The Traditions of Glastonbury V

The fifth part of the series looks at the Glastonbury Abbey buildings themselves and what was left of them after the Reformation. The villagers helped themselves to the stone and much of the surrounding area has houses, walls and bridges made from it, although nobody who profited from this was seen to thrive afterwards.

Shortly before this destruction, the world’s first mechanical clock was created by one of the monks at Glastonbury. The author describes how the clock was not just for telling the time, but also showed the mediaeval concept of the universe and our place within it.

One of the most unique remnants to survive from the abbey is the Jesus and Mary stone. This was a record of the dowry that Jesus paid for his mother Mary, which is also confirmed by a reference to it in the Domesday book from the eleventh century.



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