The Martinsey Isle Trust

More about the Trust

Beauty is Truth - Truth, Beauty
John Keats 

The Martinsey Isle Trust
was co-founded in 2002 by
David Wasley, its inspiration
and Judith Pidgeon, its grounder

Aims and Objectives

To become a charitable or non-profit-making Trust where it will be charged with:

• Archaeological research and scholarship;

• Guardianship of Somerset's pre- and proto-Christian heritage;

• Protecting this landscape and creating an idyll;

• Offering a stream of conscious mediumship for those in our care;

• Providing a terrestrial alternative burial choice.

The Trust's objectives will provide for and resource the awakening of the true identity that historically belongs to Glastonbury, on a countrywide and international level.

As a gift to the future, the Trust anticipates that it will provide for the people who live in the landscape. It will promote the global communication of these benefits to all those who will be giving their physical spirit to this special place and will have supported the ethos of Glastonbury during their lifetime.

The Martinsey Isle Trust will centre itself on the islands of Martinsey and Lidney: remote, secret places of great charm, in the Somerset Levels. It will be a grant-giving organisation able to resource research into proto-Christianity in Somerset (plus or minus 100AD) and to ascertain the truth, through archaeology and scholarship.

The work of the Trust will provide for vigorous enquiry into:

• St Joseph of Arimathea and his companions and their final resting places (circa AD 63-82), the secret of this land and the first church in Glastonbury;

• The gifts of land to this group by native kings (including Arviragus) which embraces the hideage of Martinsey;

• The coming of the Saints David, Patrick, Bridget, Benedict and Dunstan to Glastonbury.

And to:

• Encourage awareness, research and sensitive, non-invasive archaeology at Martinsey and other trust sites and to explore the St Martin and St Gouthlak legends;

• Restore the last remaining ancient fish-drying house at Martinsey and associated buildings (Hall House or Blackhouse);

• Promote scholarship, authorship and books;

• Purchase land, encourage environmental skills associated with the levels and provide employment in this way of life to sustain the Trust's future;

• Support and encourage the farming community by integrating the Trust land with local farming policy and the ESA scheme;

• Act as guardians to protect the visual integrity of the linkage between Glastonbury Tor, Bleadney and the Islands of Panborough, Martinsey, Lidney and Andrewsey;

• Research into Arthur and the archetypal image within his story.

The Martinsey Isle Trust has two trustees and a financial advisor and has begun the work envisaged as an act of faith and proof of commitment.

It already has in place a promotional programme of shared education and enquiry concerning the creation of a spiritual world heritage site, care of the land and death and dying through workshops, events, gatherings and talks.

It is also the co-founder, with Carmella B’Hahn, of Transitus, a resource network for information and advice, created at the inspiration of a Wrekin Trust weekend, 'Death, the Great Adventure'.

The Martinsey Isle Trust

Ivy Cottage, Bath Road
Sturminster Newton, Dorset DT10 1DU, UK

Telephone: 01258 475 125 |