Pictures of Glastonbury

About Glastonbury

This little town now enjoys world renown for its annual music festival which attracts thousands of visitors from all over the globe. None-the-less, this still remains very much a town that is steeped in mystical myths and legends.

Glastonbury Tor rises majestically to reach a height of 520ft and legend has it that this is the place where the Holy Grail is buried. It is also said that it is here that Joseph of Arimathea founded the first Christian church known in Europe and it is believed too that Glastonbury is the burial place of King Arthur and Lady Guinevere. Infact, where-ever you go in this quaint little town there is much evidence of a long association with King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

The Abbey ruins are well worth visiting as this very atmospheric site dates back to the 12th-13th century.

There are several old inns in and around the town, also some fabulous little shops all selling a vast array of articals
that range from souvenires to high quality leather goods for which this area is also well known. Some of the best know English boot and shoe manufacturers have factories nearby. Hunt around and you are sure to find a bargain.

Not very far from Glastonbury is the peaceful village of Pilton which is home to the Manor House that was once the summer residence of the Abbots of Glastonbury. Other attractions are a lovely old tythe barn and a very beautiful church.

For a trip into the past this ancient area is certainly a must.

Interesting & Historical Facts about Glastonbury

Sometime during the late twelfth century at Glastonbury Abbey, monks were said to have discovered the burial site and bones of King Arthur and Guinevere between two stone pyramids and buried deep within the earth in a hollow oak. The monks then brought the remains into the church and placed them in a marble tomb where they remained for a further 300 or so years until 1539 when the site was abandoned after the monastery was suppressed and looted by King Henry VIII, who also ordered Glastonbury's abbot drawn and quartered. Whether King Arthur was really buried here nobody knows, some say it was a story made up by the monks who were trying to cash in on the legend after a great fire in 1184 destroyed many of the abbeys buildings and the monks needed to find money for the reconstruction of the place. However, many believe it to be true and to this day people visit the site drawn in by the legend and stories of the famous King.

Glastonbury facts | Somerset facts