Can we be clear about something and challenge Rev Strachan to refute it? There is no letter of St Augustine of Canterbury to Pope Gregory describing a Glastonbury church built by Jesus––the main item of evidence cited by Rev Strachan. There is a 13th century manuscript of the very scrupulous historian William of Malmesbury which contains the reference, but it is clearly a forgery. We know this because we also have William's original text before it was doctored. Moreover, the translation offered by Rev Strachan is incorrect. The Latin refers to a Church built by Jesus' disciples, not his hands.

In short, there is no historical evidence whatsoever that Jesus came to Britain and it is immensely improbable that he ever left Palestine.

Posted by Robert Davis | 01.12.09, 23:39 GMT

Seriously, wisen up! I'm cut off for these people. Jesus!

Posted by P Crowson | 28.11.09, 11:25 GMT

Linda, You don't learn to be a carpenter on a ship - you learn before you build the ship!
Otherwise there wouldn't be much chance that it would make it all the way along the Mediterranean, up the Atlantic coast of Portugal, across the notorious Bay of Biscay, to Cornwall! Anyway, the Jews, unlike the Phoenicians, were not renowned for being sailors. They even seemed to have problems on the small inland lake called the Sea of Galilee! Put it down to 'wishful thinking' - just like the myth that one of the 'Lost Tribes' of Israel came & settled here!
Of course, being Jesus, he didn't need a ship - he could always have walked!

Posted by Realist | 27.11.09, 22:21 GMT

"i remember being told as a child jesus tied his donkey to a tree right outside our house,some years later king billy done the same thing"....
So it WAS a donkey King Billy rode. Sweet......

Posted by Keetz | 27.11.09, 20:41 GMT

he went to Glastonbury i wonder who the headline act was?

Posted by Eoin | 27.11.09, 20:31 GMT

No doubt under cutting local joiners, sending his pices of silver home, trying to impose his own customs and beliefs, I tell thee

Posted by Paul | 26.11.09, 23:02 GMT

i remember being told as a child jesus tied his donkey to a tree right outside our house,some years later king billy done the same thing,thats a fact my father never lied in his life!!!

Posted by robert | 26.11.09, 19:38 GMT

I don't have enough scorn to throw on this rubbish. Even accepting it on it's own terms the idea is full of holes.

Seriously though, the West County? What would JC be doing there? Turning water into some very excellent cider no doubt!

Posted by Farrah | 26.11.09, 19:23 GMT

Have you ever noticed that the more outrageous the story in the Tele, the shorter it is.

Posted by Stuart McCarroll | 26.11.09, 18:21 GMT

There is little or no historical evidence to suggest Christ existed so not likely he ever made it to Briton. Oh by the way the bible is a book of ficton nothing more so please don't quote it. I'm actually ashamed to be considered the same species of these bible bashers who are too scared to open their eyes to what is blindingly obvious. There is no god of any sort

Posted by James | 26.11.09, 17:58 GMT

So where did he go in the 'lost years'? During the gap in the bible? He just do nothing? Hard to believe. I'd say he went on tour. Like a student. It was his gap years. What a legend eh?

Posted by Where's Wally? | 26.11.09, 16:41 GMT

Jesus was a carpenter by trade. Who is to say that when he was young that he did't learn that trade on his uncles ships. Oh there is evidence that ships from the Holyl Lands would have done trade with Cornwell for tin.

Posted by linda | 26.11.09, 16:03 GMT

If he's free he should turn on the christmas lights next year while he's at it

Posted by Sticko | 26.11.09, 15:54 GMT

I seriously doubt the son of a carpenter (even if you don't believe Jesus was the Son of God, it's accepted that as a historical figure he was from a family of modest income) would've had the resources or the inclination to travel half way across the world to go to Uni. And if he truly WAS the Son of God and the Bible is true then he was already discussing the scriptures with religious scholars as a child (the full knowledge of God and all that), so I doubt there would've been much we could've taught him over here by the time he reached 20s. I think this may be another one of those attempts that some people feel compelled to make at trying to prove that their country is actually a lot more important - and that they are too by association - than it really is.

Posted by Graham Smyth | 26.11.09, 15:26 GMT

If you believe Jesus was all-powerful, the son of God etc and could perform miracles why is this so hard to believe. Personally, I don't believe in the miracles etc - I do believe he existed as a human though. The bible has a massive hole in it - a huge gap in JC's life. It is entirely possible he did a bit of traveling in this time. Never heard this before but I do think he visited parts of India and the region around it.

Posted by JC was tourist | 26.11.09, 13:01 GMT

Guess he didn't come to Belfast, too scared of getting his head kicked in!

Posted by New Lodge Terry | 26.11.09, 12:30 GMT

Calm yourself Trev!

Posted by MiHe | 26.11.09, 12:18 GMT

The thought that Jesus visited Britian is... ridiculous! Now America on the other hand...

Posted by A Mormon | 26.11.09, 12:06 GMT

I heard he was due to fly with Ryanair to Ireland but was told "I don't care if you are the son of God, I need to see your passport"

Posted by Yip | 26.11.09, 11:42 GMT

I notice becuase it was the UK he reportedly visited that everyone is quick to criticise! Of course, when Mary visits Ireland, there's shrines a plenty!

Posted by Steve | 26.11.09, 11:34 GMT