Later, Roman soldiers would have used this hill as a lookout point. This would have been part of the Glastonbury Lake Village and acted as a defence hill in amongst the marshes. Well, originally, this was a Neolithic and then Iron Age settlement dated around 300 BC. I bet you’re dying to know by now what the true story is behind this mysterious hill! So, back to the real world for all you sceptics out there. Joseph is also said to have buried the Holy Grail at the base of the Tor under the sacred Chalice Well.Īlso on Wearyall Hill nearby, Joseph’s staff is said to have transformed into the Glastonbury Holy Thorn.Īccording to another legend Jesus visited Glastonbury as a child and this is where the song Jerusalem comes from. This is why many people question whether this hill is natural!Īs well as Celtic Pagan legends, there are many Christian stories connected with Glastonbury Tor.įor those not in the know, Joseph was the Jewish disciple who arranged for the burial of Jesus after his crucifixion. The Tor also has a series of strange layers and tiers surrounding it. What we see on the summit nowadays is the ruined bell tower of the 15th century Church of St Michael. It’s around 518 feet high or 158 metres but the top has been flattened in the middle ages for a church to be built on top. The name comes from the Olde English word Torr meaning cone-shaped hill.Ĭompared to the low lying Somerset Levels surrounding it, which used to be marshlands, this peak is an oddly elevated part of the landscape! So, it can be seen for miles around the countryside. Glastonbury Tor is a conical hill which is located in the English county of Somerset in the UK.