This may be the oldest full set of loggerheads (outside of seals or manuscripts) still in existence. It was in Shrewsbury’s old Romaldesham Hall, which was demolished in 1760, so this set possibly dates back to the 17th century.
It now has pride of place in Shrewsbury Museum.
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The public relations company working to boost Shrewsbury, ‘Shrewsbury BID’, has been busy this summer commissioning artists to paint the town's telecom cabinets. The artworks give a very colourful look to the environment.
As they seem to be on a general wildlife theme, I had rather hoped a loggerhead-leopard might be included – but sadly no.
This bird here is an (extinct) dodo, reminding us of how many species are now no longer with us.
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The large plaque by the main doors at the Severn Theatre in Shrewsbury is one of the last art commissions made by Shrewsbury & Atcham Borough Council. It wasn't long after this plaque went up that the council was dissolved - and the new Shrewsbury Town Council came into being.
(The loggerheads represent Shrewsbury, and the bridge represnts the village of Atcham).
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In our last post, we looked at the 150 year-old carved loggerheads on the exterior of Coleham School in Shrewsbury.
What’s interesting is to see how the loggerheads device keeps on being updated.
In this instance, the design in the photo above is the current Coleham School version, which can be seen on the school’s current signs and its pupils’ jumpers. The traditional blue & amber colouring has been retained, though the lolling tongues are gone.
The faces on the new design are however noticeably more cheerful than those of a hundred years ago, though – one might observe – some of the old heraldic gravitas has gone.
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They don't make 'em like this anymore! This pediment over Coleham Primary School is as ornate as you can get. Not only is there this huge effort but miniature versions over three doors.
Shrewsbury & Atcham Council seemed to have had a determination around 1900 to really stamp a civic look (including its loggerheads device) on the town.
You can find the school easily, just five minutes walk from the town centre and over Greyfriars foot-bridge.
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The monument to William James Clement, the radical Shrewsbury politician, show three shields of arms on it – those of the borough of Shrewsbury, those the Royal (Shrewsbury) Grammar School and those – presumably – of William Clement himself (see photo above).
He was a ‘commoner’ so he must have applied for the set of arms, and chosen the elements within it... and he chose loggerheads – the icon of his home town.
Clement served on the town council for over 30 years,
getting involved in fine tussles with the dominant Tory group, and also did
a stint as an MP for the town.
Did he choose the loggerheads for
his device as a sign of his native credentials, to spite his Tory
opponents? Well… maybe, who knows?
In fact, are these definitely his arms?
You can find the monument just by
Greyfriars Bridge (north side). There is also a portrait of him in the
town art gallery, though it is not always on show.
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