By: Maranda Wabik
Arthurian Legend, Royal History, The Faery Lifestyle, , , , , , ,

Glastonbury, Real Site of Avalon?

For today’s post, I have decided to write about the real site of Avalon, Glastonbury England!   Now, the honest truth is that many locations have claimed to be the real-world location of the mystical land of Avalon.   This is very similar to the locations claiming to have been the historical seat of Camelot!   All of this being said, no place has been more associated with Avalon than Glastonbury.

Today, Glastonbury is the home of many Pagans and witches.   It is the seat of the Glastonbury Goddess Temple and it is a Mecca for Goddess worshippers the world over!   The land itself is described as being some of the most mystical in the world.   This is confirmed by the convergence of many ley lines beneath the earth.   These lines of magical energy run along the whole of the earth, and they are sometimes referred to as Michael and Mary lines, or as my favorite term for them Merlin and Morgan lines!   It should also be noted that Glastonbury is, additionally, a place frequently visited by artists.   There is even a renowned Glastonbury Music Festival!   To me, all of these things make the association with Glastonbury and Avalon all the more prevalent.

Now, we should look at the origins of the association between Glastonbury and the faery island of Avalon.  During the reign of Edward I, the Glastonbury Abbey was excavated, because the monks had heard the rumors of Glastonbury being the burial site of King Arthur.   When the excavation happened bones and hair were found.   There was also a lead cross found with a Latin inscription “Hic iacet sepultus inclitus rex arturius in insula avalonia.”    This translates to “Here lies buried the renowned King Arthur in the Isle of Avalon” and the bones were placed in caskets to be reburied when Edward I visited the Abbey.   There is a placard that explains that the bodies of Arthur and his Queen Guinevere are buried there!

The actual physical land has a lot of mystical associations itself.   There are two springs, one the Red Spring (also known as the Chalice Well), and the other the White Spring.   Both springs flow with healing waters, the names of the springs state the color of the waters within!   Besides the Pagan associations with the area, there are also Christian legends based in Glastonbury.   It is stated that Joseph of Arimathea brought the Holy Grail there after the death of Christ!   Now, I just wanted to mention this fact, as it does have an impact on medieval romances and their focus on the search for the Holy Grail.

Finally, I would like to mention the specific Celtic deities associated with Avalon and worshipped in Glastonbury.   Obviously, there is the figure of Morgan le Fay is the most associated figure with Avalon!   In earlier versions of the legends, she is Queen of Avalon and assumed to be the daughter of a faery God for whom Avalon is named.   Avalonian witchcraft traditions work with the Goddesses Arianrhod, Branwen, Rhiannon, Cerridwen, and Blodeuwedd.   The faery God Gwynn ap Nudd is heavily associated with Avalon, as he is considered King of the Faery Realm.   Lastly, Brigid is represented heavily in Glastonbury as the Goddess of the flame.    I have been very brief in mentioning these faery deities, but I have written more extensively in the past (and certainly will in the future).

I hope that you have enjoyed this look at the magical land of Glastonbury in Somerset England.   Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Note on Image: The image at the top of the post is the lid to the Chalice Well.   I found the image on http://spiritofavalontours.com/tours-locations/chalice-well-gardens-red-spring/.

Further Reading