Steadiness at the urinal

It's not often you fall into laughter on entering a men's toilet, but at the Roebuck Pub in Leek, you have to smile at least when you see this unusual structure.
The landlord/lady has kindly provided a head-cushion for the weary drinker who may probably have had .... let's say, more than a few. Unsteady on his feet he can lean forward whilst using the urinal and, placing his forehead on the cushion, keep himself in an upright position.
I deem this a kindly & considerate act by the owners. There's even a handle too.

Penny-bank colours

This rather striking coloured panel can be found on Pennybank House in Leek.  The name recalls the Leek Co-operative Society, which used to have a base in this building. (Children were once encouraged to save a penny a week by the Co-op).
Pennybank House is not on the normal tourist trail, so not many people see this work, which is a shame.

Too graphic for church?

This curiously sexual wooden panel relief can be seen in the Lady Chapel of Saint Edward Confessor Church at Leek.  The church is the grand old lady of Leek and is fascinating for any visitor, especially anyone who likes stained-glass.

I thought this depiction of The Annunciation was rather graphic for a church (or am I just old-fashioned?), so I bought the guide to find out when it had been done, and by whom.  It's actually quite a fine piece of work anyway.
However... the guide does not mention this piece at all. I wonder if the wardens preferred not to draw attention to it?

Matching the mismatching

Catching up with fads can be a puzzle.  At the trendy Spout Cafe in Leek we sat at shabby chic tables, and were served tea in mismatching crockery.  It was explained to me by my companion that this was not a careless mistake, but is the very latest way to present accessories in avant-garde eating-out venues.

I'm told it's something to do with: retro / vintage / [ place your own word here... ]. 

Cock-up in Leek

You actually couldn't make this story up...

In Leek, there are lots of brightly-coloured benches - all exhibiting a number of symbols of the town.  The confusion is: what's the cockerel doing there?  Although very prominent on these municipal benches, the rooster isn't thought to be a bird that is anything to do with the Staffordshire Moorlands.

The local paper was so perturbed by this anomaly that it set a reporter on the case, who reported back saying that it was... umm ... all a mistake!  The bird should be a moorhen. 
The original mistake, made in 1956, has never been corrected.
See : Leek's Heraldry ... mistake

Getting the blues in Leek

The annual Leek Blues Festival took place over the weekend, and very fine it was too, with dozens of acts appearing in local pubs and venues, the vast majority of them free to get in.
The weather held fine too - and Pete Latham, no mean blues slide-guitar man himself - took over busking duties on the Sunday morning... as you can see.

Once were Greats

Times change.  On the facade of the Nicholson Institute in Leek, now also the town's library and Art Gallery, you'll see these four faces.  The four are the Eternal Geniuses of The Arts & Sciences - at least so far as the makers of the buildings were concerned back in the 1880s.
The four are Shakespeare, Newton, Reynolds, and Tennyson - and above their heads is a quote from the poet Milton.

However...  of them all, probably only Shakespeare is the one now whose works are still well-known, loved & appreciated.

Police set out to impress

This grand old entrance is, believe it or not, just the doorway to the old Leek town police station.  However, the huge text and the Latin inscription demonstrates the intention at the time (1891) - to impress (subdue?) the local population.

I also notice the Stafford Knots above the columns...

Last in the county for livestock

The Leek Cattle Market, which takes place every Tuesday, is the last livestock auction venue left in the whole of Staffordshire. 
It seems strange that such a rural county should have only the one market - but that tells you something about farming I suppose.

Is it a fish? Is it a man?

This extraordinary gargoyle is to be found on the exterior of St Luke's Church in Leek, looking out for malefactors or anybody inending no good to the church.... 
In fact, it's pretty weird, with its flaps that look like nothing so much as gill protectors; and I have no idea what it is meant to be.
The church was built in 1848, so it's nothing oddly medieval.

I can't help thinking (very disrepectfully, probably) that it looks very much like the famous 1950s monster, The Creature From The Black Lagoon.

This post was featured on the City Daily Photo Theme Day on the theme of 'Looking Out'

Venice... in Staffordshire

The annual Venice carnival, which runs for the twelve days before the beginning of Lent, is now under way.
Sadly, the nearest I shall get to Venice this year is this superb painting of the city by the Victorian artist William Wyld. You can see it in the Nicholson Institute (aka Leek Library). It’s part of the collection there.

Though it’s over 100 years old, the picture has a wonderful vividness.

Links: Venetian Scene by William Wyld (on BBC Paintings)

A Long Way From Poland

'A Long Way From Home' is how these words translate from their original Polish.
However, there seems to be no reason as to why this archway should be here, as it's over an alleyway in Leek which leads just to a Belgian-style bar known as Den Engel.
Odd.

Anyway, it is probably associated with the 'Borderland Voices' project, which works with the local Polish community especially in the area of recording memories. Many of the Poles here came to this part of Staffordshire after the War.


LINK: A Long Way From Home - Borderland Voices

A wallaby in Leek

Wallabies are of course Australian citizens...normally... yet this one was definitely north Staffordshire born and bred.
Its body was found in the 1990s on the wild moors north of Leek, being then stuffed, and then mounted here in the Nicholson Institute, the museum of Leek.

The reason he was there was on the moors was, as you'd expect, that his forebears had escaped in the 1930s from a private zoo on the nearby Swythamley estate, and had formed a small wild colony - from which he is presumably descended.
It does seem amazing that these wallabies should have survived the harsh winters up there though.

Sadly, no other wallaby has been spotted for a while now, so (even though they can be notoriously shy) it has to be assumed the colony has died out.

Foxlowe - a top community cafe

'Community cafes' have a record of turning out to be dingy, badly-run coffee-and-cakes places in a chilly village hall.
But, that's far from the case with the Foxlowe in Leek. The old building at the top of Market Place was saved after a long campaign, and is now a thriving arts centre.  It relies on donations and ticket sales, so its existence is never far from precarious, but it is successful...

...and classy. Though there are some very good tearooms and cafes in Leek - in fact, this is one of the best towns in Staffirdshire for such - the Foxlowe Cafe (run by volunteers, seven days a week) is up there with the best of them.

Leek's timorous lion

This lion, which stands guard outside Moorlands House (the home of the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council in Leek), is probably the most unfrightening lion in history. His gormless and slightly timorous look undermines any attempt by him to be king of the jungle.
It really doesn't matter which angle you look at him from, he always looks rather unhappily startled.

It would be fun to know something more of his history.

Roundabout shock horror furore

This is Leek roundabout. That’s all I have to say. In  fact, this photo could even enter the ‘most boring photo of the year’ competition, and probably win.

Yet this tiny roundabout has caused more upset and dissension than any other subject over the last eighteen months in the north Staffordshire town of Leek.
Apparently the local authorities want to demolish it and replace it with traffic lights, and build a new pedestrianised feature here in front of the memorial (the tall white building in the photo).

Outside of Leek, there would likely be no objection, as the roundabout is a fairly ugly structure (as I’m sure you’ll agree).
But the local population has gone wild in its opposition to the scheme - and it’s claimed that the petition to save it was signed by half the adults living there!

The council says the works have to be done to cope (they say) with an expected rise in traffic - so the council is also showing a proper sense of leadership and vision.
Yet... I have some sympathy – after all, what is democracy if the local representatives can just ignore such an outburst of anger? 
Who’s right?  What’s right?

Anyway, the demolition is supposed to start this Monday.
Hmm.

Link: Save Leek Roundabout (Facebook group)  /   ‘Save Our Roundabout’

Italians come to market

Outdoor markets on various themes (‘Farmers’, ‘Continental’ etc) are very popular now.

Getting in the mood, Leek town centre had an Italian Market today… and we had some Italian sunshine to go with it.

Arts & Crafts style in Leek

The façade of the Nat West Bank in Leek never interested me that much – but a book by George Noszlopy & Fiona Waterhouse drew my attention to it. Their book ‘Public Sculpture of Staffordshire & Black Country’ attempts to describe and give the history of nearly every significant piece of public art in the county. It’s a pretty impressive book, if you like that sort of thing, which, clearly, I do.

Anyway, apparently, the façade is a good example of Arts & Crafts-style architecture in the 1880s.

Moorlands mermaid

The Blake Mere Mermaid, depicted in this terrific leaded window, is a famous character-of-legend in the moorlands around Leek.
She hides out deep in a large pool high in the rocky ridge above Leek. However, sadly, she’s not someone you would want to meet on a dark night: as she drags young men down to their deaths if they are careless when passing her lair on their way home.
A famous pub nearby commemorates her.

Actually, this piece of glass is in an old house, that is now the home of the leading solicitors Fearns Marriott, in the centre of Leek. The total collection of images in the window represents various aspects of the topography of the Moorlands.
I took the photo from outside, in the street, which is why the lighting is a little askew.

Erm...I do like the way that the artist-designer has modestly hidden her bare breasts under a line of lead. (Very discreet indeed!)

Link: The Legend of the Mermaid of Black Mere

Mucky Duck

Ah, the Mucky Duck…!  Many a pleasant hour has been spent in here by members of the drinking classes in Leek.

Yes, I know the official name is the Black Swan, but Leekites would just look puzzled if asked where it was, and know it only as the 'Mucky Duck'.