Alice Buckton (1867–1944): The Legacy of a Froebelian in the Landscape of Glastonbury

Abstract

Alice Buckton was a Froebelian educator who was involved in early childhood education and the training of teachers. She was a prolific writer, at first writing articles for the Froebelian journal Child Life and later writing poetry and plays, which were read and performed in London and elsewhere. Alice Buckton became interested in the spiritual and creative movements in Glastonbury in early 1907, and in 1913 she bought a property then known as Tor House, where she and her colleague and lifelong friend, Annet Schepel, moved in 1913, renaming it Chalice Well. This paper aims to explore the relationship between Alice Buckton's early influences as a Froebelian, the inspiration of mystical landscape and the development of her work in Glastonbury. While very little direct evidence of her continued Froebelian influence relating to the education project at Chalice Well remains, the links are demonstrated throughout the paper in the form of quotations from Froebel that reflect her work. The paper concludes with a brief account of the emerging interest in Alice Buckton in Glastonbury's local community, and in particular the work of the Chalice Well Trust.