Shepton Mallet is best known for its proximity to Glastonbury festival, held three miles south of the town at Worthy Farm. It’s less known for being the home of Babycham, invented by the Showering Brothers in the 1940s. Today, with various breweries producing beer and also, in true West Country fashion, cider, perhaps it’s apt that the town is situated so close to Britain’s largest music festival.
Beyond its brewing credentials, Shepton Mallet’s historic market cross gives an indication of the town’s rich heritage. We’ve been working with Shepton Mallet Town Council to deliver a wayfinding strategy that will create a stronger sense of place and help visitors and residents navigate this traditional market town more easily. As part of this, we’ve designed a wall-mounted sign to highlight a series of historic trails through the town. A further phase of wayfinding will follow in the Autumn.
From information on the establishment of its traditional market, the impact of the Black Death and prosperity gained through its cloth trading, the trails will give visitors the confidence to explore the streets of Shepton Mallet and uncover the town’s history for themselves.
They might just be surprised at what they will find.
