96 PAPERS, ETC. 
habitants of South Wales; and when once landed, 
it was not likely that so zealous an apostle as St. 
Paul, should have neglected to offer the tidings of 
salvation to the people ofthe country, the traces of 
whose habitations may yet be seen at Bleadon, in 
the immediate vieinity of Uphill, and on Worle 
hill, at a very short distance from it. 
It must be remembered that at the time of which 
we are speaking, the low ground at the mouth ofthe 
Uxella or Parret, as well as that between the coast 
and Glastonbury, was, ifnot actually covered by the 
sea,* at least a morass unfit for human residences ; 
and that after leaving the coast, Avalon or the 
passage town on the water, called otherwise Inis- 
witrym, from the glassy water upon the banks of 
which it stood, was probably the first town of any 
size at which he arrived ; and if he found the local 
magistrates, whether Arviragus or any other person, 
disposed to give him permission, what can be more 
likely than that he would there establish a church 
among the converts he had made, and that a 
building would be consecrated there, for the services 
of that religion which he had introduced. Whether 
this building stood on the site of the present abbey, 
or, as is generally supposed, on Weary-all hill, it is 
impossible to discover ; no doubt it was small and 
humble, and built, like other British houses, of wood; 
but it was the first Christian Church that stood in 
Britain, and perhaps sanctified by the consecration 
* See Mr. Stradling’s paper, supra. page 48. 
