WATCHET acquired a new major landmark this week when a 150ft long version of famous lines from ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’, written in the town in 1798, were unveiled on the north wall of the harbour overlooking the marina and the Esplanade.

The work of well-known local artist Pat Dennis, who completed the task in a seven-hour stint, starting at 6.30am, the new version of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s verse replaces one painted on the East Quay warehouse when Watchet was a commercial port. The building was demolished five years ago.

“We have dreamed ever since of reinstating Coleridge’s words which are a part of Watchet history, and we have finally been able to do so,” said Molly Quint, chairman of Watchet Arts Group, the driving force behind the venture.

“Now the lines of the poem are back for all to see and already we have had a wonderful reaction from residents and visitors, and on social media.

The verse: “The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew, the furrow followed free,” is part of the world famous epic poem dreamed up by Coleridge and friends during a walk on the Quantocks, and said to have been sketched out in a Watchet pub.

Pat Dennis, who painted a massive mural on the sea wall in the town’s Old Mineral Yard and another in Esplanade Lane, said: “I was a bit nervous about doing it - it was quite a challenge painting letters of that size on a rough surface and I couldn’t make any mistakes!

“I paced out where the letters should be and outlined them in chalk before giving them three coats of paint. It was an honour to restore something which many people had said they missed and I’m pleased that people seem to like it.”

Permission for the artwork was granted by Somerset West and Taunton Council and the project was supported by Watchet Town Council, Watchet Coastal Community Team, the Marine Group and Watchet Community Bookshop.

Molly added that the new landmark will complement the Ancient Mariner statue on the other side of the harbour, created by sculptor Alan Herriot in 2002. She said that another arts group project involves a forthcoming poetry book called ‘Time and Tide’, with contributions from local people about the town.

“We are only a small organisation but we do everything we can to attract people to our wonderful town,” Molly said.