Known by the Britons as Ynys yr Afalon or The Isle of Avalon, Glastonbury Tor is a hill in Somerset, England. Rising to an elevation of 158m (518ft), the Tor is formed from clay and blue lias dating back to Jurassic times. A conical-shaped hill, Glastonbury Tor has seven almost symmetrical terraces. It's believed that the terraces may have been the result of natural forces, although theories as diverse as agricultural development or a hidden labyrinth have been put forward as possible explanations for the symmetrical anomaly.
The Tor attracted civilization as early as prehistoric times, as evidenced by the discovery of flint tools at the summit of the hill. From the Dark Ages onwards there were at least four structures built on Glastonbury Tor. An early church and hermitage were thought to have been built during Saxon and medieval times. A wheel cross, a Bronze Age Celtic wheel design with four spokes representing the chariot of the sun, was recovered from the Tor.
The first church built on the Tor was destroyed in 1275 by a strong earthquake. In the fourteenth century, a second church was built and dedicated to St Michael by Abbot Adam of Sodbury. St Michael's Church survived until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539. This was an act perpetrated by Henry VIII, during which he dissolved Catholic Churches and acquired all their land and income. St Michael's Church was demolished except for the tower. During these times the Abbot of Glastonbury, Richard Whiting, and two of his monks, John Thorne and Roger James, were hung, drawn and quartered on the Tor.
In 1786, Richard Colt Hoare of Stourhead bought the Tor. Hoare, an antiquarian, traveller and archaeologist, funded repairs on the Tower including the rebuilding of the north-east corner. The Tor passed on through several generations to the Reverend George Neville. In the twentieth century, the Tor became a memorial to a former Dean of Wells, Thomas Jex-Blake, who died in 1915. In 1933, Glastonbury Tor was taken over by the National Trust.
The Tor has long been associated with things of a mystical nature. It's believed to be the Avalon where King Arthur came to heal; his and Guinevere's bodies are rumoured to have been found at the nearby Glastonbury Abbey by monks in the 12th century. Adding to the notion of it having been an island is a strange phenomenon that occurs at the Tor, called Fata Morgana. This Italian term is associated with Morgana Le Fay, a powerful sorceress from Arthurian times. The Fata Morgana is a visual effect that occurs because of the damp low ground around the Tor, making it appear to rise from a sea of mist.
The Tor has also been associated with the First Lord of the Other World and, later, the King of the Fairies, Gwynap Nudd. The Leader of the Wild Hunt, Gwynap Nudd was a great warrior. It was said that the Tor was a doorway to the underworld and, on still nights, Gwynap Nudd's hounds can be heard. It is believed that St Collen, who created a hermitage upon the Tor, used Holy Water to make Gwynap Nudd disappear.
The Tor has been the scene of unusual light phenomena. There are reports of a female ghost with glowing gold hair that some believe is Guinevere. Many myths, legends and mysteries, from giant zodiacs to hidden labyrinths and converging ley lines, surround the Tor. I had wanted to see the Tor since reading about it in a book. Approaching Glastonbury, the Tor was visible from quite a long way away, dominating the surrounding landscape. Climbing the Tor was quite an experience, and the view from the top was breathtaking. There is no doubt that it is a place of magic and otherworldly things.
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