Wearyall Hill and the Holy Thorn
The place
Folk history has it that Joseph of Arimathea was Jesus’s great uncle and a trader in Cornish tin who had connections to Cornwall, including Tintagel. According to Christian legend, he came to Glastonbury in AD63 after leaving Judea in exile. He travelled by sea, arriving with 11 companions, and together they climbed the hill, which was named in recognition of their fatigue. At the top, St Joseph stuck his staff into the ground. Miraculously it flowered as a sign that they had found the place where they should build a church — the first in Britain. This was duly built and dedicated to Christ and his Mother: “The Old Church of the Blessed Virgin”.
There are also records of a community of nuns living here, and it’s not hard to imagine a community of women dedicated to the worship of the Goddess. We know that initially Christianity and the Goddess religion lived side by side, so it’s not too far-fetched to think that St Joseph may have come to visit them in the first place.
Whatever the different legends have to say about the past, today Wearyall Hill is a wild and beautiful place. From its grassy hill top shared with sheep, you can see the town of Glastonbury laid out at your feet, with the high points of Bride’s Mound, Chalice Well, the Tor and other areas rising from the Somerset Levels. This panoramic view gives you a clear sense of how this would have been a series of islands at times of flood, requiring boats and careful navigation to get from one to the other. There are benches you can sit on if the weather is too damp for sitting on the grass, and it’s a good idea to wrap up against the wind at cooler times of the year.
About the Holy Thorn
The Holy Thorn is renowned throughout the world because it blossoms twice a year: once in winter near the solstice and again in spring, said to mark the birth and resurrection of Jesus. The original tree that grew from St Joseph’s staff grew for many long years in three trunks representing the Holy Trinity, until a local Puritan attempted to cut it down during the English Civil War. The third trunk was protected by a miracle when a splinter entered the Puritan’s eye. It has been successfully grafted and regrown since then and is found both here and in other places in the town — for example in the grounds of the Abbey and St John’s Church. The tree’s Latin name is Crataegus monogyna ‘Biflora’ and is Middle Eastern in origin. To flower in winter, it must be grafted onto native hawthorn. The first winter blossoms are cut and sent to the table of the reigning monarch for the Christmas table — an ancient custom that has recently been revived.
Sadly, in 2010 the branches of the old holy thorn here on the hill were again cut down, and this time the vandal was successful in killing the tree. The trunk still stands inside its metal guard, now covered with hundreds of scraps of coloured ribbon tied in offering. There have been attempts to replant it here, which have so far been unsuccessful. The last time I visited, after connecting and wandering around for a bit, I spotted a young holy thorn that seemed to reveal itself in the undergrowth. This gave me hope that one day we would learn again how to peacefully coexist with each other’s belief systems, without needing to destroy or hide difference.
Practical details — how to get to Wearyall Hill
From Glastonbury town centre it takes about 20 minutes to walk to Wearyall Hill (1.5 km).
Wearyall Hill to Bride’s Mound takes about 20 minutes on foot (1.3 km).
Wearyall Hill to Chalice Well Gardens also takes about 20 minutes on foot (1.3 km).
Connecting
Wearyall Hill is usually the second place I visit when I take a group to Glastonbury, walking here from Bride’s Mound, following the old Roman road and then climbing up the hill on a footpath from the rear, joining the Michael line as it enters Glastonbury from the south, running up the hill to what was the location of the Holy Thorn at the top. Like Bride’s Mound, this is one of the wilder, more natural sites you’ll be visiting.
Once you are at the top, wander around a little and take in the views. Notice how flat the Somerset Levels are below you, and notice the higher points, which are the islands that make up the Isles of Avalon. Feel the wind caressing you (or buffeting you) as you quieten yourself. Take a few slow breaths and continue to wander around a little. Feel your way into the place and let it influence you. Look around you and explore. Say hello to the sheep, listen to the birds and if the weather is with you, find a spot to sit or lie down for a while and connect to the land. Feel the energy of the place, let yourself arrive, be present here.
When you feel you’re ready, go to the Holy Thorn. To my mind, this is the perfect place for a healing ritual. This tree is the focus of legend and also the focus of hatred and rejection, of the desire to destroy what you don’t understand or what you fear. But the memory of the tree is here, and cannot be erased while pilgrims still come to visit it. I’d like to suggest a simple visualisation exercise you can do on your own or with others.
If you’re with others, stand in a circle around the old thorn, hold hands, take a moment to connect and to allow the place to feel your energy. Close your eyes and imagine its roots stretching down deep into the earth and stretching out wide beneath your feet. These roots are real and are now home to millions of microbes and insects and are busy nourishing the earth beneath you as they decompose. Imagine the trunk rising up, made of light, and as it rises, it splits into branches, subdividing, echoing the form of the roots below ground. The tree is still here in energetic form, in memory, in intention. Hanging all over the trunk and the protective surround are many offerings left here by pilgrims who came long before us. The ribbons and threads are blowing in the wind, carrying the energetic imprint of the prayers of those in whose footsteps we are following. Imagine or visualise how this sacred tree is still standing here energetically. Open your heart and send love and compassion to all those who cannot bear the existence of a faith that is different to theirs. Add your prayers to those of the pilgrims of the past and make your own offering. When you’re ready, tie on your offering of a thread or ribbon — real or energetic — with your own prayer of healing for yourself and/or for the Earth.
If you notice that your energy feels a little heavy after this connection, move up the hill a bit and sing, or dance, or whirl about a bit to get your energy flowing again. Then if you are with others, take some time to check in, or if you are alone, write your impressions down in your notebook.
Working with the Michael and Mary lines
If you are interested in exploring the different energy lines that flow through this landscape, you could also take some time to try to locate the Michael line which, as mentioned, first flows into Glastonbury here. If you dowse, you could use your rods or pendulum, but the body itself is a great tool for the job. I’ll talk more about the lines in other posts, so here I’ll just suggest you start the process of becoming aware of how you feel and how your body reacts to different places. Move around slowly with your eyes half closed, and take note of any sensations. Don’t worry if you don’t feel much changing as you move around — for one thing it takes practice, and for another, the energy of the line ebbs and flows and sometimes it’s much easier to feel than at others.
Continuing your pilgrimage
If you are going from here to Bride’s Mound, walk over the top of the hill and follow the path down along the ridge, until you come to the stile and steps down to the Roman Way.
If you have come from the direction of Bride’s Mound, over the top of Wearyall Hill, then carry on down past the remnants of the Holy Thorn, through the stile onto the street. You are now only 15 minutes or so from the centre of town and from Chalice Well Gardens.
Whichever way you are going, when you come to the stile or the kissing gate, stop for a moment to take your leave of Wearyall Hill, before turning to continue your pilgrimage.
© Joanna Crowson 2024