Pictured below is the Glastonbury Holy Thorn situated on Wearyall Hill in its normal state. Glastonbury Thorn is properly called "Monogyma Praecox" and is found in the Middle East. It blooms at Easter and Christmas the two most important times in the Christian calendar although there is only one crop of berries per annum. Some legends have it that the original Thorn Tree sprouted from the staff of Joseph of Arimathea which he placed in the ground on his arrival in Glastonbury almost 2000 years ago. Sadly on the night of 8th December 2010 the tree was vandalised by a person or persons unknown resulting in severe damage (see picture to the right). When this picture was taken on the 9th Dec 2010 there was a steady stream of people lamenting the damaged state of the tree.

http://www.glastonbury.gov.uk/g_gov/