Some Letters

27th December 2016

Name: Katie
Email Address: k**9***@gmail.com
Message: Just wanted to add once again how much I loved your book. I read your blog and you stated that Arthur was in England for a few weeks, I'm curious and would love to know more about this. I love learning history, but it's hard to comb through what's true and what isn't. Thank you for lighting the path to the truth about Arthur.

I replied to Katie the next day 28th December 2016.

This was quite a long reply and so I have made it a Blog.

27th November 2016

C******@h******f****.co.uk

Hello Adam,

... Sorry, but Badon specifically took place in the south, and at a date around AD 500. There is a marked tailing off in Saxon activity after that which speaks volumes, and the British kingdoms of the west remain virtually unmolested for the best part of another half century. There's no tactical value in a Badon in Scotland. Your Arthur was instead one of a series of British princes who were given the name of the national hero for two or three generations after the original Arthur had passed away (there's another Arthur in the kingdom of Guotodin in the late 500s, for example).

However, there's every chance that Arthur Mac Aedan's sword in the stone episode was lumped together with various other episodes to form the later Grail stories.

Best wishes
Peter K******

Adam - It's that 'Sorry' that gets me. The simple assumption of knowing the truth, despite having no evidence. A marked tailing off of Saxon activity 'speaks volumes'! That's it?

I wrote back...

Peter, 

... you don’t say who your ‘Arthur’ is; where, specifically, Badon was fought; and why c. 500 CE.

... Saxon activity tailed off between c.500 to c.550 (which is news to me) and therefore… and therefore what? Arthur must have been active c.500?

You say “There’s no tactical value in a Badon in Scotland.” That is correct only if Arthur was English/Welsh. But that presupposes Arthur was English/Welsh, which is the very point in issue. This is circular reasoning, is it not?

I note you accept, what you call, “Arthur Mac Aedan's sword in the stone episode” (that is, the occasion when Arthur Mac Aedan really did take a sword from a stone). This “episode” took place on land that is still shown on Ordnance Survey maps as Badden (Badon).

Arthur, Arthur Mac Aedan, fighting a battle at a place that is actually called Badon, smack-bang next to where he actually took a sword from a stone, that is, on his own ground, seems to me to be likely to be tactically valuable...

You say there is another Arthur in the kingdom of the Gododdin in the late 500s. If you mean the Arthur referred to in the poem Y Gododdin, that was Arthur Mac Aedan...

Best Wishes

Adam

PS

We both know you cannot point to an historical Arthur who was at a place called Badon in 500CE...

2nd April 2015

From: USA p******_t*******@verizon.net

Adam,

I cannot say how wondrously accurate Finding Arthur is… [this writer kindly said, I had done] great service in connecting everything together.

p******

t April 2015

Name: K**** D**

Email Address:USA  k**9***@gmail.com
Message: I really enjoyed your book, Finding Arthur, it opened so much truth and history that has been missing to us for all these years. I also liked how in many of your conclusion you applied Occam's Razor, and it makes so much sense. Great research and thank you for uncovering the truth.

16th March 2015

From: A***** G**** f*******@idnet.com

Sent: 16 March 2015 16:55

Subject: Finding Arthur

Dear Adam Ardrey,

... I am reading your very interesting book...

16th March 2015

Name: c**** g******
Email Address: c******g******@mac.com
Message: Mr. Ardrey, I very much liked both Finding Merlin and Finding Arthur. Wikipedia has a lot of entries that need updating! Maybe that could be your next project.

(I wrote back to CG and said I did not know how to add to Wiki. but that it was a good idea.)

23rd February 2015

Name: K***** Y********

Email Address: k**********@juno.com
Message: Big fan of both your books. I've been intrigued by Arthur, Merlin and Grail legends for decades....
Thanks, again.

K*****

17th February 2015 (from Germany)

Adam,

... your book helps to spread out the information on an Arthur from Scotland. The evidence is so proof that there is not any doubt about it...

K***

11th February 2015

From - G****** S******* (from Brazil)

...I read your book finding merlin, and I'm sure : [it] is the best on the subject. I am a big fan of merlin and arthur among others, and I'm eager to see the films and arthur books to come.

G******

10th February 2015

From I*** G*******

Cheers Adam!

I must say that I find your case for Arthur MacAedan compelling. I have quietly assumed that Arthur was Gododdin. But I find your proposed Cat Celydon confederates with Arthur as leader very logical. And of course your route to Tribuit takes us neatly to the old ramparts of Roxburgh which has many rumours of Arthur whistling about it! It would make aq great day tour from Edinburgh!

I***

8th February 2015 

f****p***@btinternet.com

Hello Adam

I have just come across your site. How fascinating...

H****

7th November 2014

Name: Ashley
Email Address: a*********@*****.com
Message: Hello Mr. Ardrey!
I have been reading your Finding Arthur, and have found it amazing! I enjoy many of the arguments you bring up. I have a huge interest in history, and must admit to a mild obsession with King Arthur... I agree that Arthur Mac Aedan was very probably the historical Arthur, but I do have a few questions about a few of your theories... 

[These questions were asked and answered.]

10th October 2014

 d******@xtra.co.nz

Dear Adam

I have just been reading Finding Arthur, having been recommended to do so by P****** T*******, seanacchie for M*******.  S******* are connected to Clan M*******, with footsteps accordingly back to Dunardry, Dunnadd, and Ireland.

Finding Arthur has been an amazing learning experience for me, for the history, the stripping aside of the agendas and propaganda of early writers (while finding and pursuing the kernel of any contained truth), and also for your rigorous analytical skills in doing so.

 

 A magnificent read as well.,,

D****

24th August 2014

Adam, finished "Finding Arthur", very, very good! Loved it. 

C**** A*****

30th June 2014

Adam

I just finished reading Finding Merlin yesterday and the day before, I ordered Finding Arthur which arrived last night. I just finished it tonight - couldn't put it down. Both of them are absolutely wonderful and very well worked out. An enormous amount of detective work and dedication.

I can see you are not enamored with the church and it's methods past and probably present and neither am I. So, I'd just like to say well done for speaking your mind on that front.

Can I ask one question? [this Q was asked and answered].

We should take a leaf out of the Church method of working and now flood the market with books about the Scottish Arthur! Only this time they will be factual.

Thanks very much for an excellent read.

Kind regards

R***** M*******

r*****pm*******@gmail.com 

13th May 2014

Name: J***** K P***
Email Address: j*****kp***@gmail.com
Message: Hello, my name is J***** and I am very interested in your books and your research. I too am a Merlin seeker and scholar though my interests are a bit more magical that yours are I think :) I'm planning a UK pilgrimage for 2015 that should eventually turn into a book about my spiritual journey in the path of Merlin and I have added a lot of sites to visit that I hadn't know previously thanks to your book and blogs...
Thanks and keep up the good work!
J***** K P***
San Francisco, CA

J*****

29th April 2014

Adam,

I finished the book last week. I really enjoyed it and thought that your arguments were very well presented and followed a logic that would be difficult to argue with. I have recommended the book to some of my Irish colleagues who have an interest in Irish history.

Cheers,

A***

8th April 2014

Name: r** d*****
Email Address: r********00@gmail.com
Message: just read "finding arthur" - now need to locate a copy of "finding merlin" - fine job of grounding the arthuriad in the people and places of the times. "arthur" and "aneirin" being use names/nicknamesmakes perfect sense...

11th April 2014

C***** C****** S******

I am writing regarding the book, Finding Merlin. My 14 year old daughter recently checked the book out from our local library. She loves the book but found that the title is misspelled on the slipcover/spine. 
When she's done with this book she's going back for Arthur. 

[On the cover of the USA Edn. Merlin is spelled 'Merln' - a glitch got us - such is life. Adam Ardrey]

7th April 2014

D**** H*******

I'm finishing up Finding Arthur and I wanted to tell you that I love it. Re: literary triplets (269), this is a common occurrence in Native American tale telling and I suspect probably quite common in most oral traditions. Repeating important items three times is a way to effectively teach the listener.

Best

D**** 

24th February 2014

L**** on For Argyll (On-line news)

From someone who had read Finding Arthur -

"...all references to battles, place names, Iona and especially to Merlin, make such sense. It all seems obvious. I am now a firm believer that the real Arthur lived and fought in Argyll (as well as other areas in Scotland)..." 

Audio Book

22nd October 2014

From Italy

Name: G******

Email Address: g******.g******@libero.it
Message: Hi, I'm really interested in your books... above all in "Finding Merlin". But I'm afraid my English is not good enough to understand everything. So, here is my question: do you know if your books will be translated into Italian? Thanks, best regards, G******

I replied to G****** 22nd October 2014.

21st September 2014

From - j*****d*******@hotmail.com

Dear Adam,

...I have seen your excellent website, and looked at your books…amazing! Very well researched and presented! I wish you all the best in your work…a Scottish King Arthur! Well done!

Very best wishes 

J***** M. E**** D*******

29th January 2014

Adam,

I was so pleased by your prompt... reply to my e-mail!... it is a rare rainy day here in southwest Florida... my husband and I have traveled to Glasgow, Edinburgh and the border country of Scotland several times over the years on pheasant "shoots" and love the country and the people.  J** was saying just last evening that we should travel back to Scotland and see a different part of the country (Argyll and the Highlands?)... J***

28th January 2014

D**** T*****

Email Address: dt******@yahoo.com
Message: I bought and read the new US edition of this book on the advice of our clan (MacTavish) association... I... did find a compelling and well-researched case for the historic basis of a real-life... Merlin of late sixth century Glasgow, and ample evidence that the real Arthur was a Manau Scot and not from southern England as the authors of conventional retellings of the legends would have it.
A masterful historical detective job, cutting through centuries of political and religious propaganda to unveil the truth behind the myths.
A must-read for Arthur, Merlin and Camelot buffs. 

24th January 2014

G*** W*****

"This was brilliant: "... the Old Way engendered individuality, and so disputation, both of which are good for humanity and bad for those in charge". I loved this book and am fortunate to have travelled to many of the Arthurian places in Scotland described in it."

3rd January 2014

Dear Mr. Ardrey,

I read Finding Merlin last year and have just finished Finding Arthur. Rather, I should say that I listened to them as I am blind and I rely on my Kindle Text to Speech facility. It struggles a bit with Celtic names but I was able to follow most of your arguments. I have long believed that any historical figure behind the Arthur legends was probably based in Scotland and I am delighted that your efforts have produced a viable candidate. I must say that your overall arguments have persuaded me that you are probably correct. I must congratulate you on such a difficult and well –argued investigation...

2nd January 2014

Name: E S******

Email Address: e******_s******@hotmail.com
Message: Reading your book at the moment very interesting. Take a look at assessment online concerning Knappers farm at Drumry near Clydebank. Excavated in 1937 and thought to be the miniature Stonehenge in wood, unfortunately the war stopped work and then it was destroyed by the building of the A82 road. Some of the items found are in Hunterian Museum.

2nd January 2014

Name: T** McG*****
Hi Adam. Got your latest book for Christmas and still in the midst of reading it. I have always been a bit 50/50 about Arthur MacAedan but I find finding Arthur very convincing. Your highlighting of Arthur being airbrushed out of history then rebranded for the Christian establishment really hits the mark and we can see modern parallels in the way the right wing establishments in the UK and USA constantly discredit and attack anything they see as being left wing through misinformation and downright subterfuge. Just shows, things don't change much. The template of Arthur's world is now starting to fit into its proper location thanks to the work of writers like yourself who are who are hacking through 1500 years of establishment b******. I must check out Dunardey next time I am up in Knapdale. 
Thoroughly enjoying your book. T**.

6th December 2013

Adam,

... I totally believe in your hypothesis that MacAyden [sic] is truly the basis for the Arthurian Legand...Adam you won again...Keep writing man...

Happy Holidays.
out
W***

 

California, USA.

If you haven't gotten and read "Finding Arthur" you're missing out on one of the great detective stories of the times!

C****** S*****

Arizona, USA

Got the book yesterday and I am reading in my spare time...can't put it down. David Carroll sold me on a Scottish Arthur....and your book is right along those lines. Thank you for the hard work and research!

J**** R*******

Hello Adam;

...Just wanted to let you know that I just received 2 copies of the new book and can't wait to start reading.

 

I bought the second book to mail to  my brother who is as interested in this subject as I have become. It was my brother who introduced me to this topic by sending me a copy of the Merlin book. So we will have come full circle!

 

...I believe we need to get the message out that Scots history is not as basic as many believe, and I might even go so far as to state, our history was probably stolen from us...

 

... I will email you again when I have finished the book. I have a feeling I might have a couple of questions or observations.

... I am especially fascinated by the revelation of you having been able to pinpoint the locations of the 12 battles. If this is correct I think it could potentially change everything for Scotland and our history.

Cheers

P**** K****

21st November 2013

Hi Adam
…I greatly enjoy reading history books... Your first book really interested me as I fish on the… water between Drumelzier and Dawyk and had never realised until reading your first book that any of the references to Merlin in the area had any veracity. The key thing in your books for me is the encouragement to get out there and have a look for yourself… your books have got me… looking at the landscapes differently.  My kids also love your books and we were recently on top of the Meldon Hills questioning why we have so little information on these places... your books are important as they provide a very different perspective to the hum drum stuff that's regurgitated in most books...  I also think that people should own up to where their perspectives come from - so again your writing is very clear on the different ways that people have tried to create a fixed story to meet their own ends. The exciting thing is that you have opened up so many different avenues - some of your arguments are more convincing than others but this is as it should be…

J*** D****