"Glass discovered at Glastonbury Abbey dates back to 7th century, researchers find" (from medievalists.net) [May 2012]
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| Glastonbury glass discoveries |
Glass furnaces recorded in 1955-7 were previously thought to date from before the Norman Conquest. However, radiocarbon dating has now revealed that they date approximately to the 680s, and are likely to be associated with a major rebuilding of the abbey undertaken by King Ine of Wessex. Glass-making at York and Wearmouth is recorded in historical documents in the 670s but Glastonbury provides the earliest and most substantial archaeological evidence for glass-making in Saxon Britain.
The extensive remains of five furnaces have been identified, together with fragments of clay crucibles and glass for window glazing and drinking vessels, mainly of vivid blue-green colour. It is likely that specialist glassworkers came from Gaul (France) to work at Glastonbury. The glass will be analysed chemically to provide further information on the sourcing and processing of materials.
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William of Malmesbury has much to say about the history of Glastonbury Abbey and demonstrates cautious historical methodology in dating its origin. His position is nicely captured in the excerpt from Geoffrey Ashe's Avalonian Quest.
The question to answer:
"What role did Glastonbury play in the early spread of Christianity in Britain?"
Glastonbury was one of the earliest if not the earliest christian church. Ashe states that Glastonbury had an "organized official status" as early as the 4th Century. It is remembered as an important holy site in Britain with "a series of saints, kings and pilgrims" visiting it. Often churches in the Middle Ages were built to be tall and imposing so that those who could not read Latin could feel the power of the christian god. The "Old Church" with its timelessness, shrouded in glory and myth may have done much to convert, convince and reassure the early Britons of the primacy of the christian god.
ReplyDeleteAshe points out that the 'seniority and sanctity' of Glastonbury does not necessarily mean it was hugely influential across Britain. However as the first and oldest (or oldest surviving) church in Britain it would be foolish to think it did not play some role in the spread of Christianity. Glastonbury was the site of the first British Christian community and was held with immense reverance by the country people, according to William of Malmesbury. The church itself contained many holy relics and was supposedly visited by a number of saints, pilgrims and kings. Glastonbury was the first foothold of Christianity in Britain and its reputation and community no doubt played a role in the early spread and development of Christianity.
ReplyDeleteGreat comments, Andrei and Thomas: I remember when I was in primary and secondary school in England, we were tuaght that Christianity came to England/Britain only in 597 with Augustine at Canterbury, leading to me, at least initially, thinking that Britain was pagan up to that time. How do think Glastonbury fits into this picture? Does it compete with Rome's attempt to evanglelise the Ango-Saxon kingdoms? What do you make of Bede's complaint that the British (as represented by Glastonbury) refused to bring Christianity to the Anglo-Saxons before this time?
ReplyDeleteI don't have as much to add as everyone else, although I agree that it wasn't necessarily a huge influence just because it was one of the oldest. Given the influence of Christianity at the time, it was only inevitable that Christianity would spread across Britain, just as it would other pagans in Europe. To me, the prevalence of numerous churches would be more indicative of a spread in Christianity rather than the existence of just the first.
ReplyDeleteGiven the inability to assign an accurate date to the construction of Glastonbury, it is difficult to pinpoint exactly why it is Ashe considers it the "dayspring of Christianity in Britain", and therefore determine its role in the spread of Christianity throughout Britain. While it is possible to argue that, since it is considered the first Christian church in Britain, it laid the foundation for the formation of monastic communities that dominated the landscape during the "Dark Ages", it also seems plausible that, since its precise origins are unknown, Glastonbury has the unique ability to be transposed to a number of different points in time, giving it the ability to have an entire mythology woven around it, and lending it a sense of being an unbroken Christian presence throughout a tumultous time period. It is particularly its immunity from Anglo-Saxon persecution that seems to strengthen its claim to being highly significant in the spread of Christianity.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't find Bede's complaint in the readings but I'll put forward a suggestion anyway. It seems like that it may come from the later response of Christianity being a civilizing agent and that somehow the Britons are neglecting that duty, though a better look at the language may give some insight. But considering his position of the Saxon invasion perhaps this may have improved relations by converting them rather than polarizing Britain as "us" and "them".
ReplyDeleteThe "us" and "them" paradigm is probably a good way to look at Christianity in Britain at this time. Whether we can date the early Christian activity at Glastonbury with any confidence is moot: Christianity is hard to pick up in archaeology. Cetainly the literary texts give Glastonbury an ancient claim, though, of course, these texts like all the sources are later and problematic - we have, of course, the 'Legend of Joseph of Arimathea' attached to Glastonbury. Gildas's diuortium - the seperation of West and East Britain - certainly changed the way the Christian Church operated: Britain, as the Roman province Britannia, was, of course, Christian, but the diuortium led to different outcomes. The East (dominated by Anglo-Saxon aristocracies) became 'pagan', the West stayed Christian, but became increasingly cut off from the 'Catholic' Church of the continent and from the 'pagan' East. Much of the sixth century saw the West British/Irish Church or the 'Celtic Church' in 'schism' with the Church of the Continent, as it failed to innovate in line with Rome. Monasticism had a significant role in this. Bede definitely saw the Britons as 'failing in their duty'. It's also important to remember that Rome's conversion of the English was not a calendar date - it took around 100-150 years - and that the British Christians were active in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of the north, such as Bernicia and Northumberland. There was, in a sense, some competition and friction between the two different 'brands' of Christianity, and with that comes 'legitimacy' as often defined by 'tradition. Hence Glastonbury's ancient claim becomes increasingly more important for both sides.
ReplyDeleteI agree with many of the comments, and as others have stated, I have the same opinion that because Glastonbury was one of the oldest churches doesn’t necessarily mean it had a huge bearing on the society in that age. Although, the great impact and the growing community of Christianity in these “Dark Ages” saw a foreseeable wide spread of ‘the holy precepts of Christ’ and the growing commonness of many churches throughout Europe. Thus showing the secure and faithful means of Christianity in Britain and not the unprovable foundations of Glastonbury that shaped the ancient world.
ReplyDeleteWell, it is clear that upon arrival, the English found a already
ReplyDeletewell-known Christian community approx 658 c e. In saying this, the
large question remains how old can the "Old Church" be. Ashe states
that the earliest known reference to Christianity in the British Isles
dates 200 c.e. I think quite possibly built as a 'somewhat' refuge for
Christians seeking a place of sanctuary, dividing Christianity and the
Roman Empire. Since this date is a few centuries before Christianity
was welcomed throughout Europe i was only guess that it acted as the
Christian capital in Britain. Since the "Old Church" was older, and
therefore more developed as a community, and important strategically,
that when the invading Saxons arrived, they took over Glastonbury
without destruction or disruption. It was a holy site visited by "a
series of saints, kings and pilgrims", helping to immortalise its
become a reverent centre throughout Briton during the 4th century.
Although it was inevitable that Christianity would rise, it still laid
the foundations for future generations as the "cradle of Christianity
in Britain".