Editing Glastonbury Tor (section)

==History==
[[File:Glastonbury Tor Plate.jpg|thumb|upright|The plaque fitted to the wall inside the ruin of St Michael's Church atop Glastonbury Tor]]

===Pre-Christian===
Some [[Neolithic]] flint tools recovered from the top of the Tor show that the site has been visited, perhaps with a lasting occupation, since [[prehistory]]. The nearby remains of [[Glastonbury Lake Village]] were identified at the site in 1892, which confirmed that there was an [[Iron Age]] settlement in about 300–200&nbsp;BC on what was an easily defended island in the fens.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.somersetheritage.org.uk/record/23637 |title=Glastonbury Lake Village |access-date=18 November 2007 |work=Somerset Historic Environment Record|publisher=South West Heritage Trust }}</ref>{{sfn|Adkins|Adkins|1992|p=70}} There is no evidence of permanent occupation of the Tor, but finds, including Roman pottery, do suggest that it was visited on a regular basis.{{sfn|Rahtz|Watts|2003|p=71}}

[[Excavation (archaeology)|Excavations]] on Glastonbury Tor, undertaken by a team led by [[Philip Rahtz]] between 1964 and 1966,<ref>{{cite web|title=Excavation (1964–1966), Glastonbury Tor|url=http://www.somersetheritage.org.uk/record/44979|work=Somerset Historic Environment Record|publisher=South West Heritage Trust|access-date=27 October 2013}}</ref> revealed evidence of [[Dark Ages (historiography)|Dark Age]] occupation during the 5th to 7th centuries<ref name=nhlesm/>{{sfn|Rahtz|Watts|2003|pp=71–78}} around the later medieval church of St. Michael. Finds included [[posthole]]s, two hearths including a metalworker's [[forge]], two burials oriented north–south (thus unlikely to be Christian), fragments of 6th-century [[History of the Mediterranean region|Mediterranean]] [[amphora]]e (vases for wine or cooking oil),<ref>{{cite web|title=Extracts from the Tor Excavations Booklet|url=http://www.chalicewell.org.uk/index.cfm/glastonbury/HistoricalArchive.Article/article_id/27|publisher=Chalice Well|access-date=26 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518071201/http://www.chalicewell.org.uk/index.cfm/glastonbury/HistoricalArchive.Article/article_id/27|archive-date=18 May 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> and a worn hollow bronze head which may have topped a [[Anglo-Saxons|Saxon]] staff.{{sfn|Castleden|1999|p=55}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Prehistoric, Roman and Post-Roman occupation, Glastonbury Tor|url=http://www.somersetheritage.org.uk/record/23603|work=Somerset Historic Environment Record|publisher=South West Heritage Trust|access-date=27 October 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Walmsley|2013|p=15}}

===Christian settlement===
During the late Saxon and early medieval period, there were at least four buildings on the summit. The base of a stone cross demonstrates Christian use of the site during this period, and it may have been a hermitage.<ref>{{cite web|title=Late Saxon and medieval occupation, Glastonbury Tor|url=http://www.somersetheritage.org.uk/record/23604|work=Somerset Historic Environment Record|publisher=South West Heritage Trust|access-date=27 October 2013}}</ref> The broken head of a [[Sun cross|wheel cross]] dated to the 10th or 11th century was found partway down the hill and may have been the head of the cross that stood on the summit.{{sfn|Rahtz|Watts|2003|p=78}}{{sfn|Abrams|Carley|1991|p=33}}{{sfn|Koch|2006|p=816}} The head of the cross is now in the [[Museum of Somerset]] in [[Taunton]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Frome Hoard finds new home at the centre of new Somerset Museum|url=http://www.culture24.org.uk/history-and-heritage/archaeology/art365271|publisher=Culture 24|access-date=27 October 2013}}</ref>

The earliest timber church, dedicated to [[Michael (archangel)|St Michael]],{{sfn|Rahtz|Watts|2003|p=80}} is believed to have been constructed in the 11th or 12th century; from which post holes have since been identified.<ref>{{cite web|title=Church of St Michael, The Tor, Glastonbury|url=http://www.somersetheritage.org.uk/record/23605|work=Somerset Historic Environment Record|publisher=South West Heritage Trust|access-date=27 October 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Rahtz|Watts|2003|p=79}} Associated monk cells have also been identified.{{sfn|Rahtz|Watts|2003|p=79}}

In 1243 [[Henry III of England|Henry III]] granted a charter for a six-day fair at the site.{{sfn|Rahtz|Watts|2003|p=83}}

St Michael's Church was destroyed by [[1275 British earthquake|an earthquake on 11 September 1275]].<ref name=bgs>{{cite web|url=http://www.quakes.bgs.ac.uk/earthquakes/historical/historical_listing.htm |title=Historical Earthquake Listing |access-date=25 December 2007 |work=British Geological Survey |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071119072210/http://www.quakes.bgs.ac.uk/earthquakes/historical/historical_listing.htm |archive-date=19 November 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> According to the [[British Geological Survey]], the earthquake was felt in London, Canterbury and Wales,{{sfn|Musson|2003|pp=1.14–1.16}} and was reported to have destroyed many houses and churches in England. The intensity of shaking was probably greater than 7 on the [[Medvedev–Sponheuer–Karnik scale]], with its epicentre in the area around [[Portsmouth]] or [[Chichester]], South England.<ref name=bgs/>

[[File:St Michael's Tower on Glastonbury Tor 2.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Ruins of the second St Michael's Church]]

A second church, also dedicated to St Michael, was built of local sandstone in the 14th century by the Abbot Adam of Sodbury, incorporating the foundations of the previous building. It included [[stained glass]] and decorated floor tiles. There was also a portable altar of [[Purbeck Marble]];{{sfn|Rahtz|Watts|2003|pp=80–81}} it is likely that the Monastery of St Michael on the Tor was a daughter house of [[Glastonbury Abbey]].{{sfn|Rahtz|Watts|2003|p=83}}

St Michael's Church survived until the [[Dissolution of the Monasteries]] in 1539 when, except for the tower, it was demolished.<ref name=nhlesm/> The Tor was the place of execution where [[Richard Whiting (abbot)|Richard Whiting]], the last Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey, was [[hanged, drawn and quartered]] along with two of his monks, [[John Thorne (Blessed)|John Thorne]] and [[Roger James (Blessed)|Roger James]].{{sfn|Stanton|1892|p=538}} The three-storey tower of St Michael's Church survives. It has corner [[buttress]]es and perpendicular bell openings. There is a sculptured tablet with an image of an eagle below the parapet.<ref name=nhlelb/>

===Post-dissolution===
[[File:Glastonbury_Tor,_Interior_of_Stm_Michael's_Tower.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Interior of St. Michael's Tower|Interior of St. Michael's Tower]]


In 1786, [[Sir Richard Hoare, 2nd Baronet|Richard Colt Hoare]] of [[Stourhead]] bought the Tor and funded the repair of the tower in 1804, including the rebuilding of the north-east corner.<ref name=nhlesm/>{{sfn|Garner|2004|}} It was then sold to the [[George Neville-Grenville|Very Rev. Hon. George Neville-Grenville]] and included in the [[Butleigh|Butleigh Manor]] until the 20th century. The last owner of the Tor was Robert Neville-Grenville who wished to give the Tor to the National Trust along with the [[The Tribunal, Glastonbury|Glastonbury Tribunal]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=1936-09-22 |title=Mr. Neville Grenville |language=English |pages=16 |work=The Times |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CS269954870/TTDA?u=rtl_ttda&sid=bookmark-TTDA&xid=67f40ded |access-date=2023-05-09 |issn=0140-0460}}</ref> After his death in 1936 it was sold to The [[National Trust]] who raised money by Public Subscription for its upkeep.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MISCELLANEOUS SOMERSET RECORDS, COMPILED BY ANN HEELEY OF BUTLEIGH [UNLISTED COLLECTION] |url=https://somerset-cat.swheritage.org.uk/records/A/COV |access-date=2023-05-03 |website=somerset-cat.swheritage.org.uk |language=en-gb}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1936 |title=Obituary of Robert Neville-Grenville |url=https://butleigh.org/Obituaries/RNGobit1.pdf }}</ref>

The [[National Trust]] took control of the Tor in 1937, but repairs were delayed until after the [[Second World War]].{{sfn|Garner|2004|}} During the 1960s, excavations identified cracks in the rock, suggesting the ground had moved in the past. This, combined with wind erosion, started to expose the footings of the tower, which were repaired with concrete. Erosion caused by the feet of the increasing number of visitors was also a problem and paths were laid to enable them to reach the summit without damaging the terraces. After 2000, enhancements to the access and repairs to the tower, including rebuilding of the parapet, were carried out. These included the replacement of some of the masonry damaged by earlier repairs with new stone from the [[Hadspen Quarry]].{{sfn|Garner|2004|}}

[[File:Somerset flag proposal (2013) - 3rd place, Roworth.svg|thumb|left|A proposed flag for Somerset (designed by Dil Roworth) featuring Glastonbury Tor and St Michael's Tower, which came third in the 2013 ''[[Somerset County Gazette]]'' competition to create a [[Flag of Somerset|county flag for Somerset.]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/10528387.winner-of-somerset-flag-competition-revealed/ |title=Winner of Somerset flag competition revealed |author= |date=4 July 2013 |work=Somerset County Gazette |access-date=5 November 2023}}</ref>]]
A model vaguely based on Glastonbury Tor (albeit with a tree instead of the tower) was incorporated into the [[2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony|opening ceremony]] of the [[2012 Summer Olympics]] in London. As the athletes entered the stadium, their flags were displayed on the terraces of the model.<ref>{{cite web|title=Glastonbury Tor's starring role in London 2012 Olympic Games opening ceremony|url=http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/Glastonbury-Tor-s-starring-role-London-2012/story-16609128-detail/story.html|publisher=This is Somerset|access-date=27 October 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207133345/http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/Glastonbury-Tor-s-starring-role-London-2012/story-16609128-detail/story.html|archive-date=7 December 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Waite|first=Richard|title=Glastonbury Tor, a village green and a farmyard&nbsp;— Olympic opening ceremony plans revealed|url=http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/daily-news/glastonbury-tor-a-village-green-and-a-farmyard-olympic-opening-ceremony-plans-revealed/8631595.article|magazine=Architects' Journal|access-date=27 October 2013}}</ref>