Barbara Erskine: Time’s Legacy

Jesus had been talking for a long time and he was tired. Kier could see the weariness on his face, but also the gentleness as people queued to approach him, to ask for his blessing. ‘Are you going up to speak to him?’ The woman glanced across at him. She had brought her daughter, a child of about five who had a twisted leg. ‘Come with us. Help me carry her.’

They waited in line for a long time, but at last they shuffled closer until they were standing before him. Kier saw him smile at the woman, and put his hand on the child’s head. ‘She will be well. Put her down. Let her walk. Your child is very pretty.’

Kier realised suddenly that Jesus was looking at him; he assumed he was the girl’s father. ‘No. She’s not mine.’ He was so overawed he was stammering. ‘I’ve come from far away to see you. From Britain. Avalon.’

He saw Jesus’ eyes narrow in puzzlement. For a moment he hadn’t recognised the name. ‘Ynys yr Afalon,’ he repeated at last and he smiled. ‘You come from the druids. From Mora?’

Kieran hesitated, then he nodded.

‘Bless you.’ Jesus raised his hand and touched Kieran lightly on the shoulder. Behind him people were pushing closer, trying to attract his attention. For a few long seconds Kier held his gaze, then Jesus smiled again. ‘Time to go home, Kier,’ he said softly, ‘there are people waiting for you.’ Then he turned away and was swallowed in the crowd.

I first heard about the coming of Jesus to Somerset from my father who was at prep school in Weston-super-Mare. He remembers it being talked about and accepted as part of the history of the West Country. The story always intrigued me, but I never quite came to grips with it until I got to know Glastonbury.

Through the last two millennia, probably for its entire existence, Glastonbury, by whatever name, has enchanted and captivated everyone who has been there and I was no exception. There is something very special about this place and I hope I have managed to convey something of that specialness and magic in this book. The town’s two greatest claims to fame are its association with King Arthur and the story of Jesus. (And, of course, a succeeding chapter about the return of Joseph after Jesus’ crucifixion). There has been almost too much information to use for research. I could have read for months and still not reached the end. The main books I have used I have listed in the bibliography on my website and of course I have used my own experiences and notes and photos and the information which has been so generously passed on by the many people I have spoken to while researching this story. One could study and dream in this fabulous landscape forever.

I would never have got to know Glastonbury and explored it so thoroughly without the help of my uncle Tony Rose and his wife, Daphne. Daphne, who has lived there for twenty-seven years, has been a mine of information and introduced me to so many people who have given their unstinting help. Foremost amongst these were Tim Hopkinson-Ball, an authority on the history of the town, and especially the abbey, (and who was noble enough on one occasion to climb the Tor with me) and Willa Sleath, a former Guardian and Trustee of the Chalice Well. I am also grateful to Frances Howard-Gordon who gave me a copy of her book, Glastonbury Maker of Myths and talked about the vibes!

The legend of Jesus and Joseph in the West Country captivates even those it doesn’t convince. To write about it and put it into a Church of England frame has proved a little daunting, but I would like to thank the various members of the church who have given me their advice and opinions (and yes, even one bishop). None of them had actually read the novel but I hope they find they can enjoy it. I found myself inclined within the text to write long treatises on church history and the Anglican hierarchy, most of which I then cut out! Any mistakes and idiosyncrasies are very much my own and for them I apologise. One person I would single out however for his help on the problems and vicissitudes of being a curate and on Jesus in a druid and pagan context is Mark Townsend who was very generous with his advice.

Once more I would like to thank my wonderful team at HarperCollins, who together with Susan Opie and Lucy Ferguson have done wonders yet again with the manuscript, and Alice Moss who arranges all the publicity. And thank you as ever to my wonderful agent Carole Blake who somehow makes it all possible and to AJ who thought of the title!

For further notes and information please see my website: www.barbara-erskine.com.

Pontius Pilate Roman Governor of Judea AD 26-36

Emperors: Augustus 27BC-AD14 Tiberius AD 14-37

BC

c4Jesus born (Strange to think the entire BC/AD system of dates was based on a miscalculation of the date of Jesus’ birth by a 6th-century monk called Dionysius Exiguus or Dennis the Little, who is credited with inventing the Anno Domini system)

Massacre of Innocents

AD

c28Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist

c30Crucifixion

c63Joseph of Arimathea supposedly returned to Glastonbury with the Chalice and the cruets containing Christ’s blood and sweat and set up a church there based on 12 donated hides of land

Chronology of the story

BC

22/21 Flavius and Gaius born

15 Lydia born

AD

2 Gaius and Lydia married

6 Gaius and Lydia to Damascus

8 Flavius arrives in Caesarea

10 Petronilla born

12 Gaius takes his family to Britannia

13 Family moves to Glastonbury

13 Romanus born

25-26 Jesus in Glastonbury