IT was a cold day in Glastonbury, the Tor standing against a grey, winter sky.

The sound of horses making their way up the famous slopes fills the air.

But this is no idyllic scene.

For the three animals making their way up the Tor are dragging wooden 'hurdles', panels.

And tied to them are people.

It is November 15, 1539.

Glastonbury was the last remaining monastery in Somerset as the Dissolusion continued but it too, was now being added to the list to go.

One of the people tied to those hurdles was a man named Richard Whiting.

Whiting was the final Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey, and had refused to surrender it to the Crown.

This angered Thomas Cromwell, who indeed summoned Abbot Whiting - despite his old age - to the Tower of London, where it is believed Cromwell ordered he be charged with treason for staying loyal to Rome, though it was claimed the Abbot had stolen from the church.

And so, after returning to Somerset in November of 1539, Abbot Whiting ended up on a hurdle making his last, horrendous journey up the Tor.

Bridgwater Mercury:
Abbot Whiting was dragged up Glastonbury Tor... PICTURE: Chris Doney/Somerset Camera Club

For when he reached the top, along with his fellow travellers - two of his monks, treasurer of the church John Thorne and sacristan Roger James - Abbot Whiting was hung, drawn and quartered.

Parts of his dismembered body were put on display in towns across the county.

His horrific death has long been seen as one of a martyr, and indeed officially recognised as such by the Catholic Church.

In May 1895, he was Beatified by Pope Leo XIII.

And now, a small collective in Glastonbury is looking to finally have that charge of treason laid to rest.

The group, which includes Glastonbury councillor Brian Clutton, local tour guide Tor Webster, Bard Lisa Goodwin and the Arch Druid Rollo Maughfling, is petitioning Her Majesty The Queen, asking Her Majesty to consider a Royal Pardon.

The group says he was, 'in a grave miscarriage of justice', 'brutally murdered in our town in 1539'.

Bridgwater Mercury:
Members of the group sign the letter petitioning Her Majesty The Queen for a Royal Pardon of Abbot Whiting

"We are asking for justice and an act of mercy for this worthy Englishman," the group said.

"For Abbot Whiting to be exonerated of any accused wrongdoing and granted by the Grace of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth ll, a Royal Pardon, absolution and restored to the right of being known as innocent.

"This would bring much peace and healing to our town." 

"With it being Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee next year we fell it is a perfect, and long overdue opportunity to do so," they added.

And they said the petition had received support from some notable names.

"(It) has had great support locally with very nearly 400 signatures, including Micheal Eavis, local authors William Bloom and Paul Weston, also our very own Mayor Jon Cousins, who was the first of sign the letter as first citizen of Glastonbury.

"Historian Alison Weir has also signed and supported us."

Now, the group is urging more people to join their campaign to have Abbot Whiting pardoned, and the charges that lead to his awful death on the cold November day, laid to rest with him.

Anyone wishing to sign the petition can do so at http://chng.it/dXBDdWZy

What was the Dissolution of the Monasteries - and what happened at Glastonbury Abbey?

Bridgwater Mercury:

In the 1530s, King Henry VIII wished to bring the church - and its wealth - under government control.

Like many of his European counterparts, Henry needed to fund a military engaged in ever-more conflicts and he was running out of money.

So, in 1539, Parliament supported a plan to dissolve the monasteries.

With an estimated 12,000 people living in one form or another of religious order at that time, it was an enormous historical decision and changed the country forever.

And while most were surrended to the King, Glastonbury Abbey - lead by Abbot Richard Whiting - refused to surrender.

So, in September 1539, Royal agents were sent to find evidence of his treasonable behaviour and he was later arrested and charged with burglary and treason.

He was killed on Glastonbury Tor, along with two of his monks, and the Abbey stripped of anything of value and before falling into ruin in the years that followed...