March 12th 2008
The world of Rennes-Le-Chateau has lost a great friend; it has lost Jean-Luc Robin.
Jean-Luc during our interview, in the Garden of the Villa Bethania
Jean-Luc was my friend and gave me my first tour of Rennes-Le-Chateau. His knowledge was broad and deep, and his conclusions sensible, sceptical and measured. He lived and breathed Rennes-Le-Chateau, having once served as caretaker of the Villa Bethania. In recent years he managed a restaurant in the Villa’s garden where he sponsored summer lectures that drew crowds from all over France.
Jean-Luc created an organization for the preservation of Rennes-Le-Chateau and his passion for the integrity of the village – and the mystery - was unsurpassed. His book, Rennes-Le-Chateau – The Secret of Sauniere contained a forward by his good friend and mentor Henry Lincoln, and was hailed by enthusiasts for its honesty, wit and insight, and it instantly became my personal favourite.
Jean-Luc, discussing his plans with his mentor, Henry Lincoln
Jean-Luc and I spoke frequently. He called on Monday – the 10th of March - to inform me that the party which he organized had narrowly defeated the incumbent major of Rennes-Le-Chateau, Jean-François Lhuilier, and that although he would not stand for major himself, he would most likely serve as minister of Tourism and Preservation. He was excited, proud and looking toward the future.
Star of the show; at his summer lecture, 2006
Jean-Luc died during the night of March 11-12, having suffered an apparent heart attack.
Rest in Peace my friend.
Your work will not be forgotten, or in vain.
Golgotha, England
February 10th 2008
Golgotha is the name of a hill near Jerusalem where Christ was crucified. Biblical texts refer to it as the ‘place of the skull’, leading many scholars to place it northwest of the city, near a rocky outcrop that resembles a skull. To his end, John 19:17 informs us of the legend:
“So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Gol'gotha.”
Nevertheless, scholars are divided and Golgotha’s actual historical whereabouts remain uncertain. Curiously, Golgotha is also the name of a village in northwest England – a name that is unique in Britain – and it is this Golgotha that we shall now examine.
Golgotha, England – circa 1905
Should the truth be known, this is Margaret’s story, a woman who married the son of a carpenter and whose father died in Golgotha just a few decades ago. Margaret contacted me through my web site and shared her story, which I found intriguing. As Margret hopes to publish her story I will refrain from discussing her account. Thus, let me tell you what I can about this peculiar hamlet in the English county of Lancashire, a short distance from Lancaster, the city whose flag – the red rose – was made famous in the 15th century battle of the War of the Roses;
‘In the battle for England’s head / York was white, Lancaster red’.
Lancashire, England, and its flag – the red rose
The obscure and largely forgotten community of Golgotha sits just outside the city of Lancaster, near a series of stone quarries and a Quaker cemetery that dates from the 1660’s. Nearby is Lancaster Castle, site of England’s most notorious witch trials. The year was 1612 and King James I had grown intolerant of witchcraft and abruptly passed an act that levied the death penalty against anyone:
"making a covenant with an evil spirit, using a corpse for magic, hurting life or limb, procuring love, or injuring cattle by means of charms.”
The alleged witches were tried and convicted on Lancaster gaol and then hung until death on Lancaster Moor, which was known as Golgotha.
Two witches from William Harrison Ainsworth's 1849 novel, The Lancashire Witches
The Lancaster witch trial transformed the town into England’s Salem in the eyes of many historians. Thirteen witches were accused of committing seventeen murders in and around the Forest of Pendle. The Pendle witches, as they became known, believed they had sold their souls to the devil in exchange for the power to kill their victims with an effigy, or voodoo doll. The likeness of the victim was known as a 'picture of clay' and was burned or tortured as desired in order to ensure the death or illness of their victim. The witches’ confessions shocked the nation and none were said to have mourned their hanging.
The dungeon steps – Lancaster Castle
By the early 1880’s, Golgotha consisted of 22 cottages – 20 of which were inhabited by women who called themselves ‘laundresses’. The description is reminiscent of the 19th century Magdalene Asylums in Ireland and the Rescue Movement in Britain, each of which existed to rehabilitate ‘fallen women’, or prostitutes, by making them perform hard labour such as laundry work. The institutions were named after Mary Magdalene due to the saint’s depiction as a fallen woman by the Catholic Church, and many were actually called Magdalene Laundries. Serendipitously, the number 22 – the number of cottages in Golgotha - is also present in the feast day of Mary Magdalene (22 July), further adding to the mystique of the village.
Golgotha, England – Circa 1905
Most peculiar of all, the word ‘Golgotha’ is echoed in neighbouring fields by names more commonly associated with the Holy Land than England; names such as The West Bank, Abraham Heights, Queens Land and others.
Knowing Margaret’s story as I do, it’s interesting to reflect on the research of others, especially the British author William Comyns Beaumont, who lived around the turn of the 20th century. Beaumont believed that Edinburgh, Scotland – approximately 200 miles to the north of Lancaster - was the original Jerusalem and that Britain was the source of many of the biblical legends.
Ironically, Beaumont’s theories were given new life by the controversial yet respected writer Immanuel Velikovsky, who later reinforced many of Beaumont’s beliefs in his own work. Sadly, Beaumont’s most compelling work on the true origins of Britain has never been published, begging the question; why not?
Old map of Lancashire: Golgotha, Abraham Heights and Queens Ward
(Golgotha circled on lower right of map)
One can only wonder why Beaumont never considered Lancaster to be the original Jerusalem, what with Golgotha and its Mary Magdalene symbolism just a couple of miles away and a plethora of other biblical place names nearby. Intriguingly, Mary Magdalene is commonly portrayed with a skull in sculpture and art. Might this be a reference to Golgotha – the place of the skull – the place of Mary’s mourning?
Could Golgotha, England and its neighbouring lands represent an attempt to establish a New Jerusalem in England? Or alternatively, as incredible as it sounds, do they echo the memory of the original Holy Land in Britain, as Beaumont and other luminaries down through the years have suggested? At first sight, such a proposition seems ludicrous, but could there be some truth in such a suggestion?
In any case, I hope that Margaret tells her story soon. Maybe then further secrets of Golgotha, England can be revealed.
I would like to thank Margaret and her friend Sally for their trust, insight and photos.
My Dinner with André
July 4th 2007
André Douzet is an enigma, much like the subjects he writes about in his books and on his website, Société Perillos.
While many feel his research into the mystery of Rennes-le-Château is vital and fresh, others are less complementary. What are his theories? For a start, he’s championed the belief that Bérenger Saunière traveled with regularity to Lyon and Perillos, and was active in societies not fitting of our present-day image of a priest. He’s also explored the apparent presence and veneration of Egyptian artefacts in caves and churches across the French Pyrenees.
However, André’s greatest coup is the discovery of a topographical model, commissioned by Saunière that reveals the location of two tombs; that of Jesus Christ and his uncle, Joseph of Arimathea, according to notations on the model. André alone has placed the location of the two tombs near the abandoned village of Perillos, outside of Perpignan, and remains the only researcher in modern times to have visited each.
Perillos
In a world of arm chair experts, I’ve always respected the fact that André conducts his research firsthand – on site, at the source as it were. For instance, when he began studying La Sanch – the Perpignan based Society with apparent connections to Saunière, he joined the society in order to experience their rituals. ‘Now that’s commitment,’ I thought.
La Sanch Rituals
(Courtesy of Société Perillos)
With all these credentials, I wondered why André is maligned at times within certain segments of the Rennes-le-Château community. I recently visited the researcher in his home in France - near Perillos, in hopes of finding an answer to this and other pressing questions, like: ‘where are the two tombs ALREADY?’
Full-time researchers seldom live in the lap of luxury, and André is no exception. His abode is humble, yet exactly what you would expect from a dedicated, full-time researcher and writer.
André – at his desk
Some of André’s Wall Hangings
I’m greeted warmly and in fact, André is making dinner; an excellent omelette based dish served with spicy salami. The meal goes perfectly with the local Corbières wine. Philip Coppens, André’s research and writing partner on Société Perillos and other projects, was kind enough to arrange the meeting and has joined us for the day. After dinner, Philip assists André in the retrieval of various artefacts from storage, including the Pièce de résistance; Saunière’s Model.
Philip and André at Dinner
It’s fascinating to see the model up close. Curious details not apparent in books or on the web seem to leap-out when viewed in person. I’m also surprised by its size and the huge case required to store it. The model was used to form the topographical casing we study today. Sadly, this, the inverse of the original model, has been ripped and torn by treasure hunters.
André with Saunière’s Model
Me, studying the model
Curios model detail
André displayed many of the artefacts he’d uncovered in and around Perillos, including some amazing objects he’s found near Tomb 2; the site identified by Saunière as the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. When André discovered Tomb 2 it had already been opened, sometime in the past – possibly around the time of Saunière. Artefacts lay scattered. André had each reviewed by experts, and today the artefacts have been tagged and dated for authenticity by the Narbonne School of Archaeology.
Me, with a chalice André found at Tomb 2
I’m especially intrigued by what André discovered near the church in Perillos; two exceedingly long nails that seem to defy purpose...
-of-IMG_1886.jpg)
André’s artefacts – including the two nails
No show and tell would be complete without written evidence. And one the primary pillars of André’s hypothesis that Perillos is in fact a sacred landscape is the 1624 and 1632 Courtade Document, which describes a particular plot of land in Perillos that is protected due to its exalted status and which overlaps the two tombs on Saunière’s Model.
André allows me to study the document, and directs my attention to key pages, highlighting the documents unusual signatures and intricate period handwriting.
‘How could I have written all this myself? That is what they say, you know. People refuse to believe the book is real.’
Like many of André’s discoveries, sceptics continue to question the most basic elements of his story. Personally, I thought The Courtade Document resonated with authenticity. How could it not?
André holding the The Courtade Document
With dinner now fully digested and my appetite strangely renewed, André and Philip served up the ultimate dessert; A photograph of Tomb 1 – the alleged tomb (according to Saunière) of Jesus Christ. The setting in the photograph appears quite realistic, un-sensational and plausible. I open another bottle of wine, but it will take more than intoxicating grapes for André to reveal the tombs location….@#$& $&* #$%!
My Dinner with André was fascinating and enjoyable on every level. I found him cordial, intelligent and passionate about his research. He was also refreshingly understated; he didn’t try to sell me anything, let alone his theories.
André has agreed to a ‘17 Questions Interview’, so, if there is anything you would like me to ask him, let me know. In the meantime, show the man some respect. I think we can definitely say he’s earned it.
Poster from the 1982 cult film: My Dinner with André
City of Secrets
May 11th 2007
There’s a new name in Rennes-le-Château research; Patrice Chaplin.
City of Secrets, Chaplin’s controversial new book unveils an entirely new twist to the conventional mystery and in the process delivers the most refreshing work in the genre in years. Oh, and it’s a love story.
Patrice Chaplin’s provocative new book
In City of Secrets, Chaplin draws on a life time of esoteric experience, research and associations, including friendships with Jean Cocteau, Salvador Dalí and Umberto Eco, to offer new insights into old enigmas. Chaplin’s research reveals:
- The Spanish city that is effectively twinned with Rennes-le-Château, providing Father Bigou and Saunière with a hiding place for documents and relics.
- The person who acted as the source of information for Gérard de Sède’s ground breaking 1967 work 1967, L'Or de Rennes; a book that launched the mystery in the first place.
- The location in Spain where the earlier Rennes-le-Château priest, Father Bigou, fled during the revolution, and why he really left.
- The original Spanish tower that inspired Bérenger Saunière to construct the Tour Magdela in Rennes-le-Château, along with its purpose.
- The true nature of the Grail, as known by Saunière.
In support of her revelations, Chaplin provides copies of previously unreleased letters, written by Saunière, along with other evidence.
No less intriguing is Chaplin’s romantic and lucid writing style, which has often been compared to Beat Generation legend Jack Kerouac, amongst others. No other Rennes-le-Château book reads quite like it. This is a love story, spanning half a century, and Rennes-le-Château is simply the milieu for Chaplin’s revelations, which unfold late in the novel, but are worth the wait.
Patrice Chaplin is a novelist, writer and playwright, with dozens of works to her credit. Her books include Albany Park and Siesta, which was made into a film staring Jodi Foster and Isabella Rossellini. Part of the Bohemian scene of the 50’s and 60’s, she was married to Charlie Chaplin’s son and lived in Hollywood. Chaplin stared in a Cocteau film and was friends with Lauren Bacall and other Hollywood icons.
City of Secrets will be in stores from the 23rd of May, 2007 and Arcadia rates it 4.5 Parchments out of 5. Read it!
Look for Arcadia’s 17 Questions Interview with Patrice Chaplin soon.
Older Entries
Postcard from Atlantis
March 11th 2007
90 Years On: A Remembrance
January 22nd 2007
Puzzle Pieces
December 23rd 2006
Otto Rahn; A Hero's Journey
November 28th 2006
Occitania Daze
August 29th 2006
Something About Mary
July 20th 2006
The Road To Perillos
July 5th 2006
The Eleusis Mystery
May 24th 2006
The Hope (of the Ankh) and Anchor
May 5th 2006
Fear and Loathing in Rennes-le-Château: More Paranoid Reflections
April 17th 2006
Paranoia at the Chair of the Devil
April 10th 2006
Copyright © 2006 - 2007 Andrew Gough. All rights reserved.
Website designed by artifice
design
