Legendary Glastonbury in Somerset

Misty Morning View from Glastonbury Tor, UK Photographic Print
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As you approach Glastonbury, first of all you will see Glastonbury Tor with its ruined 15th century Perpendicular church tower on the top. If you climb to the top of the Tor, you get spectacular panoramic views across the Somerset Levels. Because of this, it was probably an important place especially as it would have stood above the regular winter floods on the Levels.

The Tor, now owned by the National Trust, is closely associated with the story of King Arthur. Although many people now believe that his main stronghold was at Cadbury or maybe Queen Camel, it is also believed that the Tor was an Arthurian strongpoint in the battle with invading Angles and Saxons.

Arthurian legend tells us that the Tor was the Isle of Avalon and that the dying King Arthur was brought here by boat (perfectly possible with the Levels flooded). He now waits beneath the Tor for the time of the country's greatest need when he will come to it aid as England's "once and future king".

Another legend says that the Tor is the home of Gwyn ap Nudd, king of the fairies. Yet another suggests that the terraces visible on the Tor are part of a pre-historic maze or labyrinth.

One of the town's most famous legends tells the story of Joseph of Arimathea landing in Somerset with the Holy Grail and coming inland to Glastonbury. He stuck his staff in the ground whilst resting and the staff took root and flowered, a sign that his travels should end and a church be built here.

Ruins of Glastonbury Abbey in Somerset

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The famous Glastonbury Abbey was probably Celtic with later Saxon additions. It was attacked by Vikings but St Dunstan, who became abbot in 943AD, repaired it and also presided over its rise to become a wealthy and influential establishment. At about this time the abbey expanded, and was still further enlarged after the Norman Conquest (1066). This expansion continued until the Dissolution of the Monasteries which left the building in ruins.

The remains of the abbey give an idea of its size and grandeur. The Abbot's Kitchen is a notable feature with the famous flowering thorn tree near by which is reputed to be from a cutting of the one planted by Joseph of Arimathea.

The graveyard of the abbey is reputedly where King Arthur and Queen Guinevere are buried. Unfortunately, there is no evidence for this but it's a nice legend.

*Picture below from Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation license.

King Arthur Double-sided poster

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Glastonbury is also a centre of New Age culture and has attracted people to settle there to live an 'alternative' lifestyle with an emphasis on the spiritual aspects of life.

The many legends associating the town with King Arthur, Camelot and the Holy Grail obviously influence this aura as does speculation that Glastonbury Tor was once an important pre-Christian religious centre.

The Chalice Well is a spring which has never been known to dry up and this also feeds the legends and mysticism of Glastonbury. Joseph of Arimathea, it is said, hid the Holy Grail here. People also believe that the water has healing properties.

Then there is Gog and Magog, two oak trees near the bottom of the Tor. These are said to be 2000 years old and once formed part of a Druid ceremonial avenue of oak trees leading to the Tor.

Although the town's buildings are typical of a Somerset market town, many of the shops are not as they sell all kinds of New Age related goods and local noticeboards carry advertisements for tarot readings, astrology, spiritual healing and many other services not usually found in a small country town.

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Written by John Cowper Powys and originally published in 1932, it is this author's most famous work.

It tells the story of the inhabitants of Glastonbury but it's no soap opera or family saga. Powys was heavily influenced by Welsh myths and the occult making Glastonbury an ideal setting for his novel. It tells the story of the mystic John Geard who becomes mayor of Glastonbury and then tries to turn the town into the centre of a Grail-worshipping religion while others there want to make a left-wing commune in Glastonbury.

Infused with mysticism, this is far from an easy read and is also a long book. Admirers say that it is an amazing and mesmeric novel, as relevant today as when it was written in the 1930s.

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The magical Glastonbury Tor has been a lifelong obsession for Dianne Ffitch. But as the atmosphere of the place becomes soured by bitterness, violence and death, Dianne is convinced she is being warned of impending disaster. Could there be an anti-Grail in existence - the Dark Chalice?

Written by Phil Rickman with many occult novels to his credit. On his website he says he was trying for an updated version of A Glastonbury Romance with a battle between Christianity and paganism fighting it out in the town.