Somerset Historical Facts

Wells, in Somerset, is England's smallest city with just 12,000 inhabitants, but also a stunning 13th century Cathedral.

The tower you see at the top of Glastonbury Tor is all that remains of St Michaels Church, which was built in the 14th century but demolished during the 'Dissolution of the Monasteries' in 1539, all except for the church tower that still stands today. An earlier church, built of wood and also dedicated to St Michael, stood on the site until 11 September 1275 when it was detroyed by a mighty earthquake thats epicentre was believed to be around Portsmouth (120km) or Chichester (140km)

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.