GWYN ap NUDD

Gwyn ap Nudd is the protective 'Hunter Warrior' god of the British isles and according to Welsh folklore his abode is Glastonbury Tor.

Glastonbury Tor is situated on the centre of the Beltaine Line (aka as 'The Michael Line') and Gwyn has an annual battle every Beltaine. Every year, from a certain 'mound', the sun can be seen to roll up the slope of the Tor on the Winter Solstice - Gwyn's chief characteristic is 'Winter King' (he has a battle with the 'Summer King' every Beltaine). In the night sky Gwyn is represented by the constellation of Orion - which can be seen to rise out of the Tor every winter night! Also, in later Welsh Triads Gwyn is described as one of the chief astronomers on the isle of Britain - Glastonbury Tor is located upon the Somerset Zodiac! I explain all this phenomena and much, much, more in my book 'Gwyn, ancient god of Glastonbury and Key to the Glastonbury Zodiac'... click bookcover below for further information.

Since writing 'Gwyn' in 2007 much more information has come to light - enough for a second book! Most notably the work of Dr Angelika Ruediger who has written two very informative articles about our Winter King,

'Gwyn ap Nudd - Lord of Light & Master of Time' (14 pages of information)

'Gwyn ap Nudd - A First and Frame Deity' (28 pages)

Dr Ruediger is also currently writing her own book about Gwyn ap Nudd. She has done a very indepth study of the 'Winter King' throughout the whole of Northern Europe (I hardly scratched the surface of things!) You can read Dr Ruediger's articles in the 'Temple Booklet' (issues 12 and 13) - click the banner below for further information.

In recent weeks I have learnt about the evidence for a pagan Romano/British temple on top of Glastonbury Tor! This is very exciting and both myself and Dr Ruediger are working on understanding the 'bigger picture' of this.

Over 400 ammonites were found in the archaeological excavation and it is thought that they may of been left there as votive offerings.

Here's the thing; the moment of Winter Solstice (sun roll up the Tor) is also the very moment that the sun enters into the sign of Capricorn. Capricorn means 'goat's horn' and was often equated with Pan the goat-foot god of Arcady - ammonites in ancient times were symbolic of 'ram's horns'!

By analogy this makes Gwyn ap Nudd a native British 'horned god' - like Pan being god of Arcady, Gwyn is the god of the British 'otherworld'.

What sort of horns does Gwyn have? I have myself always imagined him with antlers and I see the 'White Stag' as his symbolic creature. At the eastern base of the Tor is 'Hearty Moor' which was once the estuary of the river 'Whitelake'/'Hartlake' (the 'White Hart') - quite perfectly this also equates with Capricorn in the Somerset Zodiac!

The story of Gwyn just seems to get bigger and bigger.