EBK Activity Sheets

 


King Arthur's Grave
The Monks said they found it at Glastonbury Abbey.


Discovery of King Arthur's Grave at Glastonbury Abbey
 
  • The stories say that King Arthur was taken to the Isle of Avalon after the Battle of Camlann. Some stories say he died there.
  • But no-one knows where Avalon is.

 

  • In 1184, there was a big fire at the monastery of Glastonbury Abbey in Somerset. Most of the Norman church there was burnt to the ground.
  • The monks were desperate for money to pay for the rebuilding work.
  • The monks said they were told that King Arthur was buried in the cemetery at their abbey. So they dug a big hole between two carved stones shaped like 'pyramids'.
  • The monks said they found the grave of a man and a woman, along with a cross made of lead.
  • The cross had Latin writing on it. It said 'Here lies the famous King Arthur in the Isle of Avalon'.
  • When the new church was built, the monks moved the bodies inside to a new tomb and built a big monument over it.
  • Lots of people called 'pilgrims' came to see King Arthur's tomb. They gave the abbey lots of money.
  • The monks were able to pay the people who built their new church and everyone was happy.
  • This all sounds very convenient. Were the monks just lucky? or did they make it all up to get the money they needed? What do you think?

 

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