According to Wikipedia, Michael Eavis was inspired to hold a festival on his farm after attending the 1970 Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music – which was held at the Royal Bath and West of England Society Showground, near Shepton Mallet. Top of the bill at Bath was Led Zeppelin. (I was there!)
Eavis named his first festival, also held in 1970, Pilton Festival. Pilton lies on the A361, between Glastonbury and Shepton Mallet – about 5.5 miles from the former and 2.5 miles from the latter. Worthy Farm lies between Pilton and Pylle; Pylle is on the A37, which links Shepton Mallet and Yeovil. The A361 joins the A37 on the outskirts of Shepton Mallet, about two miles from either village. (Yeovil is approximately 16 miles south–south–west of Shepton Mallet; Glastonbury is about 8 miles west–south–west.)
Wikipedia continues: "Glastonbury Festival was held intermittently from 1970 until 1981; since then, it has been held every year, except for "fallow years" taken mostly at five year intervals, intended to give the land, local population, and organisers a break." The last fallow year to date was 2018.
© Haydn Thompson 2017–20