Discover Glastonbury

Glastonbury brings together medieval architecture, insights into rural life in Somerset and the distinctive Glastonbury Tor. If you’re looking for a hotel for your trip, your own interests can guide how you explore the town: would you like to focus on architecture and collections, or more on landscapes and nature? The sights offer different points of interest.

History and museums

The Glastonbury Tribunal is a stone town house dating from the late 15th century. Its facade dates from the early Tudor period, while its interiors are panelled. The building thus brings together features from different architectural periods: the classification of the house and the design of its facade. This makes the Tribunal a distinct way to explore architectural history, alongside the ruins and buildings of Glastonbury Abbey.

Glastonbury Abbey is also an accredited museum and displays numerous medieval artefacts. The Abbey Barn is also part of the Abbey’s history: it was built around the 1340s as one of the Abbey’s five barns. The museum and the barn offer different points of interest—medieval artefacts in one, and a specific building with an approximately dated history in the other.

The Somerset Rural Life Museum offers further insights into everyday life and work. The Farmhouse Kitchen depicts a scene from 1948 showing the daily life of the Mapstone family. One of the two Farmyard Galleries tells the story of working life in rural Somerset and covers rural trades as well as household work. The second Farmyard Gallery is devoted to the history of food production and agriculture in Somerset. The family scene therefore differs from the galleries’ broader perspective on work and agriculture.

The Glastonbury Lake Village Museum displays finds that illustrate the domestic, craft and commercial activities of its inhabitants. While the Farmyard Galleries cover rural work and agriculture in Somerset, the finds here draw attention to the inhabitants’ different activities. Your interests may therefore determine whether you’d prefer to learn more about work and agriculture or about domestic, craft and commercial activities.

Glastonbury Tor and nature

Glastonbury Tor is a distinctive hill with views over the Isle of Avalon, Glastonbury and Somerset. A walk to the tower on the Tor offers views of the Somerset Levels and the surrounding area. The perspectives complement one another: the hill is described in relation to the places named above, while the walk to the tower is particularly noted for its views of the Levels and the wider surroundings. This brings the landscape into view alongside the architectural and collection-based history.

Wildflowers on Glastonbury Tor are part of the natural landscape. They provide a habitat for Marbled White butterflies. For nature enthusiasts, this relationship between plants and butterflies adds to the scenic appeal of the hill.

Chalice Well is considered the oldest holy well in Britain. This distinctive claim adds a place of religious significance to the range of things to explore; it does not make any specific statement about current access.

When choosing a hotel, you could first consider which side of Glastonbury you’d like to shape your stay: its architectural and medieval history, its collections on rural life, or the landscape around the Tor. These different points of interest offer a practical guide for planning your trip and looking for a hotel in Glastonbury.

Discover more destinations: Laverton, Horsington, Norton St Philip, Woolverton, Holford, West Chinnock, Porlock, Castle Cary.

Go to the main travel overview: Somerset.