IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Primrose Terrace, RADSTOCK, BA3 2US

In the 19th century a path passed under the railway at this point, joining the town with Norton Hill Farm. Later the alignment became Pit Road and was the main access to Norton Hill Colliery (No. 1). Today the railway and colliery have gone but a spoil heap remains, merging with the railway embankment, just visible on the left.

An old cinema, it may well have been open in the days of the silent screen. Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keeton, Ruby Keeler, they may have been here. According to the Reader's Digest Great Illustrated Dictionary a palladium is "A sacred object held to have the power to preserve a city or state possessing it." You can see why Midsomer Norton did not want to pull it down.

My kids enjoyed their swim in the pool which is in a convenient town centre location.

Behind the Riverside Bar which provided the drill sergeant's accommodation,orderly room, armoury and a recreation room on first floor. The town's new Territorial drill hall was opened by Earl Waldegrave supported by Lord Strachie on June 13, 1914. It shares features with the other Territorial Force halls built in the immediate pre-WW1 period in Somerset.

Christmas hasn't gone by uncelebrated. Hollies, High Street, Midsomer Norton.

The Palladium in Midsomer Norton is now a sad and neglected sight. Originally the buildings here were part of the Welton Old Brewery Company, dating from the nineteenth century. One of the old vat houses was converted into The Empire Cinema - a 'cinéariety' house with stage, dressing rooms and raked auditorium in 1913, with other adjoining rooms being utilised for other diversions like billiards. The original owner, Sidney Milles, sold it to Albany Ward, who renamed it the Palladium Electric and also made a number of on-going alterations to provide film and stage entertainment in 1915. From then it changed hands a few times until Ken and Shirley Stone took over in 1981. Ken started as a projector rewind boy in 1944 and remained associated with the cinema. However, despite the efforts put in, the cinema slowly lost out to the more modern but distant multiplexes. The last film shown at the Palladium was, most appropriately, 'Cinema Paradiso', on 30th January, 1993. After its closure the Palladium was bought by Moonjuice nightclub owner Martin Sawyer, but unfortunately he died in a car crash in 2004. Since then its doors have remained closed and the old picture house left to gather dust. Some hope was raised by plans to convert it into a nightclub in 2007 but nothing has materialised yet. The Town Hall now shows films on an occasional basis. Some of the old cinema's historic double backrow seats were sold off and avidly sought by buyers - many of whom had happy memories and tales of a night at the flicks.

War Memorial and River Somer

The years of changing fashion and taste are exemplified on this part of the frontage. See Image] for a wider view.

The building that looks over the River Somer by the war memorial dates from 1861. See Image] for the many coats of colour.

The asymmetrically styled building in front of the war memorial has certainly had more than one former occupant. The lower premises are highlighted by the ground storey paintwork. See Image] for a closer look.