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For centuries, perhaps even millennia, pilgrims of all religions have visited Glastonbury. It has been called the holiest ground in England and the many people whom the land keeps drawing back will attest to this.  It is a place where layer upon layer of legend, myth and story bare witness to a divinity that transcends denomination.  Colloquially known as the Vale of Avalon, the landscape in the Vale forms an essential part of the Christian and pre- Christian story of England and there can be few places that are so woven into the mystical fabric of our land.

Home to one of the most important English Abbeys, the ruins of which can still be visited, it is said that King Arthur and Lady Guinevere were buried in the grounds of the Abbey.  There are tales of dragons and saints inhabiting the many small hills spread through the Vale and there is an enduring legend that Joseph of Arimathea visited Glastonbury with the Holy Grail and that it is still buried there.  Some writers even claim that our Lord Jesus Christ visited with his uncle (there may even be some evidence for this claim).

Inspired by the wisdom of John Michell’s writing alongside twenty years experience of living within sight of the Tor Adam will explore Glastonbury as a sacred landscape using photographs, maps, history and maybe a few local anecdotes.

In this talk, Helen Whittaker will introduce the traditional art and craft of stained glass, its materials and methods as used from early Roman times to the present day. Techniques from different parts of the world and periods will be explored.

Besides the vast range of designs possible in stained glass, both abstract geometric patterns as well as figurative stories from the Bible, Helen will discuss its special qualities – that is light and colour and the beautiful ways in which light refracts and illuminates.

Helen will address the important question: is stained glass still relevant today? Leading on to her own work as an artist-designer. She will describe her approach to commissioned stained-glass pieces and present some key examples of her work over the past 25 years.

Helen’s career in stained glass has been nourished by her studies at VITA (Visual Islamic and Traditional Arts) MA Programme back in the 1990s, now known as the King’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts. In this talk, she hopes to convey her passion for this medium and its significance in her life.