Glastonbury Holy Thorn and Cross

Wearyall Hill in Glastonbury is closely tied to Christian tradition through the story of Joseph of Arimathea, who, according to later medieval legend, arrived in Britain carrying the staff used at the burial of Christ. The story holds that he planted this staff on Wearyall Hill, where it miraculously took root as the Glastonbury Thorn - a hawthorn said to flower twice yearly, at Easter and Christmas. This association helped establish Glastonbury as an early centre of Christian pilgrimage, reinforcing its reputation as a sacred landscape.  It should be noted that the Joseph story and the origin of the Thorn are rooted in tradition and later storytelling rather than verifiable early historical records. Later versions of the tale have Joseph's staff being made from the actual wood used to crucify Jesus.