Arthur and Bridget in Avalon: Celtic Myth, Vernacular Religion and Contemporary Spirituality in Glastonbury

Abstract

In the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, Glastonbury (a small town in the south west of England) has become widely known as a centre of contemporary spirituality and religious experimentation. However, it has long been connected in vernacular tradition and religion with Celtic myth. This article explores the role of Celtic myth – and myths about ‘Celticity’ – in vernacular religion and contemporary spirituality in Glastonbury, the ways in which Celtic myth has been utilised in relation to different forms of historical and contemporary religion, and the manner in which Arthur has been eclipsed by Bridget in Glastonbury in recent years. These examples demonstrate changing trends in contemporary spirituality, and the importance of vernacular culture and religion in our understanding of twenty-first century religiosity.