Artist Richard Moore under the Holy Thorn on Wearyall Hill at Glastonbury, Somerset, UK. According to legend, St. Joseph of Arimathea was said to have brought the Holy Grail, the cup used at the Last Supper, to Glastonbury. Upon reaching the Isle of Avalon, it is said, he "thrust his staff into the ground on Wearyall Hill. It took root and grew into the holy thorn tree, which lived on at Glastonbury, blossoming at Christmastide every year up to the seventeenth century, when it fell victim to a Puritan's axe".* Well, the tree lives on today because cuttings were taken from the original. This old tree on Wearyall Hill, west of Glastonbury Tor, is a descendant of the original, and there are many more, grafted from cuttings of the original, growing around the town. It is said locally that the Glastonbury thorn flowers twice in the year, once in early January and again in May. Locals say that it will not flower twice outside Glastonbury. Every year the Queen has a flower from the Holy Thorn placed on her dinner table at Christmas.

Glastonbury shares some unique associations with Ireland. It is said locally that St. Patrick is buried in the grounds of Glastonbury Abbey, while the ancient Irish Saint, Brigid, is also associated with Avalon. An image of St. Brigid is to be found on St. Michael's tower atop Glastonbury Tor. She is there seen milking a cow, probably because she was once a milkmaid. To this day in Glastonbury, there is a red or brown cow in every herd in honour of Brigid/Brigit, and farmers tip a little milk from the pail onto the floor in her honour. Also, girls born with red hair are usually named after the Irish saint.

* Michell, John, New Light on the Ancient Mystery of Glastonbury, Gothic Image publications, 1997 (1990), P.94.