One simply states that the tree was demolished in 1653 during England's Civil War. Other accounts of the tree's demise differ. Having avenged itself, the tree lingered another thirty years before finally succumbing to this fatal attack. After he had destroyed half of the enormous tree, a splinter flew into his eye, blinding him in some versions of the tale and killing him in others.
It is said that during the reign of Elizabeth I (1558-1603), the tree met its fate at the hands of an irate Puritan who assaulted it with an axe. These beliefs and customs eventually aroused the ire of the increasingly vocal Puritans, who scorned what they saw as evidence of popular belief in magic and superstition. Many believed that the buds and flowers had healing powers. One Sir William Brereton, after carving his initials in the tree and collecting several branches for his own keeping, thought fit to criticize the people of Glastonbury for neglecting to care for the tree! The Glastonbury thorn reached its yearly peak of popularity around Christmas time, when crowds assembled to witness the tree's miraculous blooming. By the early 1600s firsthand descriptions of Glastonbury's hawthorn noted that the plant was suffering from the many carvings made in its trunk and the many cuttings taken from its branches. The earliest appearance of the Glastonbury Thorn in written records dates back to an account of the life of Joseph of Arimathea written in the early 1500s.
Descendants of this plant have been identified as Crataegus mongyna biflora, a species of hawthorn native to the Middle East. Joseph's miraculous tree became known as the Glastonbury Thorn.Īlthough no solid historical evidence exists to support this tale of Joseph's journey to England, a winter-blooming hawthorn tree did flourish in Glastonbury for many years. Thereafter, the hawthorn bush bloomed every year at Christmas, distinguishing itself from native English hawthorns. Joseph perceived this miracle as divine confirmation of his faith and his mission of evangelization. To his amazement it not only rooted itself, but burst into leaf and bloom. Finally, cold and tired, the old man thrust his staff into the ground in despair. Joseph and his companions disembarked and began the climb up steep Wearyall Hill.
Some say it was Christmas Eve when Joseph's ship finally pulled in to the harbor at Glastonbury. A few tales also state that Joseph carried a staff made of hawthorn wood from the Holy Land. Years after Jesus' death Joseph journeyed to Britain as a Christian missionary, bringing the Grail with him (many legends give 63 as the year of his arrival). The tales added that Joseph used the chalice to collect the blood that dripped from Christ's wounds. Legends declared that Joseph of Arimathea was the first keeper of the Holy Grail, the vessel Jesus used in the Last Supper. By the Middle Ages Joseph had become both an important saint and an acclaimed hero. Later legends added to this sparse biblical account of Joseph's deeds. With Pilate's consent, Joseph took Jesus' body from the cross, wrapped it in linen, and sealed it in the tomb. After Jesus' death, Joseph asked Pilate for permission to remove the body for burial. The Gospels identify Joseph of Arimathea as a "good and upright man," a member of the Sanhedrin (the Jewish high court) who disagreed with their decision to turn Jesus over to the Roman authorities (Luke 23:50-52). Subsequent stories add that Joseph established the Glastonbury Thorn, a mysterious bush that blooms when most others are barren - at Christmas time. Moreover, Christian legends proclaim that Joseph of Arimathea came to Glastonbury in the first century tales, Joseph brought with him the Holy Grail, a sacred relic sought by many of King Arthur's knights centuries later. Indeed, Celtic mythology identifies Glastonbury as "Avalon," the enchanted island from which came Arthur's famous sword, Excalibur, and to which the fatally wounded king was carried by fairy queens. In the Middle Ages monks from Glastonbury Abbey claimed to have discovered King Arthur's remains buried in their cemetery. The thorn takes its name from Glastonbury, England, a location that has hosted many legendary characters and mystical events over the centuries. The tale of the Glastonbury Thorn has woven itself around some of the most romantic legends ever to have emerged from the British Isles.
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