Assembly Rooms of Glastonbury

The Assembly Rooms was built by public subscription to house the Literary Institution, the Penny Library and to serve as a venue for public meetings and events. It became one of the earliest community centres to be built in England, hosting Music Hall, Cabaret, Theatre and Dances.1914 - 1925 The Assembly Rooms enjoyed its heyday when it became the home of the first Rural Arts Festival in England. Rutland Boughton, as producer and director, invited celebrities such as George Bernard Shaw, Alice Buxton, Thomas Hardy, Isadora Duncan and D.H. Lawrence.Boughton brought his vision of Music Drama to the Assembly Rooms, staging some 350 performances in his lifetime, including premieres of his own works - "The Immortal Hour", "Bethlehem" and his Arthurian Cycle. The Glastonbury Town Players were originally formed as an amateur community group specifically to perform them and other pieces, attracting music lovers from around the world.The Assembly Rooms became infamous as a place 'frequented by bohemians wearing corduroy trousers' and Boughton as a man of dubious morals and socialist politics. The Assembly Rooms was not large enough to be able to become financially successful, events moved to an expanded Town Hall, and Boughton was forced to stand down. His work was partially carried on by Laurence Houseman, the dramatist and peace campaigner.The Assembly Rooms returned to being a venue for sales and dances, still fondly remembered by some of Glastonbury's older residents.WWII The building was requisitioned for use as a social club for Americal GIs - the first time a black face had ever been seen in Glastonbury!1945 After the war, the building was bought up by Morlands and used as a sheepskin warehouse1973 By the 70's, the building was purchased by Somerset County Council in a near derelict state and lined up for demolition. A group of festival goers decided to squat the building and this led to a revival of interest in restoring it as a community building.1977 Formation of the Assembly Rooms Trust in order to facilitate leasing it from the council. The first Glastonbury Arts Festival in over 50 years featured Frank Mansell, Laurie Lee, Yehudi Menuhin, The Nash Ensemble and the Royal Shakespeare Company.1981 The day to day running was taken over by Street Theatre Workshop Trust, which led to the formation of Gog Theatre Co-operative and laid the foundations for a unique Arts Employment Training scheme.1983 Saw the birth of a programme of events - the "31" Club - and a new Cafe, establishing the Assembly Rooms once again as a meeting place for Glastonbury's Alternative Community, hosting the first Glastonbury Earth Mysteries Gathering and the popular "Art on the Dole" exhibition.The Earth Mysteries Gatherings evolved into regular seasonal Celebrations, fostered the formation of Oak Dragon and Rainbow Circle1984 A committee of Local residents formed "the Friends of the Assembly Rooms", responsible for much of the way the building looks and runs today.1987 The building was purchased from the council with the aid of community donations and a hefty mortgage.1991 Saw the formation of "The Assembly Rooms of Glastonbury Limited" under Industrial and Provident Society rules and the launch of a co-operative share ownership scheme. This enabled us to pay off the mortgage, buy the building outright and finance long overdue renovation work. By the mid 90's the Assembly Rooms had become a recognised venue on the national circuit, attracting performers and audiences from all over the world, and a unique cultural centre, merging the concepts of Community Arts Centre and Sacred Space in the heart of the Glastonbury community...