Holiday Photos #8

Surprisingly, I seem to have a couple of grandchildren free minutes. Several are napping, the other one is waiting for his daddy to make him a sandwich. So, I decided to do the next installment of travel pics for your viewing pleasure. These were all taken in Glastonbury at the Chalice Well. I already put up some photos from the well and gardens on my studio blog, and there's also a link there to a website that tells you more about it.

If you ever get a chance, do not miss these gardens. I could have spent an entire day just soaking in the peace and energy here. Of course 14 year olds aren't known for the desire to spend hours on end meditating - sleeping, yes. Meditating, not so much.

The water from the well flowed throught the gardens. Here it falls into a double pond that is in the shape of the symbol that is on the top of the well cover itself. I can't remember the name of it. Go to that link, there's info on it in their "Virtual Tour" pages. The rusty color of the stones over which the water flows is no doubt due to the high iron content in the water.


Here is a green woman. There was also a greenman mask further down this wall. There were so many different pieces of art and symbolism tucked everywhere in the gardens, multiple religious and spiritual paths were represented, all happily co-existing and complementing, enriching each other and those who visited here. If only we turn our planet into a similar garden of peace. I wish I could have had time to photograph a lot more then I did, but I was equally drawn to just BE in the gardens, relaxing in the quietness.

One of many views across flowerbeds and sitting areas. The garden was divided up into different area and "rooms" so that people could tuck themselves away and have privacy for reflection.


Here is the well itself, the oldest sacred well in England. Notice the overlapping circle symbol on the cover? You can't see the details, but in the pavement beyond the encircling stones, there were many fossils and patterns sprinkled across the surface. I'm certain it's a more recent landscaping addition, but I wonder when it was added.

I knew about the well from Arthurian legends and traveling friends, and yet it was hard to explain why I felt so emotional about actually having the opportunity to visit it personally.

Another sitting area. In the two alcoves sit a mother and child sculpture and a spiral fossil.

There was a sitting area to the right of this waterfall as well. When I "walked" through the virtual tour on the website recently, I discovered that each area has a name, specific trees and plants signifigant to some of the myths and history of the grounds, and a different focus for visitors who want to use the gardens to aid in their own personal spiritual and/or emotional growth.


Here is the lion's head where you can fill your glass, jug, or water bottle. The water is high in iron and tasted similar to flat soda water. Apparently even in times of severe drought, this well has never failed and on occasion has been the only source of fresh drinking water for the town of Glastonbury. May it continue to flow and bless this earth for thousands of years to come.