Three Lamps Bristol

Wide Angle Wednesday:  Signs and Signals

This weeks wide angle wednesday challenge is on the subject of signs and signals.  I've been tied to my desk all day, so I've chosen to go with a reasonably straightforward interpretation of that challenge. 

This is Bristol's Three Lamps, it is the area where the road from Bristol divides into two, one road going to Bath (and eventually London) and the other to Wells (and eventually if you follow it for long enough Lands End).  

If you look at the signpost you can see where the area gets its name.

The signpost dates back to the early nineteenth century.  I haven't been able to establish exactly when, but I like to think that round about the time that the battle of Waterloo was taking place this signpost would have been new.  As you can see it carries two finger posts, and pierced lettering reading BATH and WELLS.  It is designed to be looked at by travellers leaving Bristol, but we are looking at it from the "wrong" direction, so we see the lettering back to front.  The sign always had lamps, although the current glass lamps date from the 1980s when the signpost was restored.

If you look in the foreground you can see the modern traffic lights that control the junction. In comparison they are very utilitarian and unexciting, somehow I can't see them lasting anywhere near the 200 years the 3 lamps sign has managed.

Many thanks to Chantler63 who is in charge of the Wide Wednesday challenge this week, you can see other entries here

Work commitments mean that I am struggling to keep up with your kind comments tonight, but I hope to get the chance to catch up with your journals and respond tomorrow.