Bard of Bath

The inaugural Bard:
Tim Sebastion

From a press cutting on Friday June 21st 1996

Sacred Sunrise - Archdruid of Wiltshire, Tim Sebastian, leading a druid ceremony on Solsbury Hill

Biography

Tim was born at Southend-on-Sea in Essex on 29th April 1947. He was brought up in a Catholic monastery at Mayfield in Sussex from the age of 8 until he ran away at 15 to seek his fortune in London, where he was a barrow boy in the East End. During the 60s, Tim ran Boutiques in both Carnaby St and the Kings Rd. He also opened his won stall in Portobello Rd. selling antique paintings and prints. In the early 70s he worked for London Music Store in Grt Portland St. in the West End and was responsible for importing Melodiya records from Russia.

In the mid 70s he moved to the West Country and opened an antique shop in Bradford-on-Avon. During this time Tim joined the folk-rock band Gryphon and has made 2 albums and 6 singles. Ha also worked with Richard Jones of the Climax Blues Band. Tim has managed a number of West Country bands and is a personal friend of many local musicians. All through this period Tim carried on his profession of antique oil painting restoration. Tim is a published author, having many articles published in various magazines and in 1986 co-authored 'Who Owns Stonehenge' published by Batfords.

In 1998 Tim was elected Archdruid of Wiltshire and Conservation Officer for the Council of British Druid Orders. He is also the chaired Bard of Bath and a founding member of the Gorsedd of Bards of Caer Abiri. Tim was the organiser of the Druid/Christian Conference held at Prinknash Abbey over 4 years as well as the first Avesbury conference. Tim is chairman of both the Antiquarian Picnic Society and the Stonehenge Cricket Club. Tim has made many Television and Radio broadcasts over the years, including "Down Your Way", "Chronicle" and "The Magic and Mystery Show". He also had his own series on Radio Wiltshire called "The Golden Thread".

Tim has also made films for German Cinema and CBS. Tim has regularly lectured at most of the leading Universities in England and has worked with students from RADA and the Royal College of Music. Tim is at present working on A Sacred History of Swindon and An Ancient History of Cricket.