Description of the attraction
In the small town of Glastonbury in the south-west of England, several old medieval buildings have survived. One of them, built in the 15th century, is called the Tribunal. The life of medieval Glastonbury was inseparable from the life of the majestic and powerful Glastonbury Abbey, the oldest and one of the largest in the country. This old house owes its name to the version that it was the seat of the abbey court, which dealt with worldly affairs. However, this hypothesis is not confirmed - most likely, the house was used by the abbey simply as a residential one. The building is a typical medieval residential building with a kitchen attached to the back. Above the entrance, a Tudor rose and the coat of arms of Abbot Beer are carved out of stone. Inside, the original carved ceiling and wall panels and a fireplace have been preserved.
The second floor of the building now houses the Museum of the Lake Village. In 1892, an amateur archaeologist discovered the remains of an Iron Age village near Glastonbury. The village consisted of five to seven groups of buildings, including residential and outbuildings. About 100 people lived here. Excavations have shown that the village stands on an artificial embankment, because two thousand years ago there was a swamp here. The peat bogs have perfectly preserved many objects that can be used to reconstruct the life and occupations of those people. Whetstones, ceramics, bone and bronze items, jewelry, and wicker baskets were found. The found spindles and reeds suggest the development of the weaving craft.
