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Year 6

Glastonbury: a historical site for Christians

I can describe how and why Glastonbury changed over time as a centre for Christian pilgrimage.

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New
New
Year 6

Glastonbury: a historical site for Christians

I can describe how and why Glastonbury changed over time as a centre for Christian pilgrimage.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Glastonbury is a small town in Somerset. Close by is Glastonbury Tor.
  2. A legend states that Joseph of Arimathea came to Glastonbury after the burial of Jesus.
  3. In the Middle Ages, Glastonbury was one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in Britain.
  4. The shrine of Our Lady of Glastonbury was revived and is now a popular site of Christian pilgrimage.

Keywords

  • Pilgrimage - a journey made to some sacred place, as an act of religious devotion

  • Abbey - a building where monks or nuns live or used to live

  • Shrine - a place where people come to worship because it is connected with a holy person or event

  • Legend - a very old story or set of stories from ancient times

  • Holy Grail - the cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper, which legend says was brought to England

Common misconception

All places of pilgrimage have remained the same.

Glastonbury was a famous early and medieval centre of pilgrimage in England and continues to be important today although it is different to the original centre and shrine.


To help you plan your year 6 religious education lesson on: Glastonbury: a historical site for Christians, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Identify similarities and differences between another place of pilgrimage locally or nationally/internationally.
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This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

5 Questions

Q1.
In which country would you find the place of Christian pilgrimage called Iona?
England
Ireland
Correct answer: Scotland
Wales
Q2.
How often does the Hindu Pilgrimage of Kumbh Mela take place?
every year
every two years
every 10 years
Correct answer: every 12 years
Q3.
Why would people wash in the rivers during Kumbh Mela?
Correct answer: to wash away sin
Correct answer: to heal disease
to cool down
to wash themselves
Q4.
Which Hindu deities would you associate with the sacred Hindu pilgrimage site of the River Ganges?
Brahma
Correct answer: Ganga
Correct answer: Shiva
Vishnu
Q5.
What does the third eye represent on the foreheads of some Hindu deities?
death
power
Correct answer: wisdom

5 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords to the correct definition.
Correct Answer:pilgrimage,a journey made to some sacred place, as an act of religious devotion
tick

a journey made to some sacred place, as an act of religious devotion

Correct Answer:abbey,a building where monks or nuns live or used to live
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a building where monks or nuns live or used to live

Correct Answer:shrine,a place where people worship as it is connected to a holy person/event
tick

a place where people worship as it is connected to a holy person/event

Correct Answer:legend,a very old story or set of stories from ancient times
tick

a very old story or set of stories from ancient times

Correct Answer:Holy Grail,the cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper, possibly brought to England
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the cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper, possibly brought to England

Q2.
Which of these statements are true?
All places of pilgrimage have remained the same.
Correct answer: Glastonbury was a famous early and medieval centre of pilgrimage in England.
Correct answer: Glastonbury continues to be important today although it has changed.
Glastonbury is no longer an important place today.
Q3.
Joseph of Arimathea is believed to have lived in Glastonbury. What is he known for in the Bible?
Correct answer: burying Jesus
being a disciple of Jesus
being healed by Jesus
Q4.
Joseph of Arimathea is said to have converted tens of thousands of people to Christianity. Who was one of those converts?
the Pope
the Mayor of Glastonbury
Correct answer: the local king
Q5.
What is Glastonbury Abbey thought to be?
Correct answer: one of the oldest Christian sites in Britain
the only Christian Abbey in Britain
Correct answer: one of the only medieval Christian Abbeys dedicated to Mary

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