This week sees us focusing on something starting with the letter B. I anticipate many will write about the Goddess Brigit in some manner. I seriously considered doing so myself, but thought better of it. So this week, there is SOME focus on Brigit, but rather than discuss the Goddess, I'm discussing one of Her sacred sites, namely....
Bride's Mound in Glastonbury.
This is a place near and dear to my heart. Bride's Mound is a small mound on the outskirts of western Glastonbury next to the River Brue. There are plenty of other sites which detail the history of the mound better than I could here. My first port of call would have been the Friend's of Bride's Mound website, but unfortunately, their site says "account suspended", so I refer you to the Glastonbury Pilgrim Reception Centre's page about Bride's Mound, which is good or the Isle of Avalon website's page, which is also good. These sites will give you a more detailed history.
A nutshell version for those feeling lazy, Bride's Mound was once the site of a small church in ancient times, said to be tended solely by women and was visited by St. Bride Herself who left gifts that remained at the church until its destruction. The site was a place for pilgrims to rest for the night before travelling in to Glastonbury.
But my post isn't about detailing the history of this site as I feel there are other sites out there that do a much better job than I ever could. No, my post is about my own pilgrimage journey to Bride's Mound.
The first time I went to Bride's Mound, I never actually found it. One could wonder how this is possible when it's a mound and should be obvious, but I did. I believe it was during a week that my husband and I spent in Glastonbury on holiday. It was summer. I hadn't ever been and wanted to go. Armed with a crude map and thinking it would be obvious to find given there is still a stone marker at the site of what used to be St. Bride's Well, I figured we would find it.
What we didn't realise is that the mound and the land surrounding it are on an industrial site. I had heard that it was close to an industrial site but I guess I still had a vision of a nice field and an obvious mound.
We walked down the long road of the industrial site, with me feeling sure this was the way, but not feeling quite sure if I was on the right path or not. We passed old buildings, a derelict looking skate park, which I'm sure breeds its own brand of derelicts at certain times of the day (or night). But then eventually the road we walked on ended and went up to the main road going towards the next town. We found the river and some fields, but no obvious mounds anywhere. We walked along the river (in what I later learned was the wrong direction) and found nothing but I did find stinging nettles (ouch!). We walked along the river in the other direction (in what I later learned was the right direction), but it required going over a gate and it felt like we'd be trespassing so we didn't. I later learned had we gone over the gate, we would have found the stone marker and the mound. We headed back to our flat feeling disappointed and tired.
Subsequent to my failed attempts to find Bride's Mound, some of the land next to the mound, to include the site of the well and the stone marker, was bought by the Friends of Bride's Mound who have mowed the grass and taken good care of the land since that date. The site of the mound still belongs to an industrial company, and Friends of Bride's Mound have been attempting for years now to find a way to buy the land that contains the mound. I understand they long to do things such as plant trees and whatnot and re-store the sense of the sacred for that land. They have, to a great degree, already done so.
It was only at Imbolc 2007 when we walked to Bride's Mound during a priestess training weekend that I realised how close my husband and I were to finding it before. We had, in fact, found it, just didn't see it. We were there, had gone around it, but just didn't know it. I had created too idealised a vision in my imagination. The mound itself was surrounded by brambles and old industrial equipment and fencing. It didn't look sacred at all. We climbed the fence and went up to the mound anyway and spent some time there and felt Bridie's energy. And She was there, even if others had forgotten Her.
I think the site has received a bit more care since then. The Friends continue to do their utmost to protect the mound and care for the land which they own. I haven't been there in a while. I sense I will need to change this at some point this year and spend some time in that place and on that land.
If you find yourself in Glastonbury, Bride's Mound is worth having on the list of sacred sites to visit while there. I hope the Friends' website will come back up. I just received my annual newsletter from them yesterday. It seems it's been a quiet year this past year, with the only main land management news being about the widespread call to cull badgers in the area. I do encourage supporting the Friends of Bride's Mound. As their website isn't working, I can at least give their email address which is friendsofbridesmound@yahoo.com. Their annual membership fee is really very reasonable and it's a terrific way to support the work they're doing to protect this land.
A nutshell version for those feeling lazy, Bride's Mound was once the site of a small church in ancient times, said to be tended solely by women and was visited by St. Bride Herself who left gifts that remained at the church until its destruction. The site was a place for pilgrims to rest for the night before travelling in to Glastonbury.
But my post isn't about detailing the history of this site as I feel there are other sites out there that do a much better job than I ever could. No, my post is about my own pilgrimage journey to Bride's Mound.
The first time I went to Bride's Mound, I never actually found it. One could wonder how this is possible when it's a mound and should be obvious, but I did. I believe it was during a week that my husband and I spent in Glastonbury on holiday. It was summer. I hadn't ever been and wanted to go. Armed with a crude map and thinking it would be obvious to find given there is still a stone marker at the site of what used to be St. Bride's Well, I figured we would find it.
What we didn't realise is that the mound and the land surrounding it are on an industrial site. I had heard that it was close to an industrial site but I guess I still had a vision of a nice field and an obvious mound.
We walked down the long road of the industrial site, with me feeling sure this was the way, but not feeling quite sure if I was on the right path or not. We passed old buildings, a derelict looking skate park, which I'm sure breeds its own brand of derelicts at certain times of the day (or night). But then eventually the road we walked on ended and went up to the main road going towards the next town. We found the river and some fields, but no obvious mounds anywhere. We walked along the river (in what I later learned was the wrong direction) and found nothing but I did find stinging nettles (ouch!). We walked along the river in the other direction (in what I later learned was the right direction), but it required going over a gate and it felt like we'd be trespassing so we didn't. I later learned had we gone over the gate, we would have found the stone marker and the mound. We headed back to our flat feeling disappointed and tired.
Subsequent to my failed attempts to find Bride's Mound, some of the land next to the mound, to include the site of the well and the stone marker, was bought by the Friends of Bride's Mound who have mowed the grass and taken good care of the land since that date. The site of the mound still belongs to an industrial company, and Friends of Bride's Mound have been attempting for years now to find a way to buy the land that contains the mound. I understand they long to do things such as plant trees and whatnot and re-store the sense of the sacred for that land. They have, to a great degree, already done so.
It was only at Imbolc 2007 when we walked to Bride's Mound during a priestess training weekend that I realised how close my husband and I were to finding it before. We had, in fact, found it, just didn't see it. We were there, had gone around it, but just didn't know it. I had created too idealised a vision in my imagination. The mound itself was surrounded by brambles and old industrial equipment and fencing. It didn't look sacred at all. We climbed the fence and went up to the mound anyway and spent some time there and felt Bridie's energy. And She was there, even if others had forgotten Her.
I think the site has received a bit more care since then. The Friends continue to do their utmost to protect the mound and care for the land which they own. I haven't been there in a while. I sense I will need to change this at some point this year and spend some time in that place and on that land.
If you find yourself in Glastonbury, Bride's Mound is worth having on the list of sacred sites to visit while there. I hope the Friends' website will come back up. I just received my annual newsletter from them yesterday. It seems it's been a quiet year this past year, with the only main land management news being about the widespread call to cull badgers in the area. I do encourage supporting the Friends of Bride's Mound. As their website isn't working, I can at least give their email address which is friendsofbridesmound@yahoo.com. Their annual membership fee is really very reasonable and it's a terrific way to support the work they're doing to protect this land.
I'm glad you finally found it! :o)
ReplyDeleteThanks Terri!
ReplyDeletehi ya Elle (suzi wolf here from fb) just reading your blog here it was fab loved it! I remember doing a goddess tour in Glastonbury and going to Brides mound.. it was truly something special. great blog xx
ReplyDelete