# 10/9/last. the 'Levitating/floating Altar' / Guyr.
“There is another wonder in Gu(h)yr/guiher/Gower/gubir/guhir :/- an/the altar(,) which (is) in (the place(, which is) called) Lorigaruch/Loyngarth/Loingraib/Llygraib/Loiguarch /llwynarth/Lingarthica ["grove of the bear" or llymarch "an oyster"] ,/. it/which is heldup/supported(intheair) { by the will of god / , although the height of a man above the earth} . It seems better to me to narrate/tell the (hi)story of that/this altar than to stay/keep silent. Forithappenedthat/Butthefactis,while Saint Iltut(us)/Illtud was worshiping/praying in a/the cave/spelunca, which is near/nextto the sea, which washes/laps against the land/ground of/at the (afore)said place, ((for) the mouth of the cave(, also,) is on/to the sea), and(,) beheld/behold, a ship/boat was approaching/sailing towards him ( from the sea,) and two men (were)sailing her/it(,) and the corpse/body of a holy man was with them in the boat(,) and an/the altar (was/suspendedinair) above/over (the) face (of) it/his(,) which was supported/heldup by the will of god(.) and the man of god [Iltut] hasadvancedintheirway/wentforwardtomeetthem, and the corpse/body of the holy man(,) and the altar stayed/remained inseparably above/over/before the face of the holy/saint’s body. And they have said to saint Iltut(us): “that/this man of god (has) entrusted tous/usto (, in orderthatwemight) bring/draw him/thatperson to you and (we might) bury him with you, and (the) name (of) him/his you may/shall not reveal to any person/man, (so) that men may/should not swear by him.” (And they buried him, and after his burial ) Th(os)e two men wentback/returned to the ship/boat and (they have) sailed (away). But that/this saint Iltut(us) (has) founded/ established a church around/near/over the corpse/body of the holy man and around/near the altar(,) and it continues all the time to this present day the altar is supported/heldup by the will of god. A certain minor/pettyking/Regulus hascome/came to/,inorderthathemight test (it), carrying a twig/stick/rod in his hand(s); he hasformedacurve/movedit around the altar and (he has) held the twig/stick in/by both hands by/from both/either sides/end(,) and (he has) drawn/pulled it to(wards) him(self) in such a way the truth of that thing/matter he has proved/tested(,) and he/thatperson afterwards during the month uninjured/untouched died. Another (man)/(in truth [?for the truth]) under the altar (has) looked and the sight of the/his eyes (he has) lost(,) and before the/awhole month (had passed)/(uninjured/untouched) his life (he has) ended.” (- "Nennius" / "Irish Nennius"/'Lebor Bretnach'.)
The levitating altar seemingly matches the 'Reculver Cross' (or else possibly the “altar chamber” at Margate caves?) [Bassas].
Note that for the orthodox candidate they say "neither the cave nor the church have been identified"; "...may have been....".
(i) levitating (&) altar match: The levitating altar seemingly matches the Reculver Cross and stone base/altar. [Some versions of the christian cross may also match levitating &/or altar. Also possibly compare that there is a type of cross called the Calvary Cross with a 3-steps base?] Our correspondence of the levitating altar with the Reculver cross is maybe confirmed by the cross being connected with Iltud at Llantwit in Wales (inscribed “Samson placed his cross here for his soul, the soul of Iltud…”)? If the mysterious body is connected with "(King) Arthur" as we tentatively suggest, then KA is also connected with the cross which he carried at Guinnion [Dover] &/or Badon. The cross of Vallis-doloris/"Wedale" in the VR may match the Reculver Cross. The height of a man matches "Arthur's" real size cross (of VR). [Or, the altar could match the “altar chamber” at Margate caves?] The orthodox arch candidate is pretty weak (incidentally there was arch/arches at Richborough/Rutupi).
(ii) Loyngarth name/meaning match: Loyngarth/Llwynarth "grove/wood of the bear" or Llwyn garth "Grove/Bush/Scrub Hill/Enclosure" might possibly connect with (St Leonard's forest, &/or) St Leonards Church at Deal? [Loyngarth ~ Camas Longart/Longphort (on Loch Long) ~ Llongborth?]
(iii) oyster match: One of the proposed etymologies for Loyngarth is llymarch "an oyster", and the usual/orthodox location candidate for the Levitating altar is Oystermouth. These match with oysters from Rutupiae and/or Reculver?
(iv) St Illtud match?: “Iltud ordained by Dubricius” / “Dyfrig was the confessor of Iltud”. We showed in our 12 battles paper that "Dubricius (bishop) of Legions" connects with Dubris/Dover [Guinnion] & Rutupi/Richborough [city of the legion]. (Another source says Iltud ordained by Germanus...?)
(v) cave match: The cave may match with either the caves of Birchington, or Margate caves, or Chislehurst caves? The orthodox candidate they haven't identified any cave. Evans says why Wilson & Blackets cave doesn't match.
(vi) mysterious/secret body/corpse match?: The dead man brought in the boat by 2 men might connect with "(King) Arthur" taken to Avalon by 3 women [or in this case rather/instead by Bedivere & Lucan]? Alan Hassell also thinks the dead man was Arthur. Perhaps compare Loyngarth/Llwynarth "grove of the bear" (some think "Arthur" means "bear")? Avalon "in the North sea" (Irish) = 'a hall on the island of Afallach' (Triads/Hergest) = 'Afarnach's hall' (PaGur) = Bassas ("Nennius"/HB) = Regulbium/Baetasiorum (ND/SS) = Reculver = Reculver Cross (archaeology) = levitating altar ("Nennius"/Wonders). Confirmed by the tradition that "Arthur" rests at "Baschurch". [Also note that Reculver connected with "former abbot of Glastonbury"?] In our 12 battles paper extra chapter on Camlan(n) we mentioned that Camlan(n) seemingly may match either Sutton Hoo, or somewhere near Richborough &/or Reculver. It is true that "Arthur" is cast unfavouribly in the Sts Lives. But, Sancti hominis "Holy man" or "Saintly man" could nevertheless still relate to "Arthur" depending on who he really was (and/or as he might be connected with St Andrew or Arthmael or Tewdrig or Martin or Padarn), and as he bore Mary/Cross at Guinnion/Badon (and seemingly confirmed by "Wedale" cross & Reculver Cross matching this Wonder), plus his connection with [12] monasteries.
(vii) church match: The church built over/around grave & levitating altar matches the monastery-church built around the Reculver Cross. (Or else it could match the “vicarage holy trinity church” at Margate? Or the church of the holy cross near these sites?) Compare Baschurch. The orthodox candidate they haven't identified any church.
(viii) regulus match?: This wonder mentions "a certain regulus (petty king)" which could possibly connect with Regulbium? And/or it could connect with Brychan who is called a regulus in Saints Lives. Brychan (&/or Brynach) seemingly may connect with one or other of our 9 south-east sites.
(ix) order match: This Wonder (the Levitating Altar) matches Reculver [Bassas]. The next Wonder (the returning plank) seems to match Richborough [city of the legion]. The previous Wonder (the wind hole) also seems to match one or other of our 9 south-east battle sites (in Kent?)
(x) Gu(h)yr/guiher/Gower?: the only major uncertainty we still have not yet found the answer to is what the match for "Gower" is. Perhaps note though that we have seen that "Nennius" seemed to of played such analogous conflations with some other of his wonders & battle sites. Possibly it connects with langemelach/llann Gyfiielach/llangyvelach/llann GyfUelach/llangyfelach / gower/guhir/gwyr of the '12 Monasteries' list (which connects with the 12 battles / 9 battle sites), next after "Raglan". [Cp "twelve portions of the land of Carrum"?]
The main location candidates of others &/or ours for the Levitating Altar are: the Reculver Cross & stone base/altar & monastery-church built around it? the “vicarage holy trinity church” & “altar chamber” & Margate/Chislehurst caves (near Reculver)? St Leonards / Church in the Wood at Hollington? "the Parish church of St Leonard in Hythe, Kent, with its famous ossuary in the ambulatory situated beneath its chancel"? St Leonards church at Deal? cross at Llantwit? St Leonard’s Forest [& trail to Handcross?] (nearer Anderida &/or Lemanis)? St Leonard’s Church at St Leonards-on-Sea (East Sussex)? {castle Ystum-llwynarth/Llwyngarth/Llygraib "Llwynarth Bend [Bay?]" (~Oystermouth bay, the Mumbles, Gower)? "a chapel which may have been on Knab Rock or nearby"? close to “Bob’s Cave” on Mumbles Head? the dolmen "Arthur's Stone" or Maen Cetti "The Stone of Cetti or the Ark" (some seven miles distant, Gower)? nearby Llanrhidian? "a now-destroyed rock-arch which once stood by Knab Rock"?} Llongborth? caran(n)og's altar / carrum (locus, monastary)? cave at Ewenny / cave in Coed y Mwstwr forest ("Wood of the Muster/Commotion", [Bridgend], Glamorgan/Gwent)? Ilston?
sources that #10 levitating altar is in inlcude: "Nennius"; life of St Iltud (according to calebxy [i may have seen but can't remember)?; [cross at llantwit??]; ["Arthur's stone"?]; [welsh chrons?]; [iolo ms?]****; [Y Myvyrian Archaiology?]; southWaleslegend?; [localrumour/legend/saidto?]; [yalden & pemberton tradition?]; [tradition?]; [tradition?]; wilson & blackett, alan hassell, andrew evans.