The Educational Potential of the AbbeyGlastonbury Abbey is open every day of the year except Christmas Day.
 The buildings of the Abbey
span 2000 years of history and within our grounds is the burial place of the legendary King Arthur. Glastonbury Abbey
is believed to be one of the first Christian settlements in Britain. It was the last Abbey in Somerset to be destroyed at the
Dissolution of the Monasteries. The central towers still remain, as does the 14th century Abbot's kitchen. This is now used as
a theatre for our team of Living History interpreters and houses an interactive display showing how a medieval kitchen might have
been equipped.
We offer a range of educational opportunities for school students of all ages. There is a Visitor Centre displaying the major
artefacts found on the site, arranged to show a progression of the development and decline of the Abbey. We also have a large
enclosed park, with a fish pond, duck pond and orchard as well as a wildlife walk.
A day spent at the Abbey as part of a school journey or day trip, can have many cross-curricular applications.
Living History Interpretation
 We are proud of our team of Living
History interpreters who work from March to October, giving talks in the 14th Century Abbot's Kitchen on the life and times of
the Abbey and tours of the grounds. These can be adapted to all ages of students and most periods of early British History or
local studies. The interior of the Abbot's kitchen is fitted out as a Tudor kitchen might have been with displays of food, herbs
and spices, a roasting spit and cooking utensils.
 Our characters include: Alice the
kitchen maid, talking about the food of the Abbey; Prior Nicholas, talking about the dissolution under Henry VIII; Matilda Hutton,
a pilgrim from 1494; Brother Cedric, a monk from Saxon times; Alkanet, a widow from the Tudor period; Alfrick the weaver, Abelard
the stonemason and Sir Richard Pollard, the King's assessor come to close the Abbey in 1539.
Tours of the Ruins & Grounds
The Education team can arrange to take booked groups around the site, or you are welcome to bring your own group leaders.
 Teacher's notes and student work booklets
are available in English, French and German to help guide groups around the site. Some talks and tours are also available in French.
You are welcome to use the downloadable education resources to make up your own worksheets to meet specific curricular need and student
ability levels. Work booklets, trails and quizzes can be ordered and photocopied so as to be available at the Ticket Office on the
day of your visit. There is no additional charge for this service.
Changes for the coming season: Annabelle, a pilgrim from France can talk to French school children in their native language. To
understand the development of the church at Glastonbury, ask about our new pilgrimage tour of the ruins.
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