During the Roman Empire there are references mentioning the Tor as an island. The old Celtic name of the Tor, according to this legend, was the ‘ Island of Glass’, known in Welsh as ‘Ynys Gutrin’. One of the legends mentions that more than two thousand years ago, the Tor was in the middle of the sea, which later became a lake. Myths about the Tor claim that it was a 'land of the dead', a portal, a magic mountain, and a glass hill among many others. There are many myths associated with Glastonbury that go back thousands of years to figures like Joseph of Arimathea and King Arthur.

Source: Vincent / Adobe Stock The Legends of Glastonbury Tor St Michael’s Tower at the top of Glastonbury Tor.

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St Michael's Church survived until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539 when it was demolished, except for the three-storey tower which remains on the Tor today. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 1275 AD and rebuilt out of sandstone in the 14 th century by the Abbot Adam of Sodbury. In the 11 th or 12 th century, a timber church dedicated to St Michael was built atop the Tor. Roman pottery, 6 th century Mediterranean amphorae, a Saxon staff, medieval burials and a metalworker’s forge show repeated occupation of the Tor throughout the centuries.ĭuring the late Saxon and early medieval period, there were at least four buildings on the summit, which may have been a hermitage. Archaeological investigations show that there was an Iron Age settlement there in about 300-200 BC. The recovery of Neolithic flint tools from the top of the Tor has revealed that the site has been visited since prehistory.

It occurs due to the bending of rays of light as they pass through layers of air of varying temperatures.

The low-lying ground is known to produce a visual illusion known as Fata Morgana, where the hill appears to rise out of the mist. It is formed from rocks dating to the early Jurassic Period. The Tor rises to an elevation of 518 feet (158 meters) and is clearly visible from many miles around. In legend, these terraces are said to form a maze with magical symbolism. Michael’s Tower, with a strange system of terraces around its sides. On top of the Tor stands the remains of St. Glastonbury is a small town in Somerset, England, where a very important hill exists known as the Glastonbury Tor.

Views of glastonbury tor