Glastonbury is one of a number of towns in England, which, according to tradition, can elect their own Bard to represent the local arts scene.
Gorseth Ynyswitrin is a recently established Bardic Order based in Glastonbury. Our primary focus is to support, promote and honour Pan-Celtic culture, spirituality and creativity within the local community. To this end, we hold an annual competition to decide the next Bard of Glastonbury and an annual Open Gorseth ceremony at which the new Bards are publicly invested. We also facilitate irregular Bardic Circle meetings where members and guests can share their creativity and offer workshops and performances at various local festivals and events.
In the Celtic Tradition, the term Bard describes a
wordsmith or linguist with particular skill in poetry, songwriting or
storytelling. The original bards were Iron Age poet-mystics who kept the
lore and history of their tribes, held high status and fulfilled an
important cultural role. The use of the word has continued through to
modern times, Robert Burns, for example, is referred to
as The Bard of Scotland
, William Shakespeare, who
dramatised the lives of King Lear and
Cymbeline is known as The Bard of Avon
,
Robin Williamson has been honoured as the Chief
Bard of OBOD and
Billy Bragg is sometimes called The Bard of
Barking
.
Bardism
may have begun in Britain with arrival of a group of refugees from the
Trojan War during the 10th century BCE. These primitive Bardic
seer-shamans were known as the Gwyddoniaid. The Bards were organised into colleges along with
the Ovates and Druids by King Dyfnwal Moelmud in the 5th
century BCE. The Bards survived the genocide of the Druids by the Romans,
continuing the tradition in the courts of the British and Welsh Kings;
the rules for their conduct were revised and updated by King
Hywel Dda in 940CE. The Bardic tradition continued
through the institution of the Welsh Eisteddfod up to the present day. Notable bardic works
are the poems of Amergin and Aneirin;
the Mabinogion; the works of
Taliesin; Dafydd ap Gwilym, a 14th
century Welsh poet, generally regarded as the greatest Welsh poet of all
time; Iolo Goch; and the
Triads.
The modern Druid movement began with antequarians such as John Aubrey and William Stukely, the Ancient Order of Druids being founded in 1781. In 1792, Edward Williams (Iolo Morgannwg) held a revived Gorsedd on Primrose Hill in London under a system of rules and ceremonies largely devised by himself. In 1819 it was combined with the Welsh Eisteddfods, which had been running since 1177. On 21st September 1928, Pedrog, Archdruid of Britain, assisted by some members of the Welsh Gorsedd, inaugurated the first Gorseth of Cornwall. Installing Henry Jenner as the first Grand Bard of Cornwall.
In 1964, Philip Ross-Nichols formed a new Druid Group - the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids - which has become one of the most well-known orders after the Ancient Order of Druids. Today, the strongest commonly known expression of the Bardic Tradition is The Welsh National Eisteddfod, of which the Queen is patron. Second to this is the Cornish Gorseth. Gorsedd (Gorseth / Gorsedh) literally means "high seat" but can refer to a group or gathering of bards as well as the sacred place where the gathering is held.
The current movement to
reinstate the Bardic Chairs of Albion began in the 1990's largely
promoted by the late Archdruid of Bath, Tim Woodman
Sebastion, who set up the Bardic Chair of Bath (Caer Faddon) and
assisted with the setting up of the Gorseths of Avebury (Caer Abiri), Exeter (Caer Wisca) and Glastonbury (Ynyswitrin). Of the thirty-one towns believed to have been
Arch Druidic centers in ancient times (and therefore also bardic
centers), the following have now been revived: Bath,
Bristol, Winchester, Avebury, London, Ely, Exeter and Glastonbury. New Chairs are being set up at
Flag Fen in East Anglia and Brighton on the south coast. Even the Small
World travelling stage has its own Chair. (Links open in new window)
Each Town or City Bard holds the post for one year and a day, before setting up a competition to elect a successor. The Chair refers to the position but, in some cases, as in Glastonbury and Bath, there is a physical ceremonial chair which is passed down from bard to bard. We also have a blue ceremonial robe and the ceremonial Silver Branch of Ynyswitrin, which are passed on with the title. Each Bardic Chair has its own Celticised name and is frequently associated with a specific location which is often, but not always, a natural or man-made mound or stone circle. Of course in Glastonbury the focus would be the Tor.
The long-term goal of the Bardic Revivalist Movement is to create an annual English Eisteddfod where all the City Bards can compete to become Bard of Albion. The proposed location for this is Stonehenge and petitions for royal assent have already been forwarded.
Bardic Trials
We are looking for :-
- Poets, storytellers and (lyrical) musicians/songwriters who would like to enter the trials to become the next Bard of Glastonbury.
- People who would like to support the growth of this tradition and meet up to share in gatherings, performances & ceremony to celebrate local arts & culture on a more regular basis
The decision is made and the new Bard is chaired at our Annual Open Gorsedd on St Dunstan's Day (May 19th) every year. Details of this year's Open Gorsedd can be found here.
The Institution of the Bardic Chair of Glastonbury is independent and belongs first and foremost to the people of Glastonbury, regardless of faith, background or politics. The position of Bard of Glastonbury is open to anyone who lives within walking distance of the Tor. We trust that anyone wishing to join us will be sympathetic to the Celtic Tradition from which it claims its heritage. See Rules of the Bardic Trials
Some previous years' entries include: David Reakes' Little Golden Children, Tony Atkinson's 9° = 2° Magus, Merlin of the Woods' Naw Morwynion and Tim Hall's The Ravens.
Performers who wish to enter the contest for the Bardic Chair of Ynyswitrin this year can fill in this form or pick up a printed version from the Library of Avalon, Glastonbury High Street, Somerset. This year's Open Gorsedd is being organised by the Gorsedd Committee of the Bardic Council of Ynyswitrin.
