Day Seventeen
The Glastonbury Thorn
Glastonbury is one of my favourite places on earth for all sorts of reasons but one such reason is the existence of the Glastonbury Thorn. According to legend, tin merchant Joseph of Arimathea, uncle of Jesus, came to England bringing with him the boy Jesus. He returned years later to the place, and hid the holy grail somewhere close to where the Chalice Well is now, and walking up Wearyall Hill, he put his staff in the ground and as he leaned on it, the stick took root and burst into leaf and flower. The tree became known as the Glastonbury Thorn tree, and cuttings of it were taken and a specimen of the tree lives in the churchyard of St John’s church in the town to this day. One of the most remarkable things about the tree is that it blooms twice a year; once in May like any normal hawthorn and once in December. A sprig from the tree complete with blooms is sent each year to grace the Queen’s breakfast table.
For a more detailed account of the thorn please read here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glastonbury_Thorn
Reblogged this on meatdoesntgrowinmygarden and commented:
I wonder is scientifics will find out why blooming twice a year
It obeys both soltices? Roughly! It re-evokes the film I adore ‘Enchanted April’ If you haven’t you should! When I venture in to Glastonbury I tend to notice the tat. I must look deeper. A magical story sustained the the current king(queen)ship. Nice.