“Accessibility Navigation.” Glastonbury Abbey: The Archaeological Story, www.reading.ac.uk/archaeology/research/projects/arch-rg-glastonbury.aspx.
“Excavations at Glastonbury Abbey: Reassessing the Medieval Monastery.” medievalists.net, 9 Nov. 2017, http://www.medievalists.net/2017/11/excavations-glastonbury-abbey-1908-79-reassessing-medieval-monastery/.
Urbanus, Jason. “Legends of Glastonbury Abbey.” Archaeology Magazine, 16 Feb. 2016, www.archaeology.org/issues/208-1603/trenches/4172-trenches-england-glastonbury-abbey.
There are many ways to depict innocence in a story. Words used to describe innocence can be “small,” “little,” “young,” etc. These could also be related to a small or young child or a location such as a small town.
Dorchester is a historic neighborhood located in Boston, MA. It was founded by Puritans in 1630 who emigrated from Dorchester, Dorset, England. It is currently Boston’s largest neighborhood. Dorchester is home to the oldest religious organization in Boston, a church that was originally created as the First Parish Church of Dorchester and still remains today. In addition to this accomplishment, Dorchester is also home to the first and oldest public elementary school in America, the Mather School. The school was created in 1639 and also stands today. Dorchester was founded only a few months before the city of Boston was founded, showing a scale of how important this neighborhood was historically for the growth of America.
The story of The Prioress’s Tale takes place in a small Christian town somewhere in Asia. Children are a reoccurring topic in the story, representing innocence. The focus of the story is of a Christian boy, who is murdered on his way home from school by a group of Jewish boys who were told to do so by Satan himself. The neighborhood of Dorchester, to me, reminds me of these scenes. The schools and churches are small as well as the neighborhood itself. It was a religious town, which resembles the town in which the story took place.
A marble font of Saint Nicholas in Winchester Cathedral is also a good reminder of the story. The Tournai Marble Font was bought from Tournai, in modern Belgium, in the 12th century and is still there today. The block this piece of art was carved from weighed around 1.5 tons and dates back to around 1150. It is the finest of ten fonts in England. In this time period, sculptures were created as iconic messages to be shared. This particular font is decorated with the extraordinary life of Saint Nicholas with symbolic animals such as birds and lions. It is thought to be a gift from Henry of Blois, William the Conqueror’s grandson. Saint Nicholas was known as a man who committed many acts of kindness, especially to children, leading to his identification with Santa Claus. The carvings on the font show multiple stories, but all of them revolve around Saint Nicholas. A few of the stories depict St. Nicholas bringing people back to life. Fonts are mainly used as a symbol of the start of Christian life. They also hold the water in which babies are baptized. It is still used for baptisms today. This relates to Chaucer’s The Prioress’ Tale due to the fact that Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of children by means of acts of kindness. The fact that he brought people back to life resonates with the story, specifically when the Christian boy who was murdered comes back to life singing the song of the Vigin Mary that caused the boys to murder him in the first place.
In the beautiful country of Iceland there are a couple of dozen waterfalls, but none of them compare to the great Skógafoss located in Skógar. Skógafoss is one of the largest waterfalls in the country; from where the water flows over to the splash down is a sixty-meter fall and stretches twenty-five feet wide. Because of the constant mist that rises up there is always a rainbow or even two that glow amazingly across the fall. This waterfall is also an attraction for treasure hunters. Legend has it that Þrasi Þórólfsson was the first settler in Skógar around 900 CE. He was known as a great warrior, but most certainly greedy in his old age. When he believed that his life was coming to an end, he decided that he was going to take his money with him. He filled a chest with all of his gold and valuable items and sank it into the water under Skógafoss. Time and time again people have claimed they have seen it, but then would glance away and could not find it again. One man was able to get a rope through a ring on the side of the chest, but as he was pulling it up the ring broke off and the chest sunk back down. The man that was left with just a ring brought it to a church in Skógar where it hung on the door; since then the church has been demolished, and the ring is held at a the Skógar Museum.
In 1658 an all-black ship appeared in the harbor of Lynn, MA. Four men and a chest lowered from the ship, and they were quickly named pirates throughout the town. The men sailed up the Saugus River to the iron works to purchase tools such as hatchets, shovels, and shackles. The tools were crafted as they were getting paid in silver. The pirates set up camp on the Saugus River in the spot which is now known as Pirate’s Glen, but word got out that they were staying there and British soldiers went out to look for them. Three were captured and hung, but one was able to escape. His name was Thomas Veal, and he escaped deep into the woods and started living in a cave. Over time he lived in peace as a member of the Lynn community. One day, a sudden earthquake shook the Lynn area, and a large rock tipped forward permanently sealing the cave entrance and trapping Veal and his treasure forever. This location is now known as Dungeon Rock. Although the area was searched for years no one has been able to find the treasure.
The two men, Þrasi Þórólfsson and Thomas Veal, share much in common with the great Viking Erik the Red. In the Icelandic Erik the Red’s Saga, Erik is banned from Iceland due to a few murders and has to set sail with his followers to new land. They ended up in Greenland, which was undiscovered until his time. When he arrived in Greenland he left his mark by naming new towns after himself and family just as Þrasi left his chest that now plays a part in Icelandic heritage, as does Dungeon Rock in Lynn Woods.
Hjálmarsson, Jon R. "Gold Under Skogafoss." Icelandic Times, Feb. 2016, icelandictimes.com/gold-under-skogafoss/.
The Vinland Sagas: The Icelandic Sagas about the First Documented Voyages Across the North Atlantic. Translated by Keneva Kunz. Penguin, 2008.There are three legends of three knights in three different countries around the world. The first is the well-known legend of King Arthur and how he pulled the sword from stone. The second legend is the story of Sir Galgano, a knight who became a saint. The last legend is of Sir James Gunn, the knight of prince Henry Sinclair. All three of these stories involve a knight, a sword, and the legend they left behind.
Although many have heard different stories of King Arthur, this story comes from Le Morte d’Arthur by Thomas Malory. As the story goes, Arthur, before he became the king, was raised by Sir Ector. Sir Kay and Sir Ector, his foster-brother, were planning to take part in a New Year’s joust. Sir Kay forgot his sword. Arthur goes back to their lodging to get Sir Kay’s sword and return it to him. When he arrives at the lodging he finds the placed locked with no one inside, so instead Arthur goes to a churchyard where he finds a sword in a stone. He “lightly and fiercely pulled it out of the stone” (Malory). This sword however was special; it can only be pulled from the sword by the true and rightful king of England. Many tried to pull the sword, but to no avail. This is the story of how Arthur becomes King. People see that he is able to pull the sword from the stone and realize he must be the king. This legend is an iconic one. While this story originates from England, a similar legend exists in Italy.
The story of Sir Galgano is one of a knight who becomes a saint. The story goes that Sir Galgano was a famous knight, who was contacted by Archangel Michael in a dream. Michael leads this knight reluctantly to a hill in Monte Siepi, where a small circular church stood. Michael asked him to renounce all worldly pleasure. Being the short-tempered knight that he is, he says, “Indeed, I would gladly follow your order, but doing so for me would be as easy as splitting rocks with a sword.” Galgano draws his sword and strikes the rock to prove a point. Sir Galgano was expecting the sword to break, but the sword “penetrated the rock like a hot knife through butter” (O’Reilly). His story spread far and wide. The devil sent an evil man disguised as a monk to kill Galgano. The wolves he befriended killed this evil man protecting Galgano. A year after sinking the sword into the stone Galgano died. His story was so well-known that bishops and abbots attended the funeral. The sword can be seen even today, protruding from the jagged rock, surrounded by the Monte Siepi Chapel. His canonization, the process for someone to officially become a saint, began a few years after his death, in 1185. It was “suggested by some as the inspiration for the British legend,” the story of King Arthur in Britain (Horty). While these stories come from countries on the other side of the world, there is a legend of a knight in New England.
Prince Henry Sinclair led an expedition to explore Nova Scotia and Massachusetts in 1398, 90 years before Columbus! The Westford knight is a carving of a knight with a cracked sword and a shield. This knight was one of Prince Sinclair’s knights. While he was exploring Massachusetts, the loyal attendant, by the name of Sir James Gunn, died. In memory of Sir James Gunn they carved an effigy into a rock. This rock had scratches on it previously and “were incorporated into the man-made design” ("The Westford Knight"). This carving was not always believed to be from a Scottish explorer. It was believed to be a Native American carving or a colonial one.
These stories all have their differences and similarities. All originated in different countries, telling tales of three separate times. These stories, and the physical remnants they left behind, are important. They connect the history from every country.
Ades, David. "Boudicca." Social Alternatives, vol. 29, no. 1, 2010, pp. 48, ProQuest Central, https://web.fitchburgstate.edu:2443/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/213966314?accountid=10896.
McGunigal, Lisa. "The criminal trial of Anne Hutchinson: ritual, religion, and law." Mosaic: An interdisciplinary critical journal, vol. 49, no. 2, 2016, p. 149. General OneFile, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A462327512/ITOF?u=mlin_c_fitchcol&sid=ITOF&xid=75f74d22.
Potter, T W. You Are Looking For. Oxford University Press, 23 Sept. 2004, ds5tw8cn5h.search.serialssolutions.com/?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&ctx_enc=info%3Aofi%2Fenc%3AUTF-8&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fsummon.serialssolutions.com&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.title=Oxford%2BDictionary%2Bof%2BNational%2BBiography&rft.au=T.%2BW.%2BPotter&rft.atitle=Boudicca&rft.date=2004-09-23&rft.pub=Oxford%2BUniversity%2BPress&rft.isbn=019861411X&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.1093%2Fref%3Aodnb%2F2732&rft.externalDocID=10_1093_ref_odnb_2732¶mdict=en-US.
Giovanni Boccaccio wrote Day 10, Story 10, also known as the story of Griselda, as the final tale in his Decameron. This story takes place in a town south of Turin, Italy, and revolves around the tale of an Italian Marquis of Saluzzo named Gualtieri, who is plagued with the responsibility to produce an heir to continue his bloodline as the leader of his people, a problem that he chooses to solve by marrying a peasant woman named Griselda.
Certaldo, Italy - Casa del Boccaccio; Giovanni Boccaccio [1313-1375]
Much like Gualtieri, Italian writer and poet, Giovanni Boccaccio managed to create his own legacy through his life and works which since then have become some of the greatest historical features of his hometown of Certaldo, Italy. Found on Via Boccaccio, within the heart of Certaldo, buildings such as Boccaccio’s very own home have been turned into museums to pay homage to one of Italy’s most prominent literary figures. Casa del Boccaccio was Boccaccio’s childhood home since the early 13th century. It was restored in 1823, although the original structure of the home was damaged on January 15, 1944, due to an airstrike during World War II. Since then, the house has been rebuilt and renovated to preserve the illustrious works of the poet, including furniture and various illustrated editions of the Decameron that survived the war. Other objects that can be found within the small museum include a collection of late 14th to early 15th-century women’s shoes, the fresco painting of Boccaccio by painter Benvenuti housed within “the poet’s room," and various geographical, historical, and cultural exhibitions dedicated to Boccaccio’s time. Lastly, housed within Boccaccio’s home is the tombstone plate of the poet, although the actual poet’s remains reside in another tomb located in the Chiese dei Santi Jacopo e Filippo, known as the Church of St. Jacopo and Filippo, also located in Certaldo.
Fitchburg, MA - Fitchburg Art Museum; Eleanor Norcross [1854-1923]
New England, though in many ways different from Certaldo, Italy, contains many museums that house a tremendous amount of history. One such museum is the Fitchburg Art Museum, located in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Like many other cultural heritage sites like Casa del Boccaccio, we can thank legacy for its existence. The Fitchburg Art Museum owes its creation to its founder, Ella Augusta, better known as Eleanor Norcross. Eleanor Norcross much like Boccaccio grew up in the town for which she is famous. From an early age her parents, who were also influential Fitchburg residents, supported her pursuits in the arts, painting, and art collecting. Her father, Amasa Norcross, survived both Eleanor’s mother and younger brother, resulting in a strong relationship with his only daughter. Due to his influence, Eleanor went on to study fine arts in Paris, France, through which she then became the avid painter we know today. This was not enough, however. Eleanor wanted to share her appreciation for the arts and the collections that inspired her with all her fellow Fitchburg residents. It was through this goal that the Fitchburg Art Museum was born, first as the Fitchburg Art Center (1929) and later on as the current museum. Much like Boccaccio, though Eleanor never lived to see the result of her dream realized, or the effects of her inspiration, her legacy lives on through those who have chosen to preserve her memory and work. As a result, through a translation of her vision, her collection has grown and will continue to do so, so long as cultural heritage continues to be of importance.