This is an introduction to Glastonbury.  Famously known for its music festival, King Arthur, biblical connections and world pilgrimage. Glastonbury is England’s green and pleasant land.

I stumbled on Glastonbury by chance when I was 21 years old.  My friend and I decided to go on a crazy jaunt and ended up here.  For the next few years to come, I didn’t forget Glastonbury and voweled that I would one day live here.  So here I am. 

Over the levels, which were once a swamp, Joseph of Arimathea was thought to have landed.  He was said to have come with the Chalice from the last supper.  When he alighted, so the legend says, he plunged his staff in the land.  We know this now as Wirreal Hill - named because ‘all were weary’ from their boat trip to England.  The staff left in the mud on the hill, grew and blossomed.  Today, this is known as the holy thorn tree.  Unusual for thorn trees, it blooms twice a year.  At Christmas our Queen has a sprig of this on her yuletide dinner table.  This is because of its religious significance.

In Chalice Well grows a cutting from the original thorn tree (another of these is at Glastonbury Abbey). The well sits at the bottom of a towered Tor. The tree stands above a constructed lion’s head where spring water flows. Thousand’s of people pilgrimage to the spring, and Glastonbury, for its healing properties.

The water is tinged with red from the iron deposits. No one knows from where the water comes from – it is believed to emanate deep from the Mendip hills. There is never an end to its supply. Whether snow or drought, the water still flows, never freezes – never dries up. It is here, at the house, where Dion Fortune lived. She was, at one point, the High Priestess of the magickal ‘Golden Dawn’ order.

The sect had many members including Arthur Waite and Aleister Crowley. Crowley was dismissed from the order for his commitment to ‘Black Magick’. The Golden Dawn was not about projecting negative thoughts, but that of white and grey magick.

The Golden Dawn designed one of the first tarot sets. These designs were inspired from Glastonbury’s myths, legends and land. For example, ‘The Tower’ card is a design of the Tor. Bodies are shown thrown from this tower. This is a depiction of a scene from King Henry Vic’s dissolution in c.1534 during the reformation. This is a scene of devastation and destruction. The Monks, who lived in a community at Glastonbury Abbey, were hung on the Tor. Richard Whiting was the last Abbot to be hung there on November 15^th 1539. During this time, Glastonbury Abbey was destroyed. This was the reformation of the now established Church of England.

An end of Catholism had dawned for England. It is not surprising, therefore, that subjects from both denominations make a trip in pilgrimage to Glastonbury. Once a year, on alternate days, we hear the sounds of voices like angels singing, from the areas of the Abbey and the Tor.

During the longest night, Winter solstice 21^st December, there are great celebrations. People from all ‘spiritual’ denominations celebrate this at the Well and on the Tor. A fire is lit, for example, by druids and prays of well wishes are offered in ritual. This is the day when the shadow of the Tor (the male), joins with the well (womb).

Symbolising fertility, this is a natural occurrence. There are lots of celebrations throughout the year, but Winter Solstice is considered particularly magickal. Summer Solstice, 21^st June, is the longest day. It is around this time that the famous Glastonbury Festival takes place. Many consider this as the greatest show in the world. It is a three-day festival that runs day and night. The festival is televised and attracts some of the greatest talents in the field of music and performing arts.

There are healing fields, arts, crafts and wondrous magical events that just seem to happen. Glastonbury festival is renowned as something special. It is the most prestigious musical event within the UK and, some would argue, the world. There are many stages specialising in many different music styles, from popular to up and coming.

The music industry tends to look to this festival to gain inspiration. It is a launch pad to many bands. Examples of this include, Editors, Kasabian, The Arcade Fire, The Killers, the Kaiser Chiefs and Muse. So popular is the desire to attend, it is sold out within hours of the tickets release.

It is rumoured that it was on the Tor that Holst was inspired to create ‘The Planets Suite’.  Apparently, Crowley hummed, by accident, the first few bars of ‘Saturn’.  However, I have tried to research this on the internet, without success, although I do remember reading this in a book somewhere.

Glastonbury itself is a small ‘oldie worldly’ town with a quaint cosmopolitan feel. There are vegetarian restaurants, coffee bars, traditional health and spirituality shops. As it is renowned as the heart chakra in the world, these shops, amongst other establishments, offer services associated with healing, yoga, self-help and any therapy deemed to assist with enlightenment. We also have a strong sense of community, whether you are just passing through or resident here.

People feel they can be spontaneous without judgment and may find themselves involved in a jamming session or a dance, for example. This might happen anywhere, but many of our public houses offer entertainment for all to join if they wish. There is always someone around that you can talk to. This might be because as our culture is open and diverse.

This might have stemmed from a time when the Abbey in Glastonbury had a strong community from the Monks that inhabited it. Unfortunately, this is now a ruin. This structure is within a beautiful setting that can be walked around. It is said that King Arthur was buried here with his Guinevere. Apparently, two coffins had been uncovered.

It was thought to be their bones whereby the female was buried under the feet of the male. This was thought to be because Guinevere had disgraced Arthur with her affair with Lancelot. Many believe that this land was the place where the Lady of the Lake handed Excalibur to Arthur. This is thought to have happened when the levels were a swamp.

I shall now end this hub from the words of William Blake’s ‘Jerusalem’. It was Glastonbury that he was referring to when he wrote this. I hope you enjoyed this short overview of my hometown and that maybe one day you might walk upon this green and pleasant land.

And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountains green
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England's pleasant pastures seen

And did the countenance divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among those dark Satanic mills

Bring me my bow of burning gold
Bring me my arrows of desire
Bring me my spears o'clouds unfold
Bring me my chariot of fire

I will not cease from mental fight
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand
'Til we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land
'Til we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land

So, there you have it. Not only 'my' Glastonbury, but your's too. No one 'owns' Glastonbury, its a place for the people to love, learn and ... be! Glastonbury – Our Isle Of Avalon, Our Jerusalem and England’s Green and Pleasant Land

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