Our first location is situated deep in the Mendips and has something of reputation in the local area for its beer, food and hospitality. Matt has told me a lot about the pub in the past and it would finally be good to experience it for myself. Our first destination of the day was the Hunter's Lodge Inn.
This is a timeless, classic roadside inn, situated at a crossroads near the village of Priddy, the highest village in Somerset. The pub is very popular with cavers and walkers and the landlord, Roger, has been in charge for well over 40 years. There are 3 rooms, including one with a flagged stone floor. All of the beer is dispensed directly from casks behind the bar and local cider is also served. The food is supposed to be exceptional and, judging from the prices, very reasonable as well. There is a garden to the rear and dogs are welcome. Mobile phones, however, are definitely not and Matt has told me that Roger has a piece of wood with phones nailed to it that is often used as a visual deterrent. The opening times are limited to lunchtimes and evenings with the pub usually closed between around 2 and 6pm. There were 3 beers available to choose between at the time of our visit, Cheddar Ales Potholer, Blindmans Golden Spring and Butcombe Bitter. I opted for the Potholer (4.3%), an award-winning golden ale with zesty fruit flavours and a rounded, hoppy finish. It was very nice indeed and added to the atmosphere of what is a cracking little place. I was already in love with the pub before I even ordered a beer and I'll definitely be returning in future, to try the food if nothing else. You don't get many pubs like this any more and it's a real shame but long may the Hunter's continue.
Next stop Glastonbury! I had been to the town once before but never for long enough to properly explore and Amy had never been, having only negative connotations to associate with it due to selling tickets for the eponymous festival in her job. I was excited to see more of a town I knew a fair bit about from its connection to various myths and legends, particularly those linked to Arthurian myth. You probably know what's coming next if you've read these entries previously. Here comes the historical intro.
Glastonbury is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the low-lying Somerset Levels, 23 miles (37 km) south of Bristol. The town, which is in the Mendip district, had a population of 8,932 in the 2011 census. Glastonbury is less than 1 mile (2 km) across the River Brue from Street, which is now larger than Glastonbury.
Evidence from timber trackways such as the Sweet Track show that the town has been inhabited since Neolithic times. Glastonbury Lake Village was an Iron Age village, close to the old course of the River Brue and Sharpham Park approximately 2 miles (3 km) west of Glastonbury, that dates back to the Bronze Age. Centwine was the first Saxon patron of Glastonbury Abbey, which dominated the town for the next 700 years. One of the most important abbeys in England, it was the site of Edmund Ironside's coronation as King of England in 1016. Many of the oldest surviving buildings in the town, including the Tribunal, George Hotel and Pilgrims' Inn and the Somerset Rural Life Museum, which is based in an old tithe barn, are associated with the abbey. The Church of St John the Baptist dates from the 15th century.
The town became a centre for commerce, which led to the construction of the market cross, Glastonbury Canal and the Glastonbury and Street railway station, the largest station on the original Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway. The Brue Valley Living Landscape is a conservation project managed by the Somerset Wildlife Trust and nearby is the Ham Wall National Nature Reserve.
Glastonbury has been described as a New Age community which attracts people with New Age and Neopagan beliefs, and is notable for myths and legends often related to Glastonbury Tor, concerning Joseph of Arimathea, the Holy Grail and King Arthur. Joseph is said to have arrived in Glastonbury and stuck his staff into the ground, when it flowered miraculously into the Glastonbury Thorn. The presence of a landscape zodiac around the town has been suggested but no evidence has been discovered. The Glastonbury Festival, held in the nearby village of Pilton, takes its name from the town.
Glastonbury Lake Village was an Iron Age village, close to the old course of the River Brue, on the Somerset Levels near Godney, some 3 miles (5 km) north west of Glastonbury. It covers an area of 400 feet (120 m) north to south by 300 feet (90 m) east to west, and housed around 100 people in five to seven groups of houses, each for an extended family, with sheds and barns, made of hazel and willow covered with reeds, and surrounded either permanently or at certain times by a wooden palisade. The village was built in about 300 BC and occupied into the early Roman period (around 100 AD) when it was abandoned, possibly due to a rise in the water level. It was built on a morass on an artificial foundation of timber filled with brushwood, bracken, rubble and clay.
Sharpham Park is a 300-acre (1.2 km2) historic park, 2 miles (3 km) west of Glastonbury, which dates back to the Bronze Age.
Hugh Ross Williamson cites a tale about St. Collen, one of the earliest hermits to inhabit the Tor before the Abbey was built by St. Patrick, which has the Saint summoned by the King of the Fairies, Gwyn, to the summit of the Tor. Upon arrival there he beholds a hovering mansion inhabited by handsomely dressed courtiers and King Gwyn on a throne of gold; holy water disperses the apparition. This is from Druid mythology, in which the mansion is made of glass so as to receive the spirits of the dead, which were supposed to depart from the summit of the Tor. This was the chief reason why the chapel, and later the church, of St. Michael were built on the high hill; St. Michael being the chief patron against diabolic attacks which the monks believed the Fairy King to be numbered among. Accordingly, Williamson posits that the Tor was named after the glassy mansion of the dead.
William of Malmesbury in his De Antiquitate Glastonie Ecclesie gives the Old Celtic Ineswitrin (or Ynys Witrin) as its earliest name, and asserts that the founder of the town was the eponymous Glast, a descendant of Cunedda.
Centwine (676–685) was the first Saxon patron of Glastonbury Abbey. In 1016 Edmund Ironside was crowned king at Glastonbury. After his death later that year he was buried at the abbey. The Domesday Book indicates that in the hundred of Glastingberiensis, the Abbey was the Lord in 1066 prior to the arrival of William the Conqueror then tenant-in chief with Godwin as Lord of Glastingberi in 1086.
To the southwest of the town centre is Beckery, which was once a village in its own right but is now part of the suburbs. Around the 7th and 8th centuries it was occupied by a small monastic community associated with a cemetery. Archaeological excavations in 2016 uncovered 50 to 60 skeletons thought to be those of monks from Beckery Chapel during the 5th or early 6th century. Sharpham Park was granted by King Eadwig to the then abbot Æthelwold in 957. In 1191 Sharpham Park was conferred by the soon-to-be King John I to the Abbots of Glastonbury, who remained in possession of the park and house until the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539. From 1539 to 1707 the park was owned by the Duke of Somerset, Sir Edward Seymour, brother of Queen Jane; the Thynne family of Longleat, and the family of Sir Henry Gould. Edward Dyer was born here in 1543. The house is now a private residence and Grade II* listed building. It was the birthplace of Sir Edward Dyer (died 1607) an Elizabethan poet and courtier, the writer Henry Fielding (1707–54), and the cleric William Gould.
In the 1070s St Margaret's Chapel was built on Magdelene Street, originally as a hospital and later as almshouses for the poor. The building dates from 1444. The roof of the hall is thought to have been removed after the Dissolution, and some of the building was demolished in the 1960s. It is Grade II* listed, and a Scheduled ancient monument.
During the Middle Ages the town largely depended on the abbey but was also a centre for the wool trade until the 18th century. A Saxon-era canal connected the abbey to the River Brue. Richard Whiting, the last Abbot of Glastonbury, was executed with two of his monks on 15 November 1539 during the dissolution of the monasteries.
During the Second Cornish Uprising of 1497 Perkin Warbeck surrendered when he heard that Giles, Lord Daubeney's troops, loyal to Henry VII were camped at Glastonbury.
In 1693 Glastonbury, Connecticut was founded and named after the English town from which some of the settlers had emigrated. It is rumored to have originally been called "Glistening Town" until the mid-19th century, when the name was changed to match the spelling of Glastonbury, England, but in fact, residents of the Connecticut town believe this to be a myth, based on the Glastonbury Historical Society's records. A representation of the Glastonbury thorn is incorporated onto the town seal.
The Somerset towns charter of incorporation was received in 1705. Growth in the trade and economy largely depended on the drainage of the surrounding moors. The opening of the Glastonbury Canal produced an upturn in trade, and encouraged local building. The parish was part of the hundred of Glaston Twelve Hides, until the 1730s when it became a borough in its own right.
By the middle of the 19th century the Glastonbury Canal drainage problems and competition from the new railways caused a decline in trade, and the town's economy became depressed. The canal was closed on 1 July 1854, and the lock and aqueducts on the upper section were dismantled. The railway opened on 17 August 1854. The lower sections of the canal were given to the Commissioners for Sewers, for use as a drainage ditch. The final section was retained to provide a wharf for the railway company, which was used until 1936, when it passed to the Commissioners of Sewers and was filled in. The Central Somerset Railway merged with the Dorset Central Railway to become the Somerset and Dorset Railway. The main line to Glastonbury closed in 1966.
In the Northover district industrial production of sheepskins, woollen slippers and, later, boots and shoes, developed in conjunction with the growth of C&J Clark in Street. Clarks still has its headquarters in Street, but shoes are no longer manufactured there. Instead, in 1993, redundant factory buildings were converted to form Clarks Village, the first purpose-built factory outlet in the United Kingdom.
During the 19th and 20th centuries tourism developed based on the rise of antiquarianism, the association with the abbey and mysticism of the town. This was aided by accessibility via the rail and road network, which has continued to support the town's economy and led to a steady rise in resident population since 1801.
Glastonbury received national media coverage in 1999 when cannabis plants were found in the town's floral displays.
Glastonbury is notable for myths and legends concerning Joseph of Arimathea, the Holy Grail and King Arthur. Many long-standing and cherished legends were disproved in a four-year study by archaeologists at the University of Reading, who, amongst other findings, discovered that the connection with King Arthur and his Queen, Guinivere, was created deliberately by the monks in 1184 to meet a financial crisis caused by a devastating fire. Other myths dispelled include the visit by Jesus, the building of the oldest church in England, and the flowering of the walking stick. The study made new archaeological finds; its leader found Glastonbury to be a remarkable archaeological site. The new results were reported on the Glastonbury Abbey Web site, and were to be incorporated into the Abbey's guidebook; however, the leader of the study, who became a trustee of Glastonbury, said "We are not in the business of destroying people’s beliefs ... A thousand years of beliefs and legends are part of the intangible history of this remarkable place".
The legend that Joseph of Arimathea retrieved certain holy relics was introduced by the French poet Robert de Boron in his 13th-century version of the grail story, thought to have been a trilogy though only fragments of the later books survive today. The work became the inspiration for the later Vulgate Cycle of Arthurian tales.
De Boron's account relates how Joseph captured Jesus' blood in a cup (the "Holy Grail") which was subsequently brought to Britain. The Vulgate Cycle reworked Boron's original tale. Joseph of Arimathea was no longer the chief character in the Grail origin: Joseph's son, Josephus, took over his role of the Grail keeper. The earliest versions of the grail romance, however, do not call the grail "holy" or mention anything about blood, Joseph or Glastonbury.
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An early Welsh poem links Arthur to the Tor in an account of a confrontation between Arthur and Melwas, who had kidnapped Queen Guinevere.
Joseph is said to have arrived in Glastonbury by boat over the flooded Somerset Levels. On disembarking he stuck his staff into the ground and it flowered miraculously into the Glastonbury Thorn (or Holy Thorn). This is said to explain a hybrid Crataegus monogyna (hawthorn) tree that only grows within a few miles of Glastonbury, and which flowers twice annually, once in spring and again around Christmas time (depending on the weather). Each year a sprig of thorn is cut, by the local Anglican vicar and the eldest child from St John's School, and sent to the Queen.
The original Holy Thorn was a centre of pilgrimage in the Middle Ages but was chopped down during the English Civil War. A replacement thorn was planted in the 20th century on Wearyall hill (originally in 1951 to mark the Festival of Britain, but the thorn had to be replanted the following year as the first attempt did not take). The Wearyall Hill Holy Thorn was vandalised in 2010 and all its branches were chopped off. It initially showed signs of recovery but now (2014) appears to be dead. A new sapling has been planted nearby. Many other examples of the thorn grow throughout Glastonbury including those in the grounds of Glastonbury Abbey, St Johns Church and Chalice Well.
Today Glastonbury Abbey presents itself as "traditionally the oldest above-ground Christian church in the world," which according to the legend was built at Joseph's behest to house the Holy Grail, 65 or so years after the death of Jesus. The legend also says that as a child, Jesus had visited Glastonbury along with Joseph. The legend probably was encouraged during the medieval period when religious relics and pilgrimages were profitable business for abbeys. William Blake mentioned the legend in a poem that became a popular hymn, "Jerusalem" (see And did those feet in ancient time).
Whether or not you believe the legends and claimed religious importance of Glastonbury, it's hard to ignore the enormous amount of history associated with such a small corner of Somerset. It was into this land of myths, martyrs and legends that we now immersed ourselves. Our first task was an attempt to climb the Tor, something that Matt and I have done previously but Amy, with this being her first visit, had not experienced. We eventually decided that halfway was probably far enough so instead returned to the real purpose of our visit, Glastonbury's pubs! The first of these was more or less right at the bottom of the Tor and walking had made us thirsty so it was almost like we'd planned it. Our first stop in Glastonbury's drinking establishments was The Rifleman's Arms.
The pub dates from at least the 16th century and much of the original façade remains unchanged. The rear terrace and sun-trap patio provides great views over the surrounding area. The wide, low front doorway leads to the traditional bar, separated from the more modern rear of the building by an archway. Both bars include real log fires (particularly noticeable on a chilly February day) and there is also a pool room and regular live music. The 5 handpulls include doubles of Tribute and Butcombe Bitter as well as Philosopher cider from Orchard Pig. We sat at a table by the aforementioned log fire, under the traditional mullioned windows and enjoyed the warmth and the beer. The Tribute was as it should, lovely and warming and clearly well kept. Conversation turned to our next plan and I decided I'd like to try and find the Hawthorns Hotel, the only GBG listed pub in the town. We succeeded in this plan only to find that it appeared to be closed for redecoration. Instead we headed to the neighbouring Who'd A Thought It?, only to discover that this quirkily named pub was unable to serve real ale as they were retiling their cellar. Not to be deterred, we retraced our steps.
Our next destination ended up not being a bad one as we ended up at the King William.
This warm and friendly pub sits in the town centre and features a long bar opposite the entrance with a raised dining area to the left and an smaller seating area to the right with a small set of steps leading down to a pool table and a door that leads to the toilets and a skittle alley. The pub is dog friendly and hosts live music at weekends. The bar holds 2 handpulls featuring, on our visit, Butcombe Bitter and Box Steam Tunnel Vision. The Tunnel Vision (4.2%), is a well-rounded light amber bitter with a clean taste and a slight bitterness in the finish. It proved to be a good choice and we sat at a table just off from the bar, very much enjoying, despite setbacks, what was proving to be a largely enjoyable day. Our conversation was briefly interrupted by a trio of 18 year old lads who'd bunked off from a school trip who, despite, not actually engaging us, sat on the table right next to us in deference to established rules of pub etiquette. When they later admonished and removed by an annoyed teacher, it gave us a chance to laugh about it with the barman.
We decided we could probably squeeze one more in before Matt drove us back to Hanham so we popped into one of the oldest buildings in the town, the George & Pilgrim's Hotel.
Designated as a Grade I listed building, this is the oldest purpose built public house in the South West of England, having been constructed sometime in the 14th century to accommodate pilgrims visiting the nearby abbey. Originally known as the Pilgrims' Inn of Glastonbury Abbey, by the 19th century the building was known as the George Hotel, hence the current name. The front of the three-storey building is divided into three tiers of panels with traceried heads. Above these are three carved panels bearing the coats of arms of the abbey and of King Edward IV. The hotel is certainly a sight to behold and is very atmospheric inside, having kept a large number of period features including the almost pew-like seating. The bar is in a large lounge-style room off of the central corridor and 7 handpulls are in evidence with 5 of them in use. For our delectation are Tribute, Doom Bar, Otter Bitter, Fine Tuned Rack & Roll and Hecks Cider. It didn't take long at all to decide on the Rack & Roll. At 4%, it's an easy-drinking ruby coloured American style ale with big notes belying it's ABV. The brewery, Fine Tuned, are based in Lanport in Somerset. We took our beers through to a smaller seating are on the other side of the central hallway and absorbed some of the history of this fantastic place. Perhaps unsurprisingly for a building of its age and history, there are a number of ghostly tales told of the George & Pilgrim's. The most widely reported apparition is that of a monk who has been reported walking down corridors and through walls and sometimes appearing in the bedrooms of guests. He has on occasion been seen to be followed by a well dressed female figure about whom little is known. The monk himself is believed to have committed suicide on the site in an area known as the 'haunted cell'. Another ghost is that of a man in a blue sports jacket who vanishes when approached. Light anomalies are regularly spotted on the pub CCTV and, in 2012, a photo taken in the bar area appeared to show the face of an unknown man manifesting in midair even though nothing was seen at the time.
It's difficult not to sucked into the atmosphere and antiquity of this place with its tales of spirits and the air of mysticism and mystery that seems to permeate the whole town. Alas, it was now time to make our way back. We weren't done with our ale excursions by any stretch though!
Upon arrival back at Hanham, instead of going back to the flat, we continued our journey down towards the river, where Matt had informed us there were a couple of nice pubs. We decide to pop into the oldest and more traditional looking of these, the Lock & Weir.
This is a riverside cottage pub that occupies 2 levels with the bar area on the upper floor containing a flagstone floor and tall bar stools, with three linked drinking rooms downstairs and a heated patio on the river's edge. The pub is dog friendly and has a Golden Retriever as its pub dog although the dog is sadly nowhere to be seen when we visit. The bar holds a single handpull, with Tribute as its offering and this is in very good condition indeed. I can definitely see this place being popular in daytime, especially in the summer with the river in close proximity and a jolly, convivial atmosphere throughout. On an inclement Wednesday night in February though, it's a different story. The pub, the company and the locals are great. The weather is definitely not on our side however!
We now headed back to the flat and decided to go to a pub that is quite literally just down the road and, despite numerous trips down here, has not yet made it into a blog entry. It's time has come! We now made our way to the local Wetherspoons, The Jolly Sailor.
This long standing pub is situated on the main road through Hanham, which follows the route of a former Roman road to Bath. Named as a link to the nearby River Avon and the historical local links to John Cabot its earliest recorded landlord is Charles Coole, in charge during 1853-74. Hhe was followed by Joseph Bateman whose relative conducted a service on board the Titanic as she sank. The décor and layout is standard Spoons with the seating areas over 2 levels, a main bar downstairs and a smaller bar and toilets upstairs. The 5 handpulls offer Ruddles, Abbot Ale, Doom Bar, Exmoor Fox and Bath Gem. I went for the Exmoor Fox (4.2%), a sleek and delicate beer with a malty mouthfeel, a soothing, softly bitter finish and a lingering bittersweet character. All in all, a cracking pint! We initially came here with the intention of food and our intentions were cemented when we discovered it was quiz night! We took a table upstairs, prepared ourselves and awaited the arrival of Jess who had been at work. The food was good, the beer went down easily and a good time was had by all. Following the quiz, we emerged full and victorious!! The girls decided to turn in for the night and Matt decided we could probably manage another so wandered over to a pub just behind and up the road from the flat, another I had never visited. Our journey concluded at the Queen's Head.
Reopened in September 2016 following a refurbishment, this is a comfortable friendly local with a main bar to the front, a separate bar area to the left and a restaurant area off to the right. There are a few regulars in when we arrive and the atmosphere is very welcoming as we peruse the beer choice. Of the 6 available handpulls, 4 are in use, offering doubles of Wadworth 6X and Wadworth IPA. I don't tend to see Wadworth much in my part of the world but I'm familiar enough with the brand to know what I'm getting and a pint of 6X goes down very well indeed. We reflected here on our past couple of days and how enjoyable the whole experience had been once again. We were also befriended by the pub dog, a gorgeous female husky called Bear, which made leaving even harder. Matt had suggested heading down to The Swan (another new one on me) but I was spent by this stage and it also means we've got more to do next time!
The 2 days spent down in Bristol with great friends and great pubs was a refreshing start to the year and has once again contributed to some fantastic memories. The West Country, as far as I've seen, is a hub of real ale magnificence and a haven for those of a drinking bent. There are some many fantastic places, both in and around Bristol, to explore and appreciate a good beer in. Bristol itself still holds many things for me to yet discover so we'll have to see where we end up next time. Because there will always be a next time.
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