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The Old School Building at the Chalice Well

25/6/2014

1 Comment

 
I've got something else wrong: there's a piece in Chapter 5 (pages 35-37) about the Old School Building at the Chalice Well, which was demolished in 1973 - at a time when temporary accommodation for the new breed of 'Glastonbury pilgrims' was desperately needed. At the time this caused considerable controversy, and in particular I quoted Patrick Benham, writing in 'Torc' magazine, as saying that the Chalice Well Trust's original Deed of Trust 'states quite clearly that the obligations of the Trust include the setting up of a hostel and meeting centre'. 

This, it seems, is not true - though it was widely believed at the time. Tudor Pole's reasons for insisting that the building be purchased were quite different, to do with securing the property so as not to allow a different group of people to gain control of what was essentially an integral part of the Chalice Well gardens. Having secured it he promptly leased it to Milfield School, and by the time the building was eventually demolished it was in very bad condition and unfit for use as a hostel anyway.

The Chalice Well Trust's own history says virtually nothing about all this, but I am hoping that documents still held in the Chalice Well archive will help me to fill out the story and perhaps finally put an end to a controversy that has never really been resolved.
1 Comment
Mel Lloyd link
26/8/2014 07:14:52 am

I remember that building being demolished the road had to be closed because those engaged to dismantle it removed all of the floor joists leaving the structure unstable.

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    Bruce Garrard first visited Glastonbury in 1970 and has lived there since 1985. He spent more than ten years running a shop on the High Street, and a similar time as an active member of the Glastonbury Assembly Rooms management committee. He still lives and works in the town.

    Details of the book, 'Free State,' are here:

    www.unique-publications.co.uk/free-state.html


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