Tony Benson, of Chapter and Verse, entertained members of the Winchester Association of Women Graduates at their annual lunch at the Harestock Lodge Hotel.

What is known of King Arthur as a real person and how has the myth grown and changed over the centuries? These were the questions which Mr Benson answered entertainingly in a broad sweep of history covering 1,800 years.

King Arthur's origins as a Romano-British warrior, or as a composite of many, was sketched in with a careful analysis of what is known of Romano-Celtic history.

This was followed by a fascinating explanation of the historical and political importance of Arthur's myth to later kings, such as Edward I and Henry VII, as a way of validating their position and making their line appear to be traceable back to England's glorious past.

It was Edward I who probably commissioned the Round Table in the Great Hall; Henry VII, hoping for a new Camelot, called his heir Arthur, but he died leaving, Henry VIII to inherit in his stead.

Henry VIII had the Round Table repainted ready for his meeting with the Emperor Charles V and his identification with Arthur was further encouraged by having King Arthur's face painted in to look remarkably like his own!

After a run-through of the intervening centuries, the importance of Tennyson's 19th century vision of Arthur and Margaret Cameron's idealised Camelot photography were explained.

Then, having touched lightly on the Pre-Raphaelite painters, Mr Benson highlighted Arthurian influence in John Kennedy's "Camelot" and even in Bill Clinton's White House.

The place of Winchester in this stroll through history was noted and the possibility of it becoming a new regional centre of government was suggested at the conclusion of the talk.

Arthur may or may not have been a "once and future king", but certainly his is a once and future myth.

For more information about the Winchester Association of Women Graduates, phone 01962 868825.