Glastonbury Abbey

Suggestions that Glastonbury may have been a site of religious importance in Celtic or pre-Celtic times are considered dubious by the historian Ronald Hutton, but archaeological investigations by the University of Reading have demonstrated Roman and Saxon occupation of the site. In 1955 Ralegh Radford's excavations uncovered Romano-British pottery at the west end of the cloister. The abbey was founded by Britons and dates at least to the early-7th century. Medieval occupation of the site is evidenced by pieces of ceramic wine jars that were imported from the Mediterranean. A medieval legend claimed that the abbey was founded by Joseph of Arimathea in the 1st century. This legend is…

The ruins of the great church, along with the Lady Chapel, are grade I listed buildings, and a Scheduled Ancient Monument. It is set in 36 acre of parkland and open to the public. It is approached by the abbey gatehouse, which was built in the mid 14th century and completely restored in 1810. The 14th century abbey barn is also open to the public, outside the walls, as part of the Somerset Rural Life Museum. The great church was 220 ft in length and 45 ft wide. The choir was 155 ft long and the transept was 160 ft long. St Joseph's chapel was 110 ft long and 24 ft wide. The remaining portions are of the clerestory and triforium arcades, which were the supports of the central square tower.…