Pair of obelisks at the turn in to Cotham Park, Cotham, Bristol

Image: © Robin Stott Taken: 26 Jun 2017

The obelisks marked the entrance to Cotham Park, "developed by Francis and Richard Fry on the land of Cotham Lodge [after it was] demolished, 1846." They are listed Grade II: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1207692 Eight-thirty on a sunny morning – everyone's going to work. I was waiting for a bus to take me to the summer meet and AGM of Geograph Project Limited in the city centre. A display in Bristol Museum and Art Gallery explains: "A pair of obelisks made of White Lias [limestone] with the upper surface of Cotham Marble used as naturally 'vermiculated' blocking. Many weathered blocks have had to be replaced with carved vermiculation." A closer look at Cotham Marble is Image "White and Blue Lias Limestone The muddy limestones from the top of the Triassic beds and bottom of the Jurassic are generally only used locally, on the outcrop – Horfield, Knowle, Cotham, Keynsham. Many of the beds tend not to weather well."

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