A DRUID and pagan priest, believed by many to be the reincarnation of King Arthur, is to conduct the pagan wedding of two pub licensees.
Arthur Pendragon will be conducting the pagan wedding of Nick O'Hara and Wendy Elder at the Morecambe Hotel on Lord Street in Morecambe on June 6.
Wendy and Nick will be jumping over a broomstick and plighting their troths in a pagan 'handfasting' ceremony in the beer garden of the pub.
The couple will be married at a civil ceremony earlier in the day, with the loud and colourful pagan ceremony to be held in the evening.
Nick said: "We've known Arthur for quite a few years. He knows Wendy's mum who owns the Magenta shop in Morecambe. I'm excited and nervous about getting married. I'm not going to wear a robe. It'll be something black and stylish."
Wendy, who is making her own dress and various other robes, said: "I'm looking forward to it but I am nervous."
Arthur, a nomadic pagan priest who 'roams' the country on his motorbike, said: "Numerous robed druids, witches and pagans will be in attendance (well-wishers and friends).
"It is from this ancient form of wedding ceremony that we get the well-known phrases 'living over the brush', 'jumping the broomstick', and 'tying the knot' – the very act of handfasting, where the couple are symbolically tied at the wrist before jumping over a broomstick to signify how they will overcome life's difficulties together."
Arthur is a veteran of many environmental campaigns and he has been the subject of television documentaries about paganism and druidry.
The pagan ceremony he will conduct in the beer garden pre-dates Christianity and symbolises the binding of souls.
Arthur, who adopted his druid name several years ago and is the 'Battle Chieftain' of the ancient druids, has most recently appeared on ITV's 'This Morning' programme conducting a druid ceremony at Stonehenge.
He is the only person, apart from the Queen, who is allowed to wear a crown on his passport photo. In the past he ran against the BNP and the Monster Raving Loony Party in general elections at Winchester, and 'embarrassed' them into last place.
He also ran against disgraced Liberal Democrat MP Mark Oten at Winchester.
Incidentally, The Morecambe Hotel will be a World Cup-free zone.
For more information on Arthur Pendragon and druidry look on the website www.warband.org
l Keep reading your Visitor for photographs of Nick and Wendy's pagan wedding.
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