Holy Grail History

Forget Dan Brown... forget Da Vinci. For 2000 years, successive generations have been gripped by the quest for the Holy Grail, a journey that has brought people to some of the most historic and mysterious sites in Britain.

Did Christ drink from the Holy Grail at the Last Supper?

The very nature of the Holy Grail is surrounded by different stories. Some claim that it's the bowl that Joseph used to collect the blood of Jesus Christ when he was dying on the cross. Others claim that it's the cup that Christ drank from at the Last Supper. The search for the Grail has taken questors around the world, but one of the most enduring legends tells us that it was brought to Britain by Jesus Christ's great uncle, Joseph of Aramithea - a tin merchant who often travelled to Cornwall and Somerset to trade in precious metals. He is thought to have left on a voyage shortly after Christ's death, but this time is thought to have headed to Glastonbury - the Glass Isle he had been sent to find by the Archangel Raphael.

To this day, no evidence has been found and the quest continues to some of the most mysterious sites in Britain. In Glastonbury, it is said that the water flows red from the blood of Christ; Tintagel, is supposed to be the birthplace of King Arthur and home to Merlin; and the Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland, a sacred treasure trove, is thought to closely guard the holy secrets of the Grail. Where does legend end and history begin?

Buried in Glastonbury

Many people believe that Glastonbury is the most likely place where Joseph hid the Holy Grail. He is thought to have sailed with his companions to Wearyall Hill in Glastonbury - where suddenly his staff flourished into a living hawthorn bush, the Holy Thorn of Glastonbury. Joseph took this as a sign that this was the destined resting place of the Holy Grail. The 'Glastonbury Thorn' thrives to this day, and unlike any other thorn bush in the country, it flowers every Christmas and Easter. Each December, a flowering branch of the tree is cut off and sent to the Queen.

The Holy Thorn of Glastonbury - where Joseph might have placed the Holy Grail.

Back in the 12th century, 30 monks from the Abbey descended into the ancient tunnels underneath Glastonbury in search of the Grail. Only three came out - one struck dumb, and two deranged. The rest, it is said, were claimed by the mysterious forces of the hill. No one ever followed these monks into the labyrinth under Glastonbury, and the tunnels have long since been sealed off as the surface soil has slipped down the sides of the tor. But even today questors still dig for the warren of tunnels beneath Glastonbury, hoping to find the Holy Grail and the remains of Joseph of Aramithea.