Alfred Ronald Heaver was born 41 days into the brand new twentieth century and by the age of seven inwardly knew he ‘was born for a purpose.’ At prep school in Taunton he would gaze at Glastonbury Tor in the distance and wonder at its magnetic attraction for him.
During the First World War he became part of the new Royal Air Service (he was 16years old and underage!) that became part of the ‘anti-Richtofen circus’ opposing the German flying elite led by the Red Baron. He was shot down over Arras and crashed behind enemy lines but escaped back to Britain. Although not badly injured at the time his injuries later led to a form of paralysis.
After the war, in 1919, he had a transformative experience on Westminster Bridge, a Christ experience, where he heard the words ‘all is new.’ This experience seemed to align him with the destiny of Britain, the concept of Albion and The Matter of Britain. So much so, that on May 3rd 1926 as Britain was brought to a stand-still by the General Strike Heaver too became paralysed and unable to move.
After becoming involved in the British Israel World Federation he visited the garden of Joseph of Arimathea in Palestine and became involved in securing the Garden Tomb of Jesus as a charitable association based in London. During the Second World War he was on fire watch at Buckingham Palace and set up the National Days of Prayer working with the King – ‘we must mobilise the spiritual resources of the nation.’ In London at the time it was said that Heaver ‘is not a man but a force.’ It was Heaver who had the vision for the evacuation of the British Army from Dunkirk – ‘send out the small boats’ and the optimism that the certainty of faith and freedom would triumph over tyranny.
After the war, in 1946, he left the British Israelites and set up a Foundation and the Avalon Group, again realising the importance of Glastonbury for Britain. He worked with both the Arimathean and the Arthurian impulses basing himself midway between Cadbury Castle and Glastonbury at Castle House, Keinton Mandeville. From there he created the Sanctuary of Avalon, dedicated to the power of the Divine Name, and created a network of like-minded pioneers – such as The Caddys from Findhorn, Grace and Ivan Cooke (White Eagle), Sir George Trevelyan, Bruce MacManaway, Cynthia Sandys and Richard Barbe Baker (Man of the Trees) who would gather together to meditate in silence and prayer at key moments.
He died on his 80th birthday at Butleigh Hospital, appropriately at the centre of the Glastonbury Zodiac. At his funeral Sir George Trevelyan paid tribute to Heaver: ‘This great being, Ronald Heaver, was indeed one of the great adepts of our time, an initiate with direct knowledge of the higher worlds, a sensitive in touch with the realms of the angels and the power of the Archangel Michael. In some strange sense which it is hard for us to fully understand, he was in touch with the folk soul of Britain.’
Further Reading
A compilation of his writings and memories of Heaver was published in 2014 ‘Ronald Heaver: The Man and the Mission of Albion’ with re-prints of his main writings included.
‘This morning right at the beginning of your session, Peter handed me the stone from Jerusalem and as he did so I became suddenly aware of you as “Zadok” – it was simply tremendous, and then I was given a vision which I was told to pass on to you in every detail, because you would understand and know the meaning of it. It was as if you were here in the very midst of us, and yet it was in The Avalon Sanctuary it all took place. I saw you as “Zadok” standing in the sanctuary with your back to the altar. You wore a long robe made of a cloth of gold, which had a high neck and was fastened by three small buttons made of the same material, the button holes were of gold braid. The whole garment was woven without any seams.
Round your waist you wore a gold leather belt, and the buckle was made of precious stones, in the shape of an eagle with wings outspread, so the body of the eagle formed the clasp. On your feet you wore golden thonged sandals, your feet were bare. In your right hand you held the shepherd’s crook which stands in the sanctuary. Your left hand was raised in blessing. On your left hand you had a ring on your third finger, but all I could see was a gold band. On your right hand which held the shepherd’s crook there was a most wonderful ring on your middle finger. It had a stone that shone like the sun.
Round your neck was your gold medallion with the signs of the zodiac (which I was privileged to hold when I was with you). You were very tall and majestic and were radiating out tremendous power. Light which seemed to radiate out everywhere, it was limitless. On the left hand side as I was facing the altar there was a vase of pure white narcissus and I could smell their perfume it was so strong.’
Alfred Ronald Heaver was born 41 days into the brand new twentieth century and by the age of seven inwardly knew he ‘was born for a purpose.’ At prep school in Taunton he would gaze at Glastonbury Tor in the distance and wonder at its magnetic attraction for him.