyrfan.

Oswestry hill fort Caer Ogyrfan

In the Arthurian legends the Father of Guinevere was known as Gogyrfan, so it does beg the question whether there is some sort of link between the two. It has also been said that after King Arthur’s death Guinevere retreated to a place known as White Ladies Priory and the ruins of this building are said to have been found on the outskirts of the town of Telford.

Other connections with King Arthur and this area go on to suggest that the sword was drawn out of the stone at Mitchell’s Fold which is a stone circle, also a magical cauldron which was said to contain treasure and a special sword wa said to have been hidden close to the summit of Caer Caradoc overlooking nearby Church Stretton. There have always been many places which are said to be connected to King Arthur but perhaps Shropshire has been overlooked and maybe we should look at this area more seriously in the future.