manors in the area. Datable pottery sherds in the silt from the floor of the canal show that it was still in operation in the 14th century, but is not clear when it fell out of use: although the northernmost part may have been filled in during the 14th century, for most of its length it may have been maintained until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century. Rediscovery In 1886 John Morland, a local archaeologist, questioned the purpose of the old canal, identified by its sunken outline, water-filled in winter, along Wearyall Hill. Aerial photography, followed by rescue archaeology at the site of commercial development, was undertaken in 1986–7, and this uncovered the supposed wharf area. In 1989, during the construction of a roundabout to the south-west of the town, it was confirmed that the 1821 turnpike, now the A39, had made use of the upraised canal bank in its construction. References Canals in Somerset History of Somerset Glastonbury 10th-century establishments in England Buildings and structures in Mendip District