Glastonbury is a city of the county of the Somerset, in England (the United Kingdom). It is populated approximately 8.800 inhabitants.

History

In old times, Glastonbury was a kind of island: the sea recovered the low grounds of the Somerset Levels , as testify some to the lake vestiges of villages of the age of iron.

The site is famous for its tor and would be, according to certain sources, with the site even of the mythical island of Avalon, of the legend arthurienne.

Glastonbury was one of the first Christian establishments of England, whereas the site was still surrounded by marshes. In 705, king Ine founds there a monastery which becomes an establishment Bénédictin at the 10th century.

The old buildings, in acacia and cob yield the place to stone constructions. With the Middle Ages, the monks build at the top of the tor a church dedicated to the Archange holy Michel, which collapsed following a Earthquake; the current tower is a vestige of a second church rebuilt on the ruins of the preceding one.

Close to the abbey built in XIIIe and XIVe century, is the vault of the Virgin, built in XIIe century with the site of a “Old church” set fire to in 1184 and founded, according to the tradition, by Joseph d' Arimathie. During the rebuilding of the abbey after the fire, the monks would have discovered in 1191, under a stone slab a lead cross carrying the inscription:

DIFFICULTY JACET SEPULTUS INCLITUS REX ARTURIUS IN INSULA AVALONIA

“Ci-to lie famous the King Arthur in the island of Avalon. ”, a coffin dug in a tree trunk and containing the bones of a 2,40 height m man.

In 1539, the abbey of Glastonbury is dissolved following an ordinance of the king Henri VIII; the buildings are stripped of all their valuable articles, which are sold or allotted to the royal treasure. The abbot Richard Whiting is hung at the top of the tor of Glastonbury.

Between 1127 and 1825, an annual fair was held with the foot of the tor of Glastonbury, it lasted six days and finished the feastday of Michel saint.

Nowadays, the festival of Glastonbury accommodates almost every year since 1970 the music lovers and of performing art (this festival is held in Pilton).

Zodiac of Glastonbury

In 1929, Katharine Maltwood, a British woman sculptor, started a polemic off by publishing The Glastonbury' S Temple the Stars “the stellar temple of Glastonbury” which supported the discovery, in the south of Glastonbury, immense drawings plotted by elements of the landscape, and representing the twelve signs of the Zodiaque.

Moreover, Katherine Maltwood could interfere symbolism these figures with the legends of king Arthur, and in particular with the history of the Graal; this study was continued by Mary Caine in various works, such as:

• The Glastonbury Giants ;
• The Glastonbury zodiac: Key to the mysteries off Britain ;
• Celtic Saints and the Glastonbury Zodiac .

See too

Related articles

• festival of Glastonbury

External bonds

• Glastonbury - the old island of Avalon
• Glastonbury, official site
• the tor of Glastonbury, archeology
• the abbey of Glastonbury, official site
• the giants of Glastonbury, by Kathy Gilds (page devoted to the zodiac of Glastonbury)

Simple: Glastonbury

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