A little more detail…

Glastonbury Tor as seen from through the Festival Pyramid stage capstone – Recycled sterling silver Sixpence coin necklace

Each one of these pendants is handmade from an 100 year old silver sixpence coin. Using a marker pen a quick inspired sketch is dropped on to the surface of the lucky sixpence. I then meticulously carve away the design with a traditional hand engraving tool and cut details using a traditional jewellers saw. Once the details are cut the pendant is given an extremely bright polishing which really brings the coin to life. As I handcut each coin individually to order every one is completely unique and unusual. They look and feel special.  The piece is designed to attempt to capture and relate the esoteric foundation of the festivals pyramid stage and connection to the tower on the Tor.

Glastonbury Festival, beyond its musical and artistic significance, holds deep cultural symbolism rooted in its location, history, and ethos. It’s often seen as a modern pilgrimage, a place of unity, and a celebration of life, drawing on ancient myths and legends of Avalon and the Holy Grail. The festival’s connection to the heart chakra and its emphasis on love, compassion, and unity further enhance its symbolic depth.

Modern Pilgrimage:Glastonbury Tor, the iconic hill, has been a site of pilgrimage for centuries, and the festival itself can be viewed as a contemporary form of pilgrimage, with attendees seeking spiritual or emotional experiences.

The Heart Chakra:The festival’s location is believed to resonate with the heart chakra, a spiritual center associated with love, compassion, and unity.

Myth and Legend:Glastonbury is steeped in Arthurian legends, with connections to King Arthur, the Holy Grail, and Joseph of Arimathea, all of which contribute to the festival’s mystique and symbolic weight.

Unity and Community:The festival’s diverse crowd, described as being “from every walk of life,” creates a sense of unity and shared experience, echoing the idea of culture uniting people.

Freedom and Expression:Glastonbury has a history of activism and social commentary, with connections to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). This legacy of protest and self-expression adds another layer of symbolic meaning.

Memorialization and Remembrance:The festival has become a space for remembering, with attendees creating memorials and spaces for reflection on life, death, and shared experiences.

Ley Lines and Earth Energies:The festival’s main stage is positioned on a ley line, a concept from esoteric traditions, which is believed to demarcate “earth energies”.

The Lucky sixpence itself…

Each pendant is carefully handcrafted to order, using only these recycled sterling silver sixpence coins. The coins themselves are the perfect medium for this beautiful design, inline with a love of nature using these coins is the perfect ethical and green solution. No new silver is destructively ‘mined’, rather, old, uncollectible coins are saved from the ‘melting pot’ so some of their history and story live on.

The lucky sixpence tradition, where the coin is given as a symbol of good luck, has its roots in British history, particularly in wedding and Christmas traditions. Introduced in 1551 during the reign of Edward VI, the sixpence was a circulating coin for centuries. Its association with good luck is linked to various customs, including placing it in a bride’s shoe or including it in a Christmas pudding. The lucky sixpence lore has been firmly establish through many of our traditions. These traditions are part of the soul of our culture.

Origins of the Sixpence as a Lucky Charm:

Wedding Tradition:It’s common for a sixpence to be placed in a bride’s shoe to wish her good fortune. This practice is thought to have originated in the early 1600s when the Lord of the Manor presented the coin as a wedding gift, and later, it became a customary dowry gift.

Christmas Pudding Tradition:Another tradition involves placing a sixpence in the Christmas pudding before it’s cooked. The person who finds the sixpence in their portion on Christmas Day is said to have good luck for the coming year. This tradition is believed to have started during Victorian times, specifically on the Sunday before Advent, known as “Stir Up Sunday,” according to The East India Company Collections.

Fairies and the Sixpence:Some folklore suggests that fairies would reward a tidy maid or housewife by leaving a sixpence in her shoe.

The Sixpence’s History as a Coin:The sixpence was first struck in 1551, during the reign of Edward VI, and was initially a silver coin. It was a popular coin in British pre-decimal coinage for over 400 years. It was demonetized in 1980, but its legacy as a lucky charm endures.

The sixpence’s journey from a circulating coin to a symbol of good luck is a testament to its enduring presence in British culture and tradition.

Once the wee Glasto design has been freehand sketched on to the coin it is carefully hand cut and carved using traditional hand saws, chisels and files. This traditional process allows me to have a close connection to each piece, ensuring the end result is personal and unique.

(((disclaimer : This piece of art jewellery is in no way official merchandise of the wonderful Glastonbury Festival.  It is a unique, individual celebration of the festival designed to connect with fellow Glastonbury Festival goers; to capture the good times and energy and not to misrepresent as somehow a product of the corporate entity Glastonbury Festivals Ltd))) – nb. I’m sure this doesn’t need to be stated but just in case to avoid any unnecessary confusion!