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Wearyall Hill

Sacred Hill

Folklore

Alleged offspring of the thorn, a long way from Wearyall Hill, but still in Somerset, just west of Crewkerne.
"Pulman's Weekly News says that a piece of the original Glastonbury Thorn is growing in the garden of a cottage between Hewish and Woolmingston. For several years past, the tree - or, rather, a small bush - has been visited at midnight on Old Christmas Eve by people who vow that the bush actually blossomed while they were watching it, and became bare again shortly afterwards.

On Friday night, the number of 'pilgrims' to this shrine was at least 200 - from Crewkerne, Misterton, and other places - and those who came to scoff remained - if not 'to pray' at least to be convinced of the wonderful phenomenon. They say that at half-past eleven not a sign of a flower could be seen, but that at midnight every twig of one side of the bush was covered with delicately-tinted May light blossoms."

This paragraph appeared in a Crewkerne paper, and was copied, among others, by a Yeovil paper having a circulation of some 25,000 copies in Somerset and the neighbouring counties. Strange to say, however, it has not been contradicted nor even queried so far as I have been able to ascertain. The natives seem quite capable of "swallowing" the above and a great deal more about "the holy thorn." This notice in a scientific journal may be the means of causing some of your curious readers to endeavour to throw a little light on this superstition or phenomenon - whichever they may decide it to be. -- W. Macmillan, Castle Cary.
From Hardwicke's Science Gossip, 1877, v8, p95.
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
4th December 2013ce
Edited 4th December 2013ce

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