I have never received a reply from the Chalice Well about putting the record straight concerning the old school building. Their archivist Paul Fletcher told me that I could not have access to the archives myself, in order to get clear about exactly why the building was bought and subsequently demolished rather than used as a hostel for pilgrims. He said that the trustees had asked him to write a short statement explaining the situation, but no such statement has arrived.

The Chalice Well's Trust Deed is in the public domain, via the Charity Commission's website, so I have been able to check as to whether the the quote in the book from Patrick Benham, to the effect that the Trust was obliged to retain the building and use it as a hostel, was correct. The Trust Deed was written in 1959 and amended in 1960, 1968 and 1977, so it is difficult to tell. Here is the aims and objects clause of the Trust document, as amended in 1977, in full:

For the benefit or in furtherance of such charitable institutions or charitable foundations and in such manner and in such proportions as the trustees may from time to time determine and in particular and without prejudice to the foregoing for the following charitable purposes:

(a) To preserve in perpetuity the property known as Chalice Well Glastonbury and surrounding lands for the benefit of the nation and with the intention that it may become a place of pilgrimage rest and recreation.

(b) To preserve the said Chalice Well and its surroundings and to beautify them.

(c) To advance religious and spiritual activities and permit persons of all religious denominations to take advantage of such facilities as the Chalice Well Trust can offer.

(d) To advance education in all ways by encouraging the study and enjoyment of sacred drama and poetry, particularly such as may be associated with the said Chalice Well and its surroundings.

So there is no specific mention of the old school building, and technically it is not correct (assuming that the 1977 amendment did not specifically write the school building out of the document, which is possible since the building had recently ceased to exist) to say that 'The document states quite clearly that the obligations of the Trust include the setting up of a hostel and meeting centre, particularly to cater for the needs of young people from Britain and other countries who might wish to visit Glastonbury for spiritual refreshment.' 

Nevertheless, if the aims and objects are read in the context of the building still existing, then all this might be implied. It also may be true, as Patrick claimed around the same time, that the building had a conservation order on it. Sadly, it seems that the Chalice Well Trust, rather than helping to arrive at some clarity, would rather that the subject was simply not discussed.

This arrived from Craig McFarlane, who I remember as an energetic Scottish bagpipe player. His period at the Assembly Rooms was indeed missed, though since it was after the millennium I'm not going to find extra space for it. I will include it here though. There are no dates included, but I am assuming that it was around 2001 onwards:

I enjoyed your book but wonder why you left the story of the Rooms in the way you did, implying that it put its its head down and continued quietly in the background with nothing much happening after the successful continuation and flourishing of the space as an Assembly Rooms. This being the same period as I got involved (luckily for the Rooms). 

This being the period where I got personal loans and grants and put in £12000 of my own ‘Opus’ sound system, my friend Simon (striking lighting) putting in stunning light shows for the hundreds of great gigs we done, the rooms putting in £4000 (interesting story to that 4000) of stage lighting, my getting monthly 1am extensions for dance nights and special events, the legendary Drum and Bass nights where kids queued out the alleyway and down round the bottom of the street…incidentally these nights changed a full dynamic in the town, including the perception of ‘town’ parents on the aseembly rooms, and indeed the ‘alternative’ scene..quite a few of those young DJs are now pretty successful producers, citing the rooms as where it began for them.      

The first two Gong Conventions happened there, I had Steve Hillage through a few times, Nik turner loads of times. Here & Now loads (they done a live album there, as did Zoorch), the world linked Earthheart dance nights, numerous quality Reggae soundsystems from London Leeds and Bristol, battle of the bands nights…ALL the cross quarter community nights. new central heating got fitted, the downstairs rooms got properly sorted out ... blimey … the 10 years until I left were amazing... not just down to me obviously, but I steered the Rooms out of its rough period. It's no mistake I appeared when I did ... Glastonbury gets the people it needs, when it needs them.

I have excellent records of this full period ... two scrap books of stuff from local papers, special event flyers, correspondence with council … I look forward in due course to all of this being used in the history of the start of the new millenium in Glastonbury. The Assembly Rooms reared up on its backlegs and shook the dust out of its mane in those years ... It most certainly didn't, as the full town knows, plod on quietly with its head down.