Funny Gate, Stowborrow Hill, Quantock Hills

On top of Stowborrow Hill at the northern end of the Quantock Hills there is a tall old disused circular rusty wrought iron gate.  It is not marked on any modern map that I have found but is apparently known locally as "Funny Gate".  I am reliably informed that it has been in a dilapidated state for at least 50 years.  According to the Somerset Historic Environment Record it was probably erected in about 1850 when the adjacent deer park was enlarged.  Whoever wrote the entry in the Somerset HER didn't entirely understand how it worked but it seems to have had a revolving quadrant with various different modes for allowing animals through or retaining them within the enclosed area in the middle or preventing them from entering or leaving the deer park at all.  Presumably it was used when animals needed to be sorted out for any reason?   The diameter of the circular section is 3.5 metres and it is 1.8 metres high.   Grid reference ST 120 416

I am also informed that there is a working example on the Chatsworth Estate in Derbyshire.  However I have not been able to find anything online about this gate.

Funny Gate

 

Funny Gate

 

Funny Gate

Magnificent Murals

Murals brighten up our towns and villages.  Some have been painted by professional artists, others by students, self-taught artists or school children. 

My favourite mural is the one on the side of the Trading Post Shop at Lopen, which incorporates the Railway Carriage Café next door beautifully.  It really seems as if you are looking down a railway platform.  The mural was painted in 2013 by 24 year old local artist Camilla Yuill.

The Trading Post, Lopen

The Trading Post, Railway Carriage Café, Lopen

Sweep it under the carpet?

Eleos Café, 28 Fore Street, Chard

Quarry in the Mendips

I'm not entirely sure what this mural is meant to be of but I thought it was worth a photo.





King Size, Haydon Road,Taunton

I thought for a while it said King Sue but I think it is King Size!

We Will Remember Them

The King Size mural in Haydon Road, Taunton was replaced in November 2018 by this excellent mural to commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War

We Will Remember Them, Haydon Road, Taunton

The Dolphin Pub, North Street, Wellington

The Dolphin Pub, North Street, Wellington

Larger than life otter, Tower Lane, Taunton

NB: He has disappeared since I took this photo - well otters do tend to be rather elusive!

Weston-Super-Mare has a large number of street art paintings, many of them painted by JPS (aka Jamie Scanlon) and a female street artist called Fawn.  There are so many that Visit Weston have produced an art trail leaflet featuring many of them.  I have yet to visit most of them but here are a few of them:

Tabby cat, Weston-Super-Mare

Sonic Boom by JPS, Colonel Stephens Way, Weston-super-Mare

Fawn by Fawn, Weston-Super-Mare

Terminator, Scally's Pub, Carlton Street

Balloon Girl, Scally's Pub, Carlton Street

Better than a Bear Wall, Richmond Street

Painted on a Dark Knight

Dangermouse - this is tiny and painted at the bottom of a pillar box on Marine Parade

 Gogo Girl, Greenfield Place
This painting originally made more sense, as there was a real chain across the front of the shop.  However the shop appears to have closed down.

Cat - in a shelter near Birnbeck Pier

Angel, Loves Café, West Street

Yoda, Weston Indoor Market, High Street

Ewok, Weston Indoor Market High Street

Hovercraft, Relish Café & Bar, West Street - this is tiny

Welcome to Dismaland, Relish Café & Bar, West Street

Relish Café & Bar, West Street - another tiny painting

Helicopter, Relish Café & Bar, West Street

Upturned police car, High Street

This painting is tiny

Corpse Bride, MT Games, Meadow Street

Predator, MT Games, Meadow Street

I wonder if he enjoyed his Costa takeaway coffee? 

Freddie Kruger, Burlington Street

Dark Wednesday, Cat and Spider at Behind Bars, Meadow Street

Spider, Behind Bars, Meadow Street

Balloon Girl, Alma Street

Tortoise and Pizza, Gloucester Street

Students on an Extension Studies course painted a wall in Knightstone Road, Weston-super-Mare in c2011.  The Paintjam Mural is very long and is a beach scene, which features some famous people from Weston-super-Mare e.g. Jeffrey Archer, John Cleese and Roald Dahl's BFG.

Jeffrey Archer and lifeboat on the Paintjam Mural

Paintjam Mural, Knightstone Road

John Cleese on Weston Pier

John Cleese and Jeffrey Archer

Paintjam Mural featuring Roald Dahl's BFG, Weston-Super-Mare

Soldier, Banwell

Portishead Lido

Portishead Open Air Swimming Pool

Dunster Village, Dunster Underpass

Dunster Castle, Dunster Underpass

Giraffic Park Bus Stop, Brean

Giraffic Park Bus Stop, Brean

Goddess Hall, Benedict Street, Glastonbury

Mural by Faye Suzannah in Beckery Road, Glastonbury

Parish churches of Street and its twin towns Notre Dame de Gravenchon in France and Isny im Allgau in Germany 

Map of Street showing places of interest in Street,      Leigh Road, Street

Clark's shoemaker, Leigh Road, Street

I noticed on a visit in December 2023 that the above murals in Leigh Road, Street are no longer there.  They have been replaced by the ones shown below.  These were commissioned by Street Parish Council, Street Library Trust and Mendip District Council.  They were painted by Jonathan Minshull and were unveiled in May 2022.

Shoemaking and Hay Harvesting

The left hand panel depicts the inside of C&J Clark's shoemaking factory in Street 1900-1910.  The right hand panel shows hay harvesting in Street 1860-1880.

Fossils in Quarry and Peat Cutting

The left hand panel depict the discovery of ichthyosaur fossils at one of the Street blue lias limestone quarries in the 1850s.  The right hand panel shows peat harvesting on the Somerset levels c1900.

Mural showing one of Street's twin towns?

Paddington Trust Farm, Glastonbury

Northload Street, Glastonbury

This mural, which features various Glastonbury landmarks and legends, has proved to be very controversial.  In 2015 homeowner Bill Knight commissioned a group of local artists to paint a mural on the side of his house, as he was fed up of graffiti being sprayed on it.  However his house is a listed building and Mendip Council initially refused retrospective planning permission for it, due to its colours, size and style.  3,500 people signed a petition asking for it to be allowed to stay and in August 2016 the council agreed that it could remain there for two years, after which time the case will be reviewed.  I like it: it is very Glastonbury!

In 2016 the grey concrete harbour wall of Watchet's Old Mineral Yard Car Park was brightened up with a giant mural depicting scenes from Watchet's history.  Watchet Arts Group had applied for a £21,000 grant from the Hinkley Point Community Impact Mitigation Fund to transform the harbour wall in to a heritage mural. but their application was turned down, so they invited self-taught local artist Pat Dennis to paint it.  The mural is 5 metres high and 30 metres long. The idea for the mural came from the late Tim Prior, who was formerly chairman of Watchet Arts Group.

Watchet Arts Group - Harbour Wall Mural

Railway at Watchet

Under sea creatures

St Decuman's Church, the Domesday Book and the Vikings

Watchet's maritime heritage

Iron Mines in the Brendon Hills

The Ancient Mariner's albatross merges with the real blue sky

Lady on Watchet Harbour wall

Nautical and agricultural mural on the garden wall of Esplanade House, Watchet

This mural was commissioned by Watchet Art Group and painted by local artist Pat Dennis in 2019.  

Esplanade House mural, Watchet

Watchet seafront

Under the sea mural on the Watchet Brownie and Guide HQ

Perchance to Dream Mural, The Brewhouse Theatre, Taunton

Mural in Manor House Road, Glastonbury by The Krumble Empire (Kim van Coels) and Sophie Alexi

Other end of the Manor House Road Mural, Glastonbury

 I couldn't get a better photo due to parked cars.

A mural celebrating Bridgwater's history was completed in November 2017.  It was painted by local artist Rachel Gundry, with help from local residents.  It is located on the Broadway side of Blake Gardens, just to the south of the underpass.





Bridgwater Carnival

Admiral Blake, Blake Gardens, Town Hall and Town Bridge

Cornhill and St Mary's Church, Bridgwater

Skateboarder on the ramp access to the Red Brick Building, Beckery, Glastonbury by JPS

Facebook mural by Fawn - on the side of the Red Brick Building, Beckery, Glastonbury

(hanging out your dirty washing perhaps?)

Mural on a disused building adjacent to the Red Brick Building, Beckery, Glastonbury

Wildlife mural under the Tangier Way bridge, which crosses the River Tone in the centre of Taunton 

This section depicts French Weir, the willow cathedral, an egret, a water vole, an otter and some fish

Tangier Way bridge wildlife mural showing the old town bridge, another otter and a pair of mallard ducks

Cricket meets recycling!

Mural on the side of the Viridor offices in Priory Bridge Road, Taunton

Canal mural at Maunsel Lock on the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal

The Willow Man and Glastonbury Tor on a "temporary" mural Castle Street/Tangier Way Taunton 

Dunster Castle and the West Somerset Railway on the "temporary" mural wall in Castle Street/Tangier Way, Taunton

Taunton Marathon mural - Castle Street/Tangier Way, Taunton

Unofficial? mural under the Trenchard Way River Tone bridge

Magpie's Nest shop, Benedict Street, Glastonbury

Magpie's Nest shop, Benedict Street, Glastonbury

Wildwood mural, just off Glastonbury High Street

Stik Mural, just off Glastonbury High Street

Hares' Moon, Hill Head, Glastonbury

North Street, Wiveliscombe

Rainbow Walkway, Goodland Gardens, Taunton

Decorated shipping container next to Fiddington Church

Shipping Container, Fiddington Church

Cow mural, Great Elm

Giant flower mural on the side of a house at Stathe Farm, to the south east of Burrowbridge

Mural depicting  Watchet Harbour in Anchor Street, Watchet

Kingsmead School, Wiveliscombe

This mural, which is on display outside the science block at Kingsmead school was painted in 2019 by year 8 art students, as part of their Challenge Week.  It focusses on the school's core values of Aspiration, Care, Respect and Determination. The images represent every subject and support area available to students at the school.  It is 16 feet high and 12 feet wide.

Otter, French Weir, Taunton

Foot & Gait Clinic, Bridge Street, Taunton

Foot and Gait Clinic, Bridge Street, Taunton

Orange tree mural, The Quarter Restaurant, Lower Middle Street, Taunton

Wellington themed mural, Courtfields School, Wellington

This mural features various Wellington landmarks, including the water towers, monument, former mills, Wellesley Cinema and the fire station

Queen Elizabeth II mural, pedestrian bridge over the railway line, Station Road, Wellington

This colourful mural was commissioned by Wellington Town Council from Taunton based Aerosol Art to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in 2022.  It features key events that took place during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, including Concorde, the Moon landings, the opening of the Channel Tunnel, the cloning of Dolly the sheep, the death of Princess Diana, the marriage of William and Kate, the 2012 London Olympics and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Beatles Abbey Road album

Concorde and the Moon Landings

The release from prison of Nelson Mandela, the opening of the Channel Tunnel and Spice Girls' Girl Power

The cloning of Dolly the sheep

Golden Jubilee 2002 and the marriage of William & Kate

London Olympics and the Covid-19 pandemic

Platinum Jubilee 2022

East Reach, Taunton

Triptych Mural, North Street, Wiveliscombe

Cockerel by Irony, Sultan's Kebab House, Weston-super-Mare

This was painted for the Weston Wallz Project 2021

Mural by Dan Kitchener, Regent Street, Weston-super-mare

This was painted for the Weston Wallz Project 2021

Flamingo by Sian Storey, Oxford Corner Cafe, Weston-super-Mare

This was painted for the Weston Wallz Project 2022

Seals & goldfish by Curtis Hylton, Oxford Corner, Weston-super-Mare

This was painted for Weston Wallz Project 2022

Let it Shine by Mishfit, Knightstone Island, Weston-super-Mare

This was painted for the Weston Wallz Project 2023

Cheshire Cat? by Vza, back of the RNLI shop, Weston-super-Mare

Red Arrows mural, North Petherton Memorial Park

Keep Calm and Carry On mural, North Petherton Memorial Park

It's a shame about the spelling mistake!

Luttrell Arms, Dunster

Mother Nature, Orchard Multi-storey Car Park, Paul Street, Taunton

This mural was spray-painted by Sam Gaden of Aerosol Art in June 2024 as part of a project by Go Create and Rights Community Action.

Snowdon Hill Toll House, Bath Street, Chard

I presume the initials painted on the right hand side are those of the artists?

Forefront Community Centre & Church, Fore Street, Chard

John Stringfellow's triplane is shown at the top.

Forefront Community Centre, Fore Street, Chard

This mural was painted by Jordon Lauder from The Mural Company in 2023.

Isaiah Ch40 v31 "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

George Street, Taunton

This was painted by Sam Gaden of Aerosol Art.

Woolavington Bus Stop

This mural was designed and painted by Karon Woodward in 2020.

Flower mural, Lower Middle Street, Taunton

Taunton Pride, Debenhams, North Street