Insight into the History of Glastonbury Abbey revealed in a new display of Artefacts

A diverse collection of objects dating from prehistory to modern times, has this week gone on display at Glastonbury Abbey in time for Easter.  

The objects have all been chosen by Abbey Trustee, Dr Tim Hopkinson-Ball, and were selected because of the interesting stories they tell about the Abbey, both before and after its dissolution in 1539.  Tim said of them: ‘A surprising amount can be learnt from just a few surviving objects. Some of them tell us about life at the monastery, while others help us understand how the Abbey’s history and legends have been interpreted over the years.’

The exhibition includes items not exhibited before, such as Iron Age pottery fragments found at the Abbey and a 14th century seal that was once used to stamp and authenticate important documents.  The pottery is very similar to that excavated at the Glastonbury Lake Village, telling us that there was activity on the Abbey site even before the Romans came to Britain. 

Exhibition organiser, Mary Gryspeerdt, said of the seal: ‘We think we know the name of its owner, because the image of a monk in prayer and the name, ‘Gilbert’, are engraved on it”.

Also among the exhibits is a high quality 16th century sculptured stone from a doorway, recently identified in a farmhouse garden in West Pennard, Glastonbury, which matches similar carvings at the Abbey.

Alongside the artefacts, popular legends relating to the Abbey are represented including the story of the visit to Somerset by St Joseph of Arimathea and the child Jesus is illustrated in embroidery on the Pilton Parish Church banner, while the Holy Thorn is depicted on a Royal Mail commemorative stamp issued in 1986.

The exhibition is open daily until 26 June.  Opening times are currently 9am-6pm and from 31 May will be from 9am-9pm.