sign at Chalice Well Gardens Glastonbury Somerset England United Kingdom
Chalice Well is a holy well situated at the foot of Glastonbury Tor in Somerset, England. The natural spring and surrounding gardens are owned and managed by the Chalice Well Trust founded by Wellesley Tudor Pole in 1959. Archaeological evidence suggests that the well has been in almost constant use for at least two thousand years. Water issues from the spring at a rate of 25,000 gallons per day and has never failed, even during drought. Iron oxide deposits give water a reddish hue, as dissolved ferrous oxide becomes oxidized at the surface and is precipitated. Like the hot springs in nearby Bath, the water is believed to possess healing qualities. In addition to the legends associated with Glastonbury, the Well is often portrayed as a symbol of the female aspect of deity, with the male symbolised by Glastonbury Tor. As such, it is a popular destination for pilgrims in search of the divine feminine, including modern Pagans. The Well is however popular with all faiths and in 2001 became a World Peace Garden. Christian mythology suggests that Chalice Well marks the site where Joseph of Arimathea placed the chalice that had caught the drops of Christ's blood at the Crucifixion, linking the Well to the wealth of speculation surrounding the existence of the Holy Grail.
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Location: Chalice Well Gardens Glastonbury Somerset England United Kingdom Europe
Photo credit: © eddie linssen / Alamy / Afripics
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