PROFESSIONAL historians will be called in to a Somerset town to help save a potentially medieval wall. Part of the wall, on land south of Old Manor House in High Street, Axbridge, has been earmarked for demolition under plans to build new houses with car

PROFESSIONAL historians will be called in to a Somerset town to help save a potentially medieval wall. Part of the wall, on land south of Old Manor House in High Street, Axbridge, has been earmarked for demolition under plans to build new houses with car parking.But residents say it is one of the many historic features of the town, which itself is a conservation area, and part of its heritage. Councillors are now calling for a proper examination of the wall, together with an environmental officer's report, to date the brickwork. The demands come after the applicant, Annabelle Chard, put in a renewed application to Sedgemoor District Council to remove part of the wall to provide access from a proposed car park to 10 two-bed dwellings. Councillor Barry Hamblin, who has been against the proposal since it was first submitted in July 2006, said: "At our planning meeting on Tuesday we discussed the new proposal but have decided once again to advise Sedgemoor District Council not to let it go ahead."Our local archaeologist John Page says it is obviously very old and possibly ancient, but it is hard to tell as the wall is covered in ivy. Before any planning application is accepted, we need to know the true age of the wall."We have recommended that Sedgemoor District Council gets in a professional environmental officer who will give us a full report, as the last one who came down did not report back."The controversy started last year, when a developer asked for permission to have alterations done to the wall. The original plans were to remove the entire wall, but they have now been re-submitted so that only part of it is removed. The application will go before Sedgemoor's planning committee later this month.