The Traditions of Glastonbury III

Part three of the series looks at the earliest references to Christianity being in Britain and there are many, all agreeing that it was first brought over in the reign of Tiberius just four years after the resurrection. Capt traces the journey made by Joseph to Britain and presents evidence for the first church above ground being built by him, on land granted by King Arviragus in Glastonbury. There are secular sources as well as ecclesiastical ones for this as the land was exempt from tax, something that was the same for Druids as it was for Christian priests.

The Judean Christians were fleeing persecution from the Jews, who had already martyred St Stephen by this time. It is no surprise that they would go to Britain, as Joseph’s job was overseeing the tin trade for Rome and he may have already known Arviragus from previous visits.

There is even a legend that Christ himself visited Glastonbury and built the first church there, which Joseph then enlarged upon. Mary the mother of God was supposedly also with them and this is where the legends of Jesus and Mary being at Glastonbury come from.



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