Glastonbury

So Glastonbury was one of the most important monasteries in he Christian world in the Middle Ages. There were two reasons for that. They believe Joseph of Arimathea started it. It dates back to 70 AD. They believe he came and started a monastery in the far end of the Roman Empire. There is a tree planted that legend says was his staff. Planted into the ground then grew into a cool Holy Thorne that blossoms twice per year. 

The second reason this is the place of pilgrimage was that King Arthur and Queen Gwenovere were buried here. So people went to see the great king. 

 

This was quite the monastery. Look at the ornate glass.

 

 

Nice to know people liked souvenir   even back then.    

These are some of the views around the Abbey. Old cathedrals. Old tombs. Old kitchens. Really impressive  and depressing at the same time. 

    

The legend is that in 1191 some monks weee digging through their library (which was the biggest by far in mideval world) and found reference to the grave of Jing Arthur. They dug it up and there was a large stone with the Latin King Arthur. And a lady. This discovery coincided with a fire the year before needing pilgrimage support to rebuild. Scholars say it was most likely a publicity stunt. But it was scholars that took away Pluto from us, and mis interpreted the Mayan calendar to end in 2012. So for me. I think if he was real he was here.     

This is the holy thorn. It got burned down in 1550 then replanted from a graft. Then burned and replanted in 1990. Again from a graft. This reference to Joseph of Arimathea is the reason they believe the holy grail is here 

We stopped for afternoon tea. In a tea shop. It was a freuit tea. Dried fruit and cinnamon. So Word is Wisdim ok. We had tea crumpets scones and a happy wife.