Get Down Shepton

Shepton Mallet v Hallen, Western League

Initial plan was to head for Sidmouth, but this was scuppered by the driver of a freight train at Reading, who managed to go through a red signal, bringing the network to a halt for an hour, scuppering original plans.

So instead, headed west to Bath for the bus to Wells, stopping off at the guide pub at Chilcompton. These are the things I learned from that pub.

1. The locals had a ‘reach over the bar and serve yourself’ arrangement

2. 90% of the locals drink the exotic tipple of Cheddar Valley cider and orange

3. If you want cheap lawnmower carburettor membranes, this is the pub to head for

4. Motorcycle CBT refreshers can be held in pub back rooms, and there appears to be no restriction on what the pupils are drinking.

5. Tempering the locals language is only effective if you also do it for the pub parrot.

On to Wells and a quick dash to the market produced the offerings for later.

An unexpected bonus was the Cummins ISBe 135 PS engined, Marshall Capital C39 bodied, 2002 TransBus Dennis Dart SLF, on the 161 to Frome via Shepton Mallet. This is a sub fleet operating out of Wells, ticked for the first time in 2007 whilst it operated the First Capital service to Ruislip Lido.

It was also the filthiest bus I have ever been on, this being the back shelf.

Shepton Mallett grew as a centre for the wool trade.  However, the weaving trade moved to the mechanised north, which saw the town focus on the manufacture of silk and crepe, meaning a proper revival in the 1970s.  Added to the 1970s theme, is that Shepton is where Babycham is brewed/made/pissed.  These days, it is the actual place where the Glastonbury festival takes place, Glastonbury itself being somewhat distant from the Eaves farm.  It is also host to the Royal Bath and West Show, where people with squints go to stroke cattle.  A wander around the moribund centre took about thirty seconds, so I headed for the suburbs.

This took me to the dullest named ground in non-league; the Playing Fields.

Shepton Mallet 0 v Hallen 0,  Toolstation Western League Premier Division

 

 

Shepton Mallet Town FC were a mainstay of the Somerset League, before steping up to the Western League in the 1970s.  They spent ten seasons there before nominally going bust in 1986.  In reality, they dropped the Town suffix, and continued in the reserve teams place back in the Somerset Senior League.  After 15 years of high finishes, they won the league in 2001, and returned to the Western.  This time it was 13 years before they gained promotion, this being their first season in the premier division.

Hallen FC started out as Lawrence Weston, a large post-war housing estate in the north east of Bristol.  By the early 1980s, they had moved to a new ground at Hallen, which saw them join the  Gloucestershire County League.  They then progressed to the Hellenic league in 1992, switching to the Western in 2000.  They were promoted to the premier division in 2004, where they have remained since.

Despite its appearance, the Playing Fields have only been in use since 1956.

The main stand was previously in situ at Street’s Victoria Park, but Shepton bought it off them when Street moved to the Tannery field.

Opposite is a recently built stand, grandly calling itself a ‘pavillion’, but contained the sort of fixed seating around a table you normally only get in a Wimpy. Both were named after dead people.

Letting the ground down, an Atcost monstrosity is also present.  This replaced a a lorry sawn in half that used to adorn the far touchline.

The pitch has a noticeable slope, which seems to be a feature of Somerset.

The Main stand has gone goth and every inch of it now painted black.

 

Fortunately this man had a hi-viz declaring he was the official team photographer, because I’m always confusing them with the unofficial ones.

 

The game was of a decent standard, despite Hallam being third from bottom and not paying players.

However, neither side could muster a goal and it finished 0-0.  They need to bring back the home sides greatest player, Peter "The Shepton Showman" Applegate.

Move home was 161 bus to Frome for the 234 to Trowbridge, where I finally had to succumb to some 153 mileage for the year for the direct service back home.

The aforementioned local foods were a Somerset Charcuterie cider and mustard salami, a Wooton Dairy sheeps milk Dumpling and a blue veined Somerset Cheddar. Shant was just over the gallon of Glastonbury Ales Mystery Tor.