Glastonbury Women

A Town of Strong Women

Glastonbury is a town of strong women. That was certainly my impression when I first moved here in 1993 and it remains true today. One of the reasons I moved here was to escape the sexism, racism and homophobia that was simply regarded as ‘normal’ in the small town I came from. I grew up in the seventies and eighties in a world where women were still generally seen as more decorative than powerful. It was a world where ‘girly’ calendars adorned the walls of many workplaces, comedians spewed mother-in-law jokes on TV, girls did needlework and cookery while boys did metalwork and Technical Drawing. At the age of 14 I was hauled into the headmistress’s office to account for the fact I had not chosen any of the ‘domestic sciences’ to study at O Level. How, she implored me, was I going to look after my husband?

Moving to London in my early twenties, I worked in Direct Services for Camden Council for a while. There was me and 400 men, in concession to the fact that there were women in the workplace the girly calendars were hidden away in lockers. I was working in the office rather than fitting locks or repairing windows, yet still, it was questioned whether a woman should be in the job at all.

Glastonbury Women in the Nineties

I could go on, but hopefully, that’s given you an idea of why I was so happy to arrive in a town where powerful, interesting, creative and loud women were everywhere. For the first four years, I worked at the Assembly Rooms. Lydia Lyte was the manager, Tess the Caretaker, Sally Pullinger ran the cafe, Jana Runnalls and Katrina Brown operated the PA and performed as the Wild Women, Viv Andrae did the accounts, Jan Preece was involved in theatrical productions, Sheena painted the banners that adorned the walls. There were numerous women musicians taking centre stage in the Avalonian Free State Choir, Silver on the Tree, Heathens All and Court of Miracles amongst others. Sue Palmer was producing art, Jo Waterworth was performing poetry. Many of the women I met at the Assembly Rooms were veterans of the Women’s Peace Camp at Molesworth, while younger women were taking a very active part in the road protests of the time. 

Elsewhere in town, Kathy Jones set up the Goddess Temple and Conferences. Frances Howard Gordon was running the Gothic Image Shop and Publishing. Isi Von Coels opened an art gallery. Liz Beech set up the Phoenix Art Project. Jacqui Memory Patterson was writing “Tree Wisdom”. Philippa Bowers was making her iconic goddess sculptures (and still is!). There were many more women – working, creating and contributing to every aspect of life in the town.

It was exciting and inspiring meeting these free-spirited, creative, empowered women. I was delighted to be in a tribe of women who generally didn’t wear make-up, dressed as they liked and were letting their hair go grey and untamed (or dyeing it in a myriad of rainbow colours). Some of them were lesbians, some were married, others lived independently of men, most I suspect would have described themselves as feminists. All of them, as far as I recall, worked happily alongside the many active men in the community. I recall being told by one woman that Glastonbury Town was women-led because many of us had been Priestesses in previous lives, while many of the men who chose to live in the town had been Christian Priests and were now choosing a role which was more subservient to women, in order to atone. It was perhaps a fanciful notion, but one I’ve not forgotten. 

Sadly I can’t recall much about the strong Somerset women in Glastonbury during my first few years here, as I was very much embedded in the ‘Alternative Community’, which was mostly composed of ‘incomers’. I would very much like to hear some stories of Glastonbury’s local women, so do get in touch if you would like to contribute something. 

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Women of Glastonbury

History tells us that the women of the nineties were certainly not the first powerful characters to make an imprint on the Town. Here are just a few of the women from the last 100 years, now passed over, who helped make Glastonbury what it is today.

Helène Koppejan (1927-1997)

Dutch astrologer and writer who, with her husband Willem, created the Glastonbury Experience, a courtyard trading haven for the first tourist-orientated alternative shops in the town. More on Wikipedia.

Denise Michell (1952-2020)

Bard, Elder Ovate and founding Elder Druid of Gorsedh Ynys Witrin. Seamstress, Faerie Queen and former Mayor of Glastonbury.

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I apologise to all the many wonderful women who I have neglected to mention in this short piece, which I have hurriedly assembled to publish on International Women’s Day 2023. Thanks to Alison Hall for her research on Glastonbury Women of the past and her suggestion that I put it together into a post. The women in the collage that heads this post are just a tiny number of the fantastic Glastonbury women.