The Glastonbury Thorn

Legend tells us that when Joseph of Arimethea arrived at Glastonbury with his twelve companions, he planted his staff on Wearyall Hill, where it instantly took root and flourished.
When the Glastonbury Terrestrial Zodiac (the contours, natural features, mounds, banks and causeways of the land that form the twelve signs of the zodiac) was uncovered, Wearyall Hill proved to be one of the two fishes of the sign of Pisces. The story of the planting of the staff could be read as the ushering in of the Age of Pisces. This Age of the Fish is the zodiacal era in which Christianity was born, took root and flourished.

The thorn is a variety known as Crataegus Oxyacantha Præcox usually seen in the Middle East and said to only grow in Glastonbury. It is unusual in that it flowers twice a year, in spring and again in winter, when the fruits of the spring blossoms are still on the tree. A tree only lives for approximately 100 years and this particular one on Wearyall Hill was planted in 1951 to commemorate the Festival of Britain. Other descendants can also be found in St. John’s churchyard, the Abbey, the gardens of Chalice Well, the grounds of the Abbey Barn (Rural Life Museum). Many have tried to grow the Glastonbury Thorn from seed and direct cuttings, but it can only be grown by being grafted onto the common hawthorn, Crataegus monogyna. If the trees are removed from the area, it is reported that they quickly revert back to being a common hawthorn, flowering only in spring. Some say that this is because when the Thorn is taken away from the area, it loses its Glastonbury memory.

During the time of the English Civil War, between 1642 and 1651, the Thorn that stood on the hill at that time was cut down by one of Cromwell’s soldiers on the grounds that it was a relic of superstition. It is said that as it fell, its thorns blinded the axe man in one eye.

The Thorn was once believed to blossom on Christmas Day. In 1753, the British Calendar was altered to bring us into line with Europe and eleven days were dropped from the month of September. The Glastonbury Thorn, which flowered on Christmas Day Old Style, was closely observed and it was rumoured that thousands of people flocked to the town to see whetherit would stick to its principles and blossom on the old day, or cave in to Parliament and blossom on the new one.
‘The Gentleman’s Magazine’ a publication of that time, reported:

“A vast concourse of people attended the noted thorn on Christmas-day, new style; but, to their great disappointment, there was no appearance of its blowing, which made them watch it narrowly the 5th of January, the Christmas-day, old style, when it blowed as usual."
Gentleman's Magazine January 1753

A sprig of the winter blossom is traditionally cut from the Thorn in St. John’s churchyard and sent to the reigning monarch, maintaining the continuation of an old tradition initiated by James Montague, bishop of Bath and Wells, when he sent a branch to Queen Anne, consort of James I (1566 – 1625).
At the end of term, the pupils of St. John’s Infants School gather round the tree and sing carols, including one specially written for the occasion. The oldest pupil has the privilege of cutting a sprig of the Thorn which is then taken to London and presented to the Queen, where it resides on her Christmas Day breakfast table.

Descendants of the original can be found on Wearyall Hill, in Chalice Well Gardens, in the Abbey grounds, in a private garden on Fisher’s Hill, in the grounds of the Abbey Barn and in the grounds of St. Johns Church.

Morgana West

Thanks to Morgana West for the photograph.