This corner-detail of a lovely piece of modern stained-glass (the St Benedict Window) in Shrewsbury Abbey reminds us that the sponsors of the window were The Gild (sic) of Freemen of Shrewsbury. As you'd expect, their badge carries the loggerheads.
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It seems rather bizarre to realise that this shiny road sign in Shrewsbury is already an antique. Like thousands of others in the area, it shows the arms of Shrewsbury & Atcham Borough Council - which no longer exists. It was abolished in 2009, and its powers were split between Shropshire County and the new Shrewsbury Town Council. People mistakenly believe that the bridge in the picture is one of Shrewsbury's bridges, but, no, it's Atcham Bridge.
Of course, it would cost a fortune to replace all the road signs, so they will stay up until they decay, one supposes.
By the way, I have never been able to work out if the yellow markings are just a case of poor, misaligned printing or a deliberate attempt at a 'modern design' in scrolling. Does anyone know?
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This quaint little structure, just inside the gates of Shrewsbury Castle, is in fact a former cabmen’s shelter/rank. It once stood in the town's Market Square, just a couple of hundred yards away – where it had provided a place out of the rain for cabbies as far back as horse-drawn times.
The roundel in the top window shows the arms of Shrewsbury & Atcham Borough Council, which existed from 1974 to 2009. As the shelter is much older than 1974, one wonders why this badge was installed...
Also... does anyone know exactly how old the shelter is?
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Bridgnorth, in south-east Shropshire, has few loggerheads that we could find, but this one is prominent and central. It’s on the frontage of 21 High Street, the site of the old National Provincial Bank building (1905), which is now owned by Nat West.
Presumably, banks wanted to display loggerheads as a sign of their commitment to the locality.
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This plaque, now on display in Shrewsbury Castle Military Museum, was a gift from The Admiralty to Atcham Rural Council in 1943. Atcham is a village in Shropshire not far from Shrewsbury.
The council was one of those to ‘adopt’ a ship during the Second World War: adoption meant a number of things, from knitting socks for the sailors to financial aid. Curiously, it must have been very soon after this presentation (perhaps?) that HMS Shropshire was gifted to the Royal Australian Navy, as it was in late 1943.
Interestingly, this is another example of a single loggerhead; and another instance of the tongue being depicted in a 'disc', not lolling, shape. The shape - presumably - is a protruding tongue which is then folded over. Is that right? Does anyone know the true interpretation?
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There are surprisingly few loggerheads souvenir items available on general sale, even in Shrewsbury, and almost no novelty ones.
So this loggerheads inspired Easter egg is in fact a one-off, especially created - as a welcome surprise - for a loggerheads fan.
And he was delighted with it!
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It's quite unsual to see a coloured firemark, as on this house in Meole Brace, a village near Shrewsbury. This probably means the item has been acquired as a curio and then painted.
Such firemarks (numbered plaques issued by local fire insurance companies) are now regarded as antiques.
However, the colours are spot on - gold/amber for the leopards' heads, and blue for the background - so, truly Salopian loggerheads!
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