Church of St John the Baptist, Glastonbury

Church of St John the Baptist
Location within Somerset
General information
Town or city	Glastonbury
Country	England
Coordinates	51°08′54″N 2°42′58″W / 51.1482°N 2.7162°W / 51.1482; -2.7162
Completed	15th century

The Church of St John the Baptist in Glastonbury, Somerset, England dates from the 15th century and has been designated as a Grade I listed building.^[1]

The church is laid out in a cruciform plan with an aisled nave and a clerestorey of seven bays. The west tower has elaborate buttressing, panelling and battlements. The interior of the church includes four 15th century tomb-chests, some 15th century stained glass in the chancel, medieval vestments, and a domestic cupboard of about 1500 which was once at Witham Charterhouse.^[2]

St Johns in summer 2010.

In the churchyard is a thorn tree grown from a cutting from the Glastonbury Thorn. A blossom from this tree is sent to the Queen every christmas.^[3] At the end of term, the pupils of St John’s Infants School gather round the tree in St John’s parish churchyard on the High Street. They sing carols, including one specially written for the occasion, and the oldest pupil has the privilege of cutting the branch of the Glastonbury Thorn that is then taken to London and presented to Her Majesty The Queen.

See also

• List of Grade I listed buildings in Mendip
• List of towers in Somerset

References

1. ^ "Church of St John the Baptist, High Street (North side), Glastonbury". Somerset Historic Environment Record. Somerset County Council. http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=20585. Retrieved 2009-05-18. 
2. ^ "Church of St John the Baptist". Images of England. English Heritage. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/details/default.aspx?id=265926. Retrieved 2009-05-18. 
3. ^ Humphrys, Geoffrey (December 1998). "Attempts to regrow the Glastonbury thorn after it died in 1991.". History Today. http://www.historytoday.com/MainArticle.aspx?m=10632&amid=10632. Retrieved 2009-03-19.