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Glast from the past

Incredible black-and-white photos show the real Glastonbury Festival through the years… from revellers partying topless to ALL that mud

THESE incredible black-and-white photos show Britain's best-known festival as you've never seen it before.

As thousands of revellers start descending on Somerset for this year's Glastonbury we take a look back through the archives when the crowds were thinner - but the mud just as thick.

This shot, taken in 1971, shows the first time the Pyramid stage was used. Back in 1971, the festival was known as Glastonbury Fair, and was a far cry from the jam-packed festival we know today
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This shot, taken in 1971, shows the first time the Pyramid stage was used. Back in 1971, the festival was known as Glastonbury Fair, and was a far cry from the jam-packed festival we know todayCredit: Getty Images
By 1982, when this shot was taken, Glasto had already morphed into something special. The festival was founded by Michael Eavis, who owns the land where it is held
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By 1982, when this shot was taken, Glasto had already morphed into something special. The festival was founded by Michael Eavis, who owns the land where it is heldCredit: Rex Features
Glasto is well known for being a complete mud-bath. This shot of a man crashed out in a muddy mess, snapped in 1982, proves the festival has always been a muddy affair
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Glasto is well known for being a complete mud-bath. This shot of a man crashed out in a muddy mess, snapped in 1982, proves the festival has always been a muddy affairCredit: Rex Features
A muddy reveller can be seen bathing in the sun in this shot from 1992. Tom Jones was a surprise guest at the festival that year, which attracted 70,000 attendees
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 A muddy reveller can be seen bathing in the sun in this shot from 1992. Tom Jones was a surprise guest at the festival that year, which attracted 70,000 attendees
A shot from 1993 shows a singer dancing in a traditional African-style robe. By this time, Glaso was drawing crowds of 80,000
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A shot from 1993 shows a singer dancing in a traditional African-style robe. By this time, Glaso was drawing crowds of 80,000Credit: Rex Features
Glasto has never shied away from its hippy roots. This shot was taken in 1994, the first year when a wind turbine was used to power some of the main stage area
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Glasto has never shied away from its hippy roots. This shot was taken in 1994, the first year when a wind turbine was used to power some of the main stage areaCredit: Rex Features

Britain's most famous festival takes place over five days at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset.

The festival is named after the quirky town of Glastonbury, which is the closest big settlement and 20 minutes’ drive from the farm itself.

As locals will tell you, the festival has evolved drastically from its humble beginnings - although the mud is a permanent fixture.

Andrew Kerr was an organiser back when Glasto was known as the Glastonbury Folk Festival. Since then, Glasto has morphed into an international phenomenon
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Andrew Kerr was an organiser back when Glasto was known as the Glastonbury Folk Festival. Since then, Glasto has morphed into an international phenomenonCredit: Rex Features
This shot , taken in 1971, shows a naked cyclist at the Glastonbury Fair. Back in 1971, headline acts included Hawkwind and David Bowie, and attendance was around 12,000
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This shot , taken in 1971, shows a naked cyclist at the Glastonbury Fair. Back in 1971, headline acts included Hawkwind and David Bowie, and attendance was around 12,000Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Organiser Michael Eavis, pictured with wife Janet in 1989, is a political activist and philanthropist. He donates many of the festival profits to charities such as Greenpeace
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Organiser Michael Eavis, pictured with wife Janet in 1989, is a political activist and philanthropist. He donates many of the festival profits to charities such as GreenpeaceCredit: Getty Images
This shot from 1992 shows a group of revellers making the best of the mud. Back in 1992, a ticket to the festival would set you back just £49
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This shot from 1992 shows a group of revellers making the best of the mud. Back in 1992, a ticket to the festival would set you back just £49
A shot from 1994 shows a reveller with a distinct punk style. In 1994, the Pyramid stage burned down in the early hours of the morning - although a last-minute replacement was, thankfully, provided by a local company
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A shot from 1994 shows a reveller with a distinct punk style. In 1994, the Pyramid stage burned down in the early hours of the morning - although a last-minute replacement was, thankfully, provided by a local companyCredit: Rex Features
One shot from 1989 shows a passed-out traveller lying in the grass. Headlined by Elvis Costello, the festival resulted in £100,000 being raised for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
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One shot from 1989 shows a passed-out traveller lying in the grass. Headlined by Elvis Costello, the festival resulted in £100,000 being raised for the Campaign for Nuclear DisarmamentCredit: Rex Features

The festival was founded in 1970 by Michael Eavis, the owner of Worthy Farm.

In its first year, Glasto was known as Pilton Pop Folk & Blues Festival, morphing into Glastonbury Fair one year later.

But what started out as a small hippy gathering evolved into a revered event which now attracts over 175,000 revellers every year.

Taken in 1971, this shot shows a group of women who decided to let it all hang out
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Taken in 1971, this shot shows a group of women who decided to let it all hang out
Another photo from 1971 shows revellers dancing the day away. The hippy gathering was planned by Andrew Kerr and Arabella Churchill and there was no fee to enter the grounds
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Another photo from 1971 shows revellers dancing the day away. The hippy gathering was planned by Andrew Kerr and Arabella Churchill and there was no fee to enter the grounds
A shot from 1985 shows a pair of boots left behind in the famous Glasto mud. By this time, Worthy Farm was too small for the number of attendees, so nearby farmland was bought to expand the grounds
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A shot from 1985 shows a pair of boots left behind in the famous Glasto mud. By this time, Worthy Farm was too small for the number of attendees, so nearby farmland was bought to expand the groundsCredit: Rex Features
A snap from 1989 shows a group of friends chatting and smoking on the bonnet of a car. Complications over festival licencing with the local council led to the police being brought in to organise and plan the festivities
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A snap from 1989 shows a group of friends chatting and smoking on the bonnet of a car. Complications over festival licencing with the local council led to the police being brought in to organise and plan the festivitiesCredit: Getty Images
This shot from 1994 shows a group of festivalgoers gathering outside a tea stand. Glastonbury's first ever death occurred as a result of a drug overdose that year
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This shot from 1994 shows a group of festivalgoers gathering outside a tea stand. Glastonbury's first ever death occurred as a result of a drug overdose that yearCredit: Rex Features

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Michael Eavis was inspired to use his farmland to host a festival after watching Led Zeppelin perform at the Bath Festival of Blues.

Now 81, the festival founder and lefty activist co-organises Glasto with help from his youngest daughter, Emily Eavis.

These days, 38-year-old Emily books the acts for all main stages, and may one day end up in charge of the entire festival.

This shot from 1987 shows a cluster of tents, with campers paying just £21 for a ticket. 60,000 people attended, with New Order and Robert Cray among the headline acts
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This shot from 1987 shows a cluster of tents, with campers paying just £21 for a ticket. 60,000 people attended, with New Order and Robert Cray among the headline actsCredit: Rex Features
A shot from 1989 shows a group of attendees relaxing with a smoke. Van Morrison and Suzanne Vega attended, despite Suzanne receiving a death threat before festivities kicked off
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A shot from 1989 shows a group of attendees relaxing with a smoke. Van Morrison and Suzanne Vega attended, despite Suzanne receiving a death threat before festivities kicked offCredit: Rex Features
Another shot from 1989 shows a a musical family enjoying some downtime. The festival raised £100,000 for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
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Another shot from 1989 shows a a musical family enjoying some downtime. The festival raised £100,000 for the Campaign for Nuclear DisarmamentCredit: Getty Images

 

A shot from 1993 shows a cluster of happy campers sat outside their tents. The Orb and Lenny Kravitz headlined this year, with the festival selling out advance tickets by mid-June
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A shot from 1993 shows a cluster of happy campers sat outside their tents. The Orb and Lenny Kravitz headlined this year, with the festival selling out advance tickets by mid-JuneCredit: Rex Features

Every five years or so, Glasto takes a year off so the farmland - and the locals - can recover.

With 2018 scheduled to be a Glastonbury gap year, founder Michael wanted to relocate the festival rather than cancel it entirely.

But next year’s festival was sensationally axed after he failed to find a host willing to use their land for the event.

This shot from 1971 shows how much Glasto infrastructure has evolved. The first Pyramid stage was constructed this year, with the music taking a medieval style
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This shot from 1971 shows how much Glasto infrastructure has evolved. The first Pyramid stage was constructed this year, with the music taking a medieval styleCredit: Getty Images
Another picture from the festival's second ever year shows a brand-new Pyramid stage built on a site above the Glastonbury-Stonehenge ley line
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Another picture from the festival's second ever year shows a brand-new Pyramid stage built on a site above the Glastonbury-Stonehenge ley lineCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
A snap from 1992 shows attendees braiding hair outside a tent. The festival profits were donated to Oxfam and Greenpeace, rather than the CND, for the first time
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A snap from 1992 shows attendees braiding hair outside a tent. The festival profits were donated to Oxfam and Greenpeace, rather than the CND, for the first timeCredit: Rex Features
Attendees experience VR for the first time, in a shot from 1993. 80,000 people descended on Somerset for the festival that year
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Attendees experience VR for the first time, in a shot from 1993. 80,000 people descended on Somerset for the festival that yearCredit: Rex Features

Michael now wants to protect the site by moving the festival away from Pilton in 2019 as well.

He hopes that the second site he’s found will serve as a backup location where the festivities can be held once every five years.

The new site is “towards the Midlands”, according to Michael – and could be over 100 miles away from Worthy Farm.

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