Saturday, 9 June 2012

Glastonbury


Glastonbury is a small town which has had many restrictions placed on its expansion due to it's historic sites and ancient history. Famous for it's Glasonbury Tor, festival and abbey, the town of Glastonbury is definitely worth a visit.

Glastonbury Tor stands out and can be seen from miles away. The hill upon which it sits is 520 feet above sea level and before the 18th century it would have been surrounded by marshland which has since been drained. Inhabitants around the Tor have included prehistoric, Celtic, Roman and pre-Saxon settlements.

The Glastonbury Tor and the hillside hide the truth behind many legends. It is said that the tor has a mystical energy and certainly a great many believers visit Glastonbury from various beliefs which include Paganism, Christianity, King Arthur and UFO cults.

An ancient belief claims Glastonbury as the fabled Isle of Avalon, the resting place of the legendary King Arthur. In the twelfth century monks at Glastonbury Abbey found bones from a burial along with a cross bearing the inscription: "Here lies buried the renowned King Arthur with Guinevere his wife in the Isle of Avalon". For those that have climbed to the summit a spectacular view awaits.

Places to visit in Glastonbury include the Chalice Well Trust with its Holy Grail Legend and reputed healing waters, the Glastonbury Abbey remains, with it's history dating back to 700AD and the Somerset Rural Life Museum which explores rural life in the 19th and 20th century.

There are also many beautiful rural villages and historic buildings in and around Glastonbury and turning off the main roads can be a delightful experience and one that is highly recommended.

Clarks Village - Street

Just a mile down the road from Glastonbury on the A39 lies the town of Street. This is home to one of Europe's most well known manufacturers of quality shoes - Clarks and Clarks village with it's purpose built factory shopping centre with 60 retailers and factory shops which was one of the first of its kind in Britain. 

For more photos of Glastonbury click here or view on You Tube


 

No comments:

Post a Comment