Buildings of Central Somerset mural

A ceramic mural depicting the buildings and natural environment of central Somerset, designed and made by Philippa Threlfall and Kennedy Collings. It was commissioned by C & J Clark Ltd, the shoe manufacturers, for The Crispin Centre in Street.

The mural measures 1.5 metres by 8.5 metres and is located at the southern entrance of The Crispin Centre shopping development. It is constructed from textured and modelled clays in a variety of colours, with selective glazes. The tiles are embedded in polyester resin panels, and the sky is created from various shades and sizes of Cornish slate pieces.

The design depicts a range of important and typical historic buildings from across central Somerset, arranged as if laid out in front of the viewer, moving from north to south as the composition progresses from left to right. The mural includes major landmarks such as the west front of Wells Cathedral and St Michael's Tower on Glastonbury Tor, alongside modest vernacular housing from villages throughout the area, and details of historic buildings including churches, the butter cross from Somerton, and the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey. Buildings of Street feature prominently, including the shoe factory of C & J Clark, the commissioners. The buildings are strongly modelled in various colours of clay with selectively glazed areas to suggest windows and add colour.

Beyond the architectural elements, the design includes the natural landscape, with the Mendip Hills and Somerset Levels in the background unifying the composition. It depicts rural industries of the area: peat moors, the growing of teazles for use in the wool industry, and apples for cider making. The only human figure in the piece is a basket maker in the foreground, shown weaving withies growing nearby.

The mural features an extensive list of specific buildings and landscape features: the Mendip Hills, Brent Knoll, King John's Hunting Lodge at Axminster, bench end from Brent Knoll church, Wedmore church, houses at Wedmore, Queen Anne's lace, a cottage from Mark Moor, peat working at Godney Moor, Abbot's Fish House at Meare, the church and farm at Meare, the Conduit in Market Place Wells, the west front of Wells Cathedral, the Bishop's Eye and swans on the Bishop's Palace moat at Wells, houses at Croscombe and Dinder, a capital showing grape stealers from Wells Cathedral, Prestleigh viaduct at Evercreech, the market cross at Shepton Mallet, Bowlish House at Shepton Mallet, Abbot's kitchen at Glastonbury Abbey, a finial from the Bear Hotel in Street, Glastonbury Abbey ruins, Street Hill with the Hood Monument, St Michael's Tower and Glastonbury Tor, Glastonbury Abbey Barn, the main façade of C & J Clark's shoe factory in Street, houses in Street, Friends' Meeting House in Street, C & J Clark clock tower in Street, The Windmill, Sedgemoor, the market cross, almshouses and shops in Somerton, traditional local crops of withies, teazles and apples, the ruins of St Michael's church at Burrow Mump, houses at Burrowbridge, Westonzoyland church tower, St Mary's spire and St John's tower at Bridgwater, the bridge and Castle Street in Bridgwater, and a basket maker from Athelney.