A Song for Glastonbury

This song, an Avalon Anthem, is a collective effort by many people and we offer it in the spirit of joining our hearts and voices, sharing and celebrating together, the healing, love, beauty and belonging of our very own special and diverse Glastonbury community in glorious Somerset, England.

The Anthem was first written in 2014. See below for more in its development.  Last year, a community choir was brought together for one occasion only, to sing an updated version of the Avalon Anthem with new music arranged by Mary Holland and main vocals from Michelle Higgs and Jane Williams. First launched 27.3.20

An Invitation...

Join with the
Glastonbury Unity Candle
​ 21.00GMT every evening,
for the Silent Minute for Peace.
Find out how...

During these challenging times of a deadly global pandemic, we gift this to the world as a beacon of light and peace, in gratitude to community everywhere. Be safe everyone.

​Lyrics © 2019 Lynne Sedgmore, Morgana West and Ananda O'Kelly. Music © 2019 by Mary Holland . 
Main vocals Michelle Higgs and Jane Williams. Chorus Community Choir
Video: Owen Benson Graphics
​

The Development of the Anthem

The inspiration behind the Anthem was to create a community song that reflected the uniqueness, beauty, sacred power and spirituality of Glastonbury and Avalon, a song that can bring our community together, in both our diversity and our unity. A song through which we can all express the many gifts we can offer to the world and brings us all together in our community activities, our sacred festivals, our schools, and on our sacred land. 

 Lynne Sedgmore has been visiting Glastonbury as a pilgrim since 1989, got married there in 1994 and relocated to the area in 2010. When Morgana West, co-founder and manager at Glastonbury Pilgrim Reception Centre had a dream about creating a new song for Glastonbury and asked her to produce the lyrics, she felt deeply called to do so. 

For inspiration she meditated and walked through all parts of Glastonbury and over three days the verses and chorus flowed, centred on two powerful themes, Unity through Diversity, promoted by Glaston Centre and the Glastonbury Pilgrim Reception Team, and the notion of Glastonbury as an inspirational place where all might live in harmony. 

Both Morgana and Ananda O'Kelly helped to further develop the words. The music took a little longer via a classical version, a guitar version,  a score written by Sally Pullinger and sung by the Avalonian Free State Choir. See their performance. Now, this latest one by Mary Holland. Who knows what the next one might sound like?!

The song is a collective effort by several people and we offer it in the spirit of joining our hearts and voices, sharing and celebrating together the healing, love, beauty and belonging of our very own special Glastonbury community

Lyrics
 
 Flowing from ancient Avalon
Together we dream, we all belong
Open hearts singing pure and strong
Honouring our town with our sacred song
 
Chorus
Unity through community
Is the way we love – is the way we live
Unity through diversity
A gift of peace to the world we bring
 
2nd part: Hear the heartbeat, Feel the love (6 times)    
A gift of peace to the world we bring
 
 Hear the heartbeat of this timeless space
 Love from the Divine embrace
Bards recite from our myths and lore
Here we are called to be restored
 
Chorus
 
Va-ale from whence the Tor soars green
Step into the mists, travel in-between
In red and white springs holy waters flow
Thorn, willow, oak in abundance grow
 
Chorus
 
 A sanctuary is this sacred land
All faiths and tribes, together we stand
A beacon bright to show we care
Avalon’s light with the world we share
 
Chorus
 
Closing refrain
Hear the heartbeat, Feel the love
Hear the heartbeat, Feel the love
Hear the heartbeat, Feel the love
Hear the heartbeat
 
Hear the heartbeat, Feel the love
Hear the heartbeat, Feel the love
A gift of peace to the world we bring
 
 
Copyright: Lyrics - Lynne Sedgmore, Morgana West, Ananda O'Kelly 2019
Music - Mary Holland 2019