He was born near Glastonbury to a noble family related to the Kings of Wessex. He was well educated, and spent time at the court of King Athelston. His uncle, Alphege, Bishop of Winchester, wanted such a studious young man to become a priest, but Dunstan was not keen. After recovering from a skin disease, which he thought was leprosy, he did agree to it. He became a monk as well and went to Glastonbury where he built himself a cell adjoining the old church.
Athelstan's successor, King Edward, summoned Dunstan to court, and in 943 AD appointed him Abbot of Glastonbury. There he began the revival of monastic life in England; the Viking invasions had caused it to lapse. He organized the rebuilding of the old church, brought in monks to join the clerks already there, and was able to enforce regular discipline without too much trouble. He made the abbey an important centre of learning. He was ably assisted by Ethelwold from Abingdon and Oswald of Worcester. When Edgar became king in 957 AD he supported the foundation of many abbeys. In 970 AD a national code of monastic rule was drawn up by the church men and women, called Regularis Concordia. It followed the rule of St Benedict, but had to become part of the life of the people.
In 959 AD Dunstan was made Archbishop of Canterbury, and he drew up the coronation rite when Edgar became King of all the English in 973 AD. The present coronation ceremony is based on it. Dunstan was a very skilled harpist, and some of his chants are still used. An excellent goldsmith, he made King Edgar's crown. As a metalsmith and silversmith, he made bells and sacred vessels for the church. He copied and illuminated books.
Legend says that the devil tempted him when at his furnace, so Dunstan seized him by the nose with red hot tongs. The Devil fled to Tunbridge Wells to cool his nose in the waters, which then became sulphurous.
Dunstan enjoyed teaching the boys at Canterbury when old; they remembered him with love. He is one of the greatest Anglo-Saxon saints.