Taxing at St Nicholas

These loggerheads appear over the doorway into the Saint Nicholas Cafe Bar in the Castle Gates area of Shrewsbury town.

When I first noticed them some years ago, they were in a small window in the staircase up one of the turrets (the building being a converted church). At that time, the owner said he thought that the building had been a tax office (or something like that) some decades ago for the local authority - thus we have the town council logo, the loggerheads.  Does anyone know any different theory?

The building is the Victorian neo-Norman church of St Nicholas which I find rather ugly, but, nevertheless, it is Grade II listed. 
It's not clear when it was converted to secular use.

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Sharp militaria

 

A collector of loggerheads pieces is is best off looking at sales of militaria if s/he wants a quick purchase.  The Shropshire Yeomanry regiment didn't always feature the loggerheads in their identification but often enough. Yeomanry collar badges (see pic) are quire common in sales of militaria circles.
Their loggerheads tend to be sharp-eared variety.

Of course, you don't have to buy one to see one.  There are lots of Yeomanry badges at the Shropshire Soldiers Museum at Shrewsbury Castle.

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Golden loggerheads

Following on from the last post, here's another piece by Edwin Cole. His descendant Garen Ewing passed on this photo to me - thank you to him!
The piece is a Battle of Shrewsbury memorial coin - made in 1903, designed by the then mayor Herbert Southam, and actually illustrated by Edwin Cole - to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Shrewsbury.  A number were made, some in gold.

Obviously, the loggerheads, as the symbol of Shrewsbury, were included on the medal, among other heraldic devices.

Interestingly, the newspaper report of the time described Cole as an heraldic artist, not a watercolourist (which I thought he was more famous as).

In theory, one should still be able to see a copy of this coin.
One of the ones made of gold, says a contemporary newspaper report, was placed into one of the links in the town Mayor's chain of office.

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Edwin Cole's glass

 
A very very good friend spotted this rather lovely piece of decorated glass on sale at an arts shop in Shrewsbury. Thank you to her!
It’s been attributed to Edwin Cole, who was born in the town in 1860.
Cole is much better known for his watercolours, so this is a rare find. Which probably explains why it’s quite expensive …!

It’s difficult to tell if this was a commission from the municipality (for an office) or from a private patron (for their home).  Does anyone know?

You’ll find it at Number Sixty One.

(PS if you too have spotted a loggerheads, please let us know!)

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Salopian tree - from London

 It’s not as well-known a fact as it should be, but there is a Shropshire Society In London group – made up of former Salopians now based in the capital.  They honour their home county often; and this year they contributed a tree to the Decorated Christmas Tree Festival at St Chad’s Church in Shrewsbury.

As you can see, the Salop loggerheads form the society’s badge.  As they should…

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University heads

 

You feel as these three could really bite if they wanted to; their whiskers are sharp enough too!

You’ll find them overhead as you mount the stairs inside the entrance to the new University of Shrewsbury. This work is clearly an homage to the loggerheads themselves, as there is no sign that they derive from a heraldic device. The sculptor has given them a bronze colour as well, rather than the traditional gold/amber.

The university took over the Guildhall complex from the old Shrewsbury Council when it was set up just a few years ago, so the trio might have been left behind by the departing councillors. Or was it a new addition – a gesture of allegiance by the university to its home-to-be?

It would be interesting to know – please contact us if you have the knowledge.

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Lighting it up

A friend on mine spotted this set.
If you squint a bit you can see a marker, perhaps burnt on to the glass (it’s too high up to see properly), inside this street lamp. It bears the arms of the old Shrewsbury & Atcham Borough Council. There's a painted white F there too. I suppose it’s there as a mark of ownership.
Was it a way to deter thieves perhaps?

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