Having a Poet's Corner and a Poetry Festival is, among other things, proof of Ottery's commitment to preserving the memory of its most famous literary and philosophical figure, Samuel Taylor Coleridge. We wanted to know more about the Poet’s Corner, contacted Josefina Gori, who in 2018 was in charge of the project.

“This was a project very close to my heart. As a Councillor and Chair of the OSMTC Regeneration Working Group I felt it was a great honour to lead the project.

“On February 14th 2018 the Council received an e-mail from the Planning Obligation Officer EDDC and in charge of S106, advising the Council that there was a balance of £3.235.63 in the Town Centre Improvements pot which had to be spent by the end of March of that year, also indicating that needed clear Town Centre capital projects to be presented to her.

“With the help of the then Mayor and Deputy Mayor, we started to look at several alternatives following the guidelines given to us by the Planning Obligation Officer EDDC. After studying many, including using the money for the Christmas lights, funding the production of a Town Guide or replacing the bridge at the Land of Canaan; all of them were rejected by the legal team. We then came up with the idea of using the money to replace the benches in the centre of town as some were in bad shape. Nevertheless the money was for “enhancements”, so it was suggested looking to step them up a notch in terms of designs and recommended getting in touch with Angus Ross whom had produced bespoke benches for other Councils.

“We contacted DCC Highways he made us realise that the biggest obstacle was the lack of available space to put the benches in the centre of Town. If it wasn’t private property, it was the entrance to a cellar or regulations that wouldn’t allow it. We thought a bench at the bus stop near Boots was ideal. Unfortunately, the money was for town centre enhancement, and the town centre is considered to be between Sainsbury’s and the Town Hall and along the shopping street.

“In the end, the only suitable place available was the terrace in front of the new library, as it was Council property. Furthermore, the library was covered by CCTV paid for by the Town Council and would act as a deterrent for vandals. Creating a literary link between the bench and the library would be a plus towards getting approval for the money; if it was bespoke under the Town Council rules on exemption, one quote was enough and would facilitate being ready for the deadline.

“I know that for some of you, the cost of the bench seems astronomical. The reason why we thought there was a need to incorporate the “Poet’s Corner” into another project that would attract not only visitors interested in poetry but people interested in the culture that surrounds our town, hence the idea of the project that we called The Cultural Triangle. A project I am proud of.”

The Poet’s Corner comprises a bench plus an interpretation table built by the OSM Men’s Shed. Angus Ross saw the bench as a place for people to pause at the Library. Constructed out of native oak and sourced locally, it has a wide seat with enough room to rest your shopping or library books. There are quotes from Coleridge, chosen by the Heritage Society, engraved on the sloping backrest. The bench is a distinctive landmark and can be used from either side or the ends so that people can be faced in every direction, either to take in the view of the town centre or to look out for someone they are waiting to meet.

On the 9th of June 2018, Cllr Paul Bartlett –Mayor of Ottery St Mary – inaugurated the new bench with the attendance of numerous members of the public, councillors, representatives of the Heritage Society and the Friends of Coleridge.

Perhaps the Poet’s Corner Bench will one day inspire some new poetry.