Glastonbury street art & graffiti – the best murals around town

Glastonbury in Somerset, England, is a town steeped in myths and legends. In recent years, several street artists have been painting murals relating to the town’s history and the legend of King Arthur. Photos by Buenos Aires Street Art.

Perhaps the most eye-catching piece of street art in Glastonbury was painted in 2015 by the MOA crew on a gable wall on Northload Street that features King Arthur’s sword Excalibur, Glastonbury Tor and Abbey, a magic tree and a rainbow.

The striking psychedelic artwork was originally commissioned by local businessman Bill Knight in order to combat illegal tagging on his house. As Bill’s property is a listed building in a Conservation Area, Mendip District Council gave him 21 days to remove the mural after turning down his retrospective planning appeal. The mural became so popular with tourists and locals that a petition was organised with more than 3,500 signatures to save it. Fortunately, we can still see it and you can check it out on Northload St next to The Who’d A Thought It Hotel.

Several murals can be found around or off Glastonbury High Street that is also a great area to check out shops selling crystals, candles, handicrafts, paintings and clothes relating to the area’s history.

In medieval mythology, Glastonbury Tor was reputed to be site of the Isle of Avalon – the place where King Arthur was carried over the water to his final resting place and also the place where his magic sword Excalibur was forged; and also where Joseph of Arimathea brought the Holy Grail.

Glastonbury Experience

The Glastonbury Experience at 2-4 High Street is a great place to visit with its small shops offering natural health products, costumes and books. Its courtyard is a quiet, tranquil place full of plants, flowers, rockeries and fountains. Several walls are decorated with murals by local artist Jon Minshull that feature famous local landmarks such as the Glastonbury Tor and Avalon Marshes.

This mural (above) on the shutters of a local clothes shop features a magpie, a moth, a timepiece and a raven. According to some Celtic myths, King Arthur didn’t die but instead lived on in the form of a raven.

Glastonbury Abbey

Glastonbury Abbey (above) is one of the town’s most famous landmarks where some say King Arthur and Queen Guinevere were buried. By the abbey’s car park is another mural painted by Jon Minshull featuring rolling hills around Somerset with what looks like Glastonbury Tor in the distance and perhaps Camelot.

The Glastonbury Mural Trail is an initiative by local volunteers to curate and sponsor street art around the town. This stencil (above) featuring Glastonbury Tor was painted by Kim von Coels from Heart of the Tribe Gallery Kim has also curated many of the artworks on the mural trail. Her stencil can be found in St John’s Street car park.

In 2019, Vancouver-based artist Oksana Gaidasheva was invited to paint a beautiful mural that features a portrait of a woman with flowers in her hair on the wall of this house on The Armoury. This mural was funded by The Middlewick cafe & farm shop.

This mural called Swan and Lilies was painted for the Glastonbury Mural Trail in 2021 and is located on Silver Street.

Skatepark & The Old Tannery

Being big fans of modern graffiti, it was cool to come across some great pieces around Glastonbury Skatepark.

The Old Tannery a few minutes by car from Glastonbury town centre is a great spot for lunch with some tasty and health tapas dishes and yummy puddings.

All photos © Buenos Aires Street Art