Time’s Legacy

Author’s Note

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.