Rare grey long‑eared bats have been spotted once again at Glastonbury Abbey, making a comeback to one of their summer roosts.

Ecologist Ellie Hack, of John Associates, confirmed the discovery after collecting DNA samples from the Gatehouse in May. The species, one of the rarest mammals in the UK, has an estimated population of just 1,000 and is found exclusively in southern England.

First identified during a survey in 2022 as part of the abbey's Town Deal project, the grey long‑eared bats have returned after the winter months.

The latest survey also confirmed brown long‑eared and serotine bats at the site.

Grey long‑eared bats tend to spend summer in old buildings like the Gatehouse before seeking warmer underground roosts for winter. Their calls were picked up earlier this month, too, during the first bat walk of the year at the abbey.

The bat walks, delivered with support from Ellie Hack and the Somerset Bat Group, give visitors a chance to learn about the rare species making a home at the site. To find out more, visit https://glastab.be/batwalks