Explore the rich heritage of this diverse town with LAURA BRIGGS.
STEEPED IN A rich history, the town of Wellington celebrates all that is great about British industry and design.
Welcoming visitors to the town from its vantage point on top of the Blackdown hills, the Wellington Monument acts as the gateway to the town – and can be seen from miles around.
Built to celebrate the Duke of Wellington, the idea was originally mooted in 1815 following the Duke’s victory at the Battle of Waterloo. After some competition Thomas Lee Junior was appointed to design the monument and his original design included a cast iron statue of the Duke of Wellington himself sitting atop the tower, to measure 140ft.
The money ran out in a matter of months however, and the monument was only standing at 45ft by this time. It was finally completed in the 1820s, without the statue at the top. In 1846 and again in the early 1850s a lightning strike caused serious structural damage and as it was considered a danger to the public, local architect Charles Giles was given the task of repair and redesign, and he set out to make the monument the tallest three-sided obelisk in Britain. At 175ft tall, Giles succeeded.
The monument is visited by more than 40,000 every year and is looked after by the National Trust, who have put in an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund to raise four million for its complete restoration.
Bu hikaye Somerset Life dergisinin September 2017 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Somerset Life dergisinin September 2017 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Up on the Down
Try this easy-to-follow Exmoor walk with SIMONE STANBROOK-BYRNE
Shop until you drop
It’s Somerset’s county town, it’s the place to go for the big shops, but Taunton is also home to a thriving independent scene, discovers CATHERINE COURTENAY
Creatures of the night
Have you ever had something swoop past your ear, almost unseen? You may have had a brief encounter with a bat, says BERNARD BALE
Bowled over
Now that we can return to skittle and bowling alleys - albeit with new rules BERNARD BALE reveals that the sport of bowling has many Somerset links
Trackway through time
In the Somerset Levels SIMONE STANBROOK-BYRNE discovers a place where our Neolithic heritage rubs shoulders with the present day
SAVING THE SPLENDOUR OF EXMOOR
The splendour of Exmoor National Park may appear timeless and untroubled, but a new book reveals the long and often bitter struggle conservationists faced to save the landscape from the twin threats of afforestation and the plough
Decorative art
Not simply functional, treat your walls like an extension of your personality
Charity starts at home
How do we teach our children the importance of giving back?
Blooming brilliant
Will and Lauren Holley purchased a four-acre field in Somerset, converted it into a nursery, opened during lockdown and now their perennial plants are flying off the shelves. JULIE HARDING meets the go-getting couple
Age-old advice
Just become a grandparent for the first time? Perhaps you need a little guidance, so here are some top tips about how to embrace your new family role
