William Blake posed the question and a new film claims to have the answer:
Jesus may have visited Glastonbury with his uncle, according to new film.
A new film suggests that Jesus may have come to Britain, as described in the hymn Jerusalem, its director said today.
The documentary, And Did Those Feet, explores the story behind the legend which survives in the hymn, for which William Blake wrote the words.
The legend claims Jesus visited several places in the West Country, such as the Roseland peninsula and Glastonbury, with his uncle, Joseph of Arimathaea.
It should be self-evident that if Jesus had come to the British Isles, the last place he would have visited would have been Glastonbury: he would have gone to Wales.
Anglican Samizdat 
“JESUS may have come to Britain – and paid a visit to Glastonbury, a new film documentary claims. Researcher Dr Gordon Strachan said it was possible the Lord walked our shores to further his understanding of spirituality, as Britain was the seat of learning in his time.”
Link: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2746391/New-film-claims-that-Jesus-visited-Glastonbury.html
I have been aware of Jesus’ visit to Britain all my life. In 1995 I wrote a book titled “The Grail Church” which chronicles Our Lord visiting these shores and St Joseph of Arimathea’s arrival soon after the Passion as the first Apostle of Britain where the earliest western Christian Church was established.
In 1997 I was involved in a documentary film about Jesus’ visit, St Joseph and the Nanteos Cup (believed by some to be the Cup of the Last Supper that was brought by St Joseph of Arimathea to Glastonbury), and in 1998 I was involved in a similar documentary for an American television audience.
Both television programmes featured the Reverend Peter Scothern and myself. I am the Bishop of Glastonbury, the Right Reverend Seán Manchester OSG. I provided the genesis of the Holy Grail from Palestine to England, and, in the English film, spoke from the chapel in the Holy Grail Retreat Centre of the supernatural healing properties attributed to the Sacred Cup of the Last Supper.
http://www.holygrail-church.fsnet.co.uk/Grail%20Church%20Book.htm
Yours in Christ,
+Seán Manchester
Comment by +Seán Manchester — November 26, 2009 @ 4:05 am
Interesting.
I lived a ‘stone’s throw’ from Glastonbury and went into the abbey precincts quite a number of times. Tradition (?myth) has it that Joseph of Arimathea visited Glastonbury, stuck his walking stick in the ground and it blossomed – the one that is there now is not the original but a cutting from it. It is still old!
And Jesus’ visit to England? Did He? The British Israelites would have you think so – “And did those feet . . .” But would it be before His baptism? Where in the gospel accounts would there be the time if it was after? That is even more ‘myth’ than Joseph’s story. But who knows in God’s scheme of things?
This is the first I have heard of a bishop of Glastonbury – neither C/E or RC – but ‘Old Catholic’, with some other ‘things’ added to the mix.
http://www.blogger.com/profile/16983238870262737975
Comment by Margo — November 26, 2009 @ 9:46 am
Seán,
Thank you for the interesting information; I remain unconvinced, though. My reference to Wales was merely a joke; I am Welsh.
Comment by David — November 26, 2009 @ 9:55 am
Er, esgusodwch fi … but Jesus would not have gone to Wales, could not, as it did not exist in his day, to say nothing of England. Now Ireland, that’s another thing … (This information is from a Welsh-descent person, very pro-Wales/Welsh; actually, I’m going there myself on Saturday). Welsh? Oh, they lived everywhere in Jesus’s day … but weren’t called “Welsh”.
Comment by John Thomas — November 26, 2009 @ 10:08 am
Hi
I think this film is playing on a popular theme (Blake) to try to get some interest in quite a specialised subject: That of Sacred Geometry and the questioning of conventional received wisdom.
The Film is made, but still requires a buyer!
The Film is based on a serious book by Dr Gordon Strachan. It does require a bit of prep to get in to it. If you liked Melvyn Bragg’s “In Our Time” programme this morning on “Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans”, yo’ll love the book “Jesus the Master Builder”. Strachan asks us to explore the layers of meaning in the scriptures, and ask if the Jesus Character portrayed has been cast in too simplistic a role. I would ask: Why is there nothing of the first 30 years? Have the pages been edited out?
I thoroughly recommend the book.
If anyone has read it and has a comment or criticism, I’d be very pleased to hear it.
Davix
Comment by Davix — December 10, 2009 @ 2:44 pm