Round About by John Bailey  RSS feed

Welcome to Round About, this section is dedicated to local history and was written by former News Editor John Bailey. These articles have appeared in the Weston & Somerset Mercury over many years and have become very popular with our readers. We hope you will enjoy them just as much. Copyright: John Bailey.

Water Divining on Banwell Moor with ‘Cough John’

WATER has always been precious, and ratepayers who have been protesting about the increased water rate are no doubt inclined to think we are living in times when it is to be regarded as liquid gold.... » MORE

'It's Heigh-ho! Heigh-ho! Come to the fair'

AUTUMN, with its rich colouring, the superb tapestry that nature weaves before the leaves fall, has always charmed me, but as a child the autumn glow that drew me... » MORE

Touring Weston in the 1850s with Mr Whereat

Let's slip back to the 1850s and take a walk around Weston, which then had a population of under 5,000, was conscious that it had a future as a seaside resort, and was... » MORE

When the Romans came

Banwell has some interesting links with Roman occupations, in particular the discovery of the Winthill bowl, which is now in the Ashmolean Museum. The Romans occupied... » MORE

Tiz the zider! Tiz the zider!

Cider is an ancient and powerful drink, and its production is not the prerogative of Zummerzet, though the county has long been famed for it. The word has come down... » MORE

When bishop died his house was 'sacked'

Of all the stories associated with bishops of Bath and Wells and their residence at Banwell the most extraordinary is that concerning the wholesale 'sacking' of... » MORE

Golden entertainment era of the Grand Pier

There are many Westonians who can recall the golden entertainment years of Weston's Grand Pier. They were years when seasonal entertainment in this town... » MORE

Grand Pier was to have been longest in country

The role of the seaside pier has changed much down the years, so much so that at many places it has become a rusting anachronism in which there is no profit. Brighton had... » MORE

By-road to the charm and peace of West Huntspill

May the sea wall stand in front still And guard us all in Huntspill. So runs an old saying. But where is the sea wall? Anyone driving down the A38 and reaching West Huntspill just past Highbridge would not imagine it to... » MORE

Rector who gave £15,000 to build churches and schools

In years of swift growth when new churches were built, Weston was fortunate to have as its Rector Archdeacon Henry Law, who in addition to his conscientious work... » MORE

Story search Search for stories


MEMBERSHIP
ADVERTISEMENTS

Buy photos online of Weston-super-Mare news and events

SNIFF IT OUT!

MOVIE TRAILERS: