The oldest stories of Joseph of Arimathea bringing Christianity and
incidentally, the Holy Grail, to Britain
only date to the 12th century --William of Malmsbury
in 1125-29. The first chapter, describing Joseph's journey, is in a different hand and is
dated to as late as 1140. Incidentally, before 1140, Bran the Blessed was credited with bringing Christianity to Britain after having
been converted while a hostage in Rome. The oldest stories of Joseph do not credit him with
going to Britain. Neither the Gospels nor the The Acts of Pilate describe the trip.
RJ O'Toole points out that
'the family of Caw, one of the four pillars of Britain was dropped from some late
genealogies as ancestors of the British Royal Family and was replaced by the family of Joseph of
Arimathea. Among these Manuscripts is MS Jesus College 20, which makes Anna,
daughter of Joseph, the mother of Penardin who married King Lear, and was thus the mother of Bran the Blessed and grandmother
of Caratacus, thus linking them to the British Royal Family. The Harley MSS 38-59, f193b
makes Mary the first cousin of Joseph and also traces their descent to the Royal Family.
John of Glastonbury gives a genealogy of Arthur as descended from Joseph of Arimathea. The
Herald's Office of the English College of Arms, Roll 33, Box 26 contains two other
variant pedigrees, one a chart, the other a narrative, both placing the family of Joseph of
Arimathea among the ancestors of the British Royal Family.'
