Wednesday Wall Welcome

Glastonbury was a tourist hot spot for centuries before the festival; in fact the music festival site is 10 km away in Pilton!

This mural depicts many of the myths and legends about Glastonbury.

Home of christian myths and legends, and more recently of mystics and alternative lifestyles, the town is fiercely independent with no chain stores of any description in the town centre; but if you like crystals, hippy clothes, vegan restaurants, bookshops, pottery and a lovely peaceful atmosphere ...

The Tor at the top of which stands the remains of St Michaels church, stands at 160m, well above the surrounding levels and can be seen for miles. At the foot of the Tor is the town and the Abbey ruins. In its heyday the Abbey, built in the 8th centuary, owned large tracts of the surrounding levels and was exceptionally rich and powerful. The abbey was ruined by Henry VIII during the dissolution of the monasteries and the Abbot hung, drawn and quartered as a traitor on theTor in 1539.

Medieval monks knew a thing or two about hype and marketing and from the 12th century they supported the idea that Joseph of Aramathia founded the Abbey in the 1st century CE and that Glastonbury was legendary King Arthur's Avalon. Today's town council also know a good thing and the hype continues to this day. Well worth a visit tho' ...

HWW All.