King Arthur's Burial Place At Glastonbury Abbey

The photo above shows some of  the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey. It is said that the famed King Arthur was buried here. To quote a sign nearby:

THE SITE OF KING ARTHUR'S TOMB

In the year 1191 the bodies of

King Arthur and his Queen were

said to have been found on the

south side of the Lady Chapel.

On 19th April 1278 their remains were

removed in the presence of

King Edward I and Queen Eleanor

to a black marble tomb on this site.

This tomb survived until the

Dissolution of the Abbey in 1539.

Glastonbury Abbey was founded in the 7th century and enlarged in the 10th. It was destroyed by a major fire in 1184 but subsequently rebuilt, and by the 14th century had become one of the richest and most powerful monasteries in England.

The abbey was suppressed during the Dissolution of the Monasteries under King Henry VIII of England. The last abbot, Richard Whiting (Whyting), was hanged, drawn and quartered as a traitor on Glastonbury Tor in 1539.

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Pilgrimage To Glastonbury Tor

We were in Glastonbury last week and went to the top of Glastonbury Tor. Quite a climb but wonderful views from the top - where it's possible to see three counties - Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire - if the weather permits.

The Tor is seen as a sacred pilgrimage by many, and there are legends attached to the area ranging from King Arthur and Avalon and to those who believe the Holy Grail is buried somewhere on the Tor.

The word Tor has a Celtic origin meaning hill. The conical shape of the Tor is natural - due to it's rocks. It is made up of horizontal bands of clays and limestone with a cap of hard sandstone.

The Tor has been a place of pilgrimage for over 10,000 years. On the summit is St Michael's Tower, part of a 14th century church which had been destroyed by an earthquake in 1275.

The second church lasted until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539. At this time the Tor was the scene of the hanging of Richard Whiting the last Abbot of Glastonbury.

View from top of Glastonbury Tor

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The Legend Of The Glastonbury Thorn And Joseph Of Arimathea

The thorn tree in the photo above may not seem very interesting, especially at this time of year, but this is the Glastonbury Thorn in the grounds of Glastonbury Abbey. Here's why it is special:

The legend tells of how Joseph of Arimathea came to convert the English to Christianity, bringing with him with the Holy Grail. On arriving at Glastonbury - at Wyrral Hill - he leant on his staff in prayer, whereupon the staff took root. This was taken as a sign that Joseph should settle in the area and start a religious house.

The Glastonbury Thorn on a UK postage stamp

The holy thorn on Wyrral Hill was destroyed during the English Civil War (1642–1651) but by this time a cutting had been made, from the original thorn, and placed in the grounds of Glastonbury Abbey - where it remains to this day.

The story of the thorn was first mentioned in an early sixteenth-century metrical Lyfe of Joseph of Arimathea.

There is also a legend that as a child Jesus visited Glastonbury along with Joseph.

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