Glastonbury Abbey

I visited the abbey as a part of a day trip to Glastonbury and because I didn’t get to do it the last time I was in Glastonbury. The admissions desk staff were really helpful and friendly and gave good information. The abbey grounds are a lot bigger than I thought and I could see it being a lovely place to have a picnic with a family. There was plenty of information dotted around. Of course photos of Arthur and Guinevere’s resting place is a must. I’d do it again with my family.

We've not been to Glastonbury Abbey in many years and had forgotten just how beautiful it is. So much space to walk around and so much history. I got around on my mobility scooter with ease. Plenty of seating to sit and enjoy our picnic. Sitting by the pond is so relaxing. We had a fabulous day and will be returning soon.

Really great site and the exhibition gives loads of information and the timeline of the abbey. The ruins are great. The lady chapel was my favourite, really great energy in there. There was a Viking show on while I was there. The grounds are so lovely and you could spend several hours enjoying the energy of the space. Highly recommend. I purchased tickets onsite and had no wait time, which was good considering it was a bank holiday weekend.

Absolutely beautiful Abbey ruins to visit. They have recently had the cafe, entrance and museum renovated. The Abbey, grounds and gardens are so beautifully maintained and a joy to walk around, and there are plenty of benches throughout. I would highly recommend a visit.

What a peaceful place. Have a wander. Plenty of benches. A bit of history. Nice coffee from the cafe. Dog friendly and somewhere we will return to. Plus, a 25 min (fast walk) from here to the top of Glastonbury Tor (my wife stayed in the grounds with our dog).

Another special place to visit, massive grounds, although the Abbey is a ruin now, it didn't deter from the peace and quiet you get. There is an entrance fee with a donation of £22 for 2 seniors, worth every penny. There is a mobile Caffe, and museum and there will be a gift shop which is being finished off. Two ponds and plenty of space and activities. We went on a beautiful sunny day, which makes all the difference.

We visited as a date, taking a picnic with us. It is a really beautiful Abbey, with a little museum stating its history. Lovely pretty garden area and a lake, where we watched the ducks.

Steeped in history and legend, these magnificent ruins are a joy to walk around and look at. The museum is a delight detailing the history of the Abbey. A Car park is close by the Abbey which is fairly reasonable price wise and is only 35 minutes walk from Glastonbury Tor which is also well worth a visit. I would thoroughly recommend a visit especially if fascinated by the mythical Avalon of Arthurian Legend.

Glastonbury Abbey is a historically significant and legendary site of a once powerful and wealthy church...now just in ruins, big ruins! And also the supposedly burial site of King Arthur, but that is up to your own imagination. But still it's extraordinarily picturesque and incredible site to imagine what it once was in its hey days. There are acres and acres to explore, lots of greenery, lots of ruins, lots of exhibits, and a couple ponds. A few locals hanging out, and a few hippies. Adults: £12 / $16...seems about right.

After 6 years as a member, I was refused entry for forgetting my card -- no offer to look me up, just told me I could purchase a new card which I don't need. The staff were rigid, robotic, and completely lacking in empathy. The Abbey has sadly lost its soul -- it's now run like a military checkpoint. This rigid, petty approach is deeply disappointing. The Abbey used to feel spiritual and welcoming -- now it's cold and unkind to the very people who support it.

Loved it. If you're reading this and considering going I'm going to take a guess that the history and mythology surrounding the location means something. That being said........are you telling me I can stand in on the ground that held King Arthur's tomb and expect me not to go!?!?!?? Beautiful grounds. Read up on the history of the grounds and take a walk around recreating it in your head. Take some great pics and enjoy a few hours in the town streets and shops.

There is no doubt that the legends surrounding the mythical figure of King Arthur are romanticized and exaggerated. Even so, these tales have captivated and inspired millions of young "squires" to espouse the concepts of honor, duty and chivalry. I believe these tales have made us all better men and women. Whether or not the figure buried here is the man behind the legend (and many scholars believe it his *the* King Arthur, although his life bears little resemblance to the tales of Thomas Malory and T.S. Eliot), kneeling before the grave of such a literary and cultural titan is a humbling experience, and only deepened my desire to continue pursuing the truth of this inspiring figure. Was he nothing more than a British (Welsh?) warlord who fended off several invasions of Saxon hordes, or was he truly a devout Paladin of God, who launched several crusades to find the Holy Grail, was betrayed by his closest knight and beloved wife, and slain by his corrupted son? Does it matter? While the abbey's walls and foundations still stand (for the most part), and a few secrets still lurk within the rubble (such as a couple of floor tiles still bearing their original designs and paint), the Abbot's Kitchen and other satellite buildings have been preserved or renovated, and offer a better example of the architecture and daily life of the monks who once inhabited this history-laden holy site. Be sure to walk the entire grounds to take in the breadth and splendor of the efforts undertaken to preserve this amazing landmark. I departed the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey (left abandoned to stone salvagers in the 16th century, now only a shell of its former glory) awed, humbled and renewed in my love of all things Camelot, fictional or not.

Here is some information I found out about Glastonbury Abbey from the net - see below.. "Although today it stands in ruins, Glastonbury Abbey, in Somerset, England, is still a powerfully evocative place, shrouded in history, religion, and mythology. One story claims that Joseph of Arimathea, legendary keeper of the Holy Grail, founded the first Christian church in Britain at Glastonbury shortly after the death of Christ. Another holds that in 1191, monks from the abbey unearthed a hollowed-out log containing two bodies and an inscribed cross that read: "Here lies buried King Arthur and his wife Guinevere." The traditions and myths surrounding Glastonbury Abbey are perhaps key among the reasons it developed into one of the most important--and wealthiest--monasteries in Europe. But skeptics have long decried these stories as inventions by medieval monks to fill the abbey's coffers, especially after a massive fire destroyed the monastery in 1184. Archaeologist Roberta Gilchrist of the University of Reading has recently completed a multiyear project aimed at constructing a new history of Glastonbury Abbey, unencumbered by previous assumptions based solely on myth. "Glastonbury Abbey holds a unique place in the history of medieval monasticism and in the development of English cultural identity," says Gilchrist. "Yet despite its historical and cultural significance, relatively little was known about the abbey's archaeology." Most of the Glastonbury Abbey Project's efforts were focused on reevaluating data from previous excavations. From 1904 to 1979, at least 36 excavations were completed, but much of that material was lost or never published. It has also been frequently misinterpreted. Gilchrist and her team have spent several years combing through a century's worth of archives, as well as conducting new radiocarbon dating and chemical composition analysis on previously excavated artifacts. "Our goals were to assess the scholarly significance of the excavations and provide a new historical source of evidence for understanding the site," says Gilchrist. Researchers also reevaluated the purported site of King Arthur's grave. Both the skeletal remains and the inscribed cross disappeared after the dissolution of the abbey in 1539, but archaeologist Ralegh Radford claimed to have found the original burial site when he excavated at Glastonbury during the 1950s and 1960s. Unfortunately, there is little proof connecting that site with the famous king. "Radford may have exaggerated his evidence," says Gilchrist. "Reassessment of his excavation records shows that this was merely a pit in a cemetery, dating to sometime between the eleventh and fifteenth centuries." Analysis of the twelfth-century abbey church indicates that the monks themselves purposefully promoted the site's historic reputation. As they rebuilt the church after the great fire in 1184, instead of using contemporary architectural styles, they inserted antiquated and retrospective elements, apparently to deliberately feign antiquity. There is no doubt that many of the myths surrounding Glastonbury Abbey were at least partially created or propagated in both medieval and modern times. However, according to Gilchrist, too much media attention has focused on the new evidence that seems to refute Glastonbury's mythical traditions. For her, there is room for both archaeology and legend to coexist. "At Glastonbury, people respond on a personal level to the place and its historical, legendary, and spiritual resonances. We didn't claim to disprove the legendary associations, nor would we wish to," she says. "Archaeology can help us to understand how legends evolve and what people in the past believed." In fact, she notes, the project has actually uncovered the first definitive proof of occupation at the Glastonbury Abbey site during the fifth century--when Arthur allegedly lived. -------------------------------------------------------- So I came here with my husband on a lovely sunny December morning for a walk around. The indoor area shows relics and explanations of everything regarding this abbey and its history. Definitely worthy of a few hours. The grounds are beautiful and very nicely manicured.Also Glastonbury town centre makes for a very interesting place if you are into History - as there are more things to see in the area.

My mom and I had much fun traipsing around Glastonbury the town and the abbey on our August 2013 vacation. The abbey is behind great walls -- like an enormous enclosed park -- inside a darling little hippie-ish town that is full of vegetarian/veggie friendly restaurants, shops full of Tibetan jewelry, loads of crystals, new age books, primitive drapey clothing from India and other Eastern locales plus a darned good farmer's market. Once you find your way to the Abbey grounds, it open up to a vast area with the ruins and lush green turf. It's huge - they have concerts there. The museum at the entrance is very well done and the costumed docents were very friendly and informative. My big thrill, honestly, was getting to interact with the independent raptor rescue group - Sharandys Birds of Prey. Some other folks idea of fun was rolling sideways down the slight grassy slope (ok, those people were like 2 and 3 years old). Bring a book, a blanket, and a picnic - if it's a sunny day, you won't regret it.

Beautiful old ruins located at the market sq. Old Henry must have really hated Catholics because he did quite a number on this one. But well worth the visit

Easy to get in with an option of a self guided tour. Walking around on our own was easy enough with information in the brochure they hand out. A more detailed booklet has much more to offer with history and more detail. It is nice to see the bricks along where the Abbey would ha e extended to.

Our first stop of our day was Glastonbury Abbey, the ruins of a monastery originally founded in the 7th century. The Glastonbury area is associated with the legend of King Arthur, and it is rumored that King Arthur was originally buried there.

I went here today as on my many visits to glastonbury i've never visited. It was £7 and it was lovely. Not an awful lot to see but everything is in great condition, really well kept 32 acre area. Lots of lovely pretty gardens to view with status etc and a great little gift shop at the end. I bought some fudge for £3 so not to expensive, the items go all the way up to £100 this was the cheapest, useful gift. It was a glorious day but at £7.... i'd suggest taking a picnic and making the most of it. The ticket is valid all day so you can come back the same day if you wish- very nice place to visit but make the most of it. :)

A must for your visit to Glastonbury. Save time for the gift shop, bring a lunch and enjoy a book, the energy is great.

I absolutely love Glastonbury Abbey. Yes, yes, I am the geek that is obsessed with ruined abbeys, but this one, this one is just magnificent. I remember the first time I set eyes upon it. Just like in the pictures, there it stood. And there I stood, standing in awe. And every time after the first, I still stood there in awe. The grounds are gorgeous and you really should give yourself enough time to walk around and really enjoy them. Inside the visitor's center, you can see a model of what the abbey looked like and learn more about monastery life. If the weather is a bit on the soggy side, you will want to make sure you have some decent footwear. If you decide to veer off the path and get up close to the ruins (which you should!) it can get a bit muddy. Hopefully the weather will be kind and you will even get some sun to enjoy the abbey. Morning sun offers some beautiful Kodak moments ;). Of course, if you are fascinated by Arthurian Legend, then you will find your fill here. Also, don't miss the little "trap doors" in the grass where you can see original bits of tile and flooring. The staff are very friendly and on occasion you will see some of the staff dressed in costume, ready to lead tourists on tours. The staff have also been great about the bookings for my group and are always very accommodating. If you are in this area of the world, take a day in Glastonbury... wander the Abbey ruins, climb the Tor, and perhaps enjoy the healing waters of Chalice Well.

Meh, it ok. Unless you are dying to go here for historical sake, I would say don't bother. It's expensive to get in, there is not much there, and it's a pain to drive to Glastonbury.

The abbey at Glastonbury is certainly remarkable and well worth a visit. It's an interesting site because it was an insanely large and ornate compound, evidence of just how much effort went into construction of these kinds of buildings with pre-modern technology and also evidence of the tremendous wealth, power and influence the Church had on the area. (It doesn't take more than a visit or two to this kind of place to understand that a good-sized number medieval Christians really believed this stuff, and a lot of them willingly donated huge amounts of wealth and energy into constructing and maintaining these homages to God.) Sadly, the site has almost decayed too much; when all that's left is a column or two, or the floor of a structure, or just part of a wall, it's a little difficult to imagine what the place would have looked like in its heyday. On the plus side, the spacious grounds make it exceptionally peaceful. It was the perfect way to take a break on a chaotic day and simply enjoy the wonderful grounds. One tip: We traveled to the abbey after ascending the Tor, and while it was great to stumble into shops in the town itself as we passed along the north end of the abbey, it would have been way, way quicker to head to the entrance near the south side. So if you're looking for speed, come down off the Tor and stay on the south end.