Frome Town Council recently undertook improvements to The Roundhouse, centrepiece of a popular green space by the river at Welshmill, known as ‘The Otherside’, on the opposite side of the river to the Pump Track and Welshmill Park. The updated roundhouse was officially opened by Mayor Andy Jones on Wednesday 4th December.
The original roundhouse and an adjoining riverside path was opened in 2015 by then Deputy Mayor Alison Barclay. A popular meeting space, over the years The Otherside has seen the addition of a wildlife pond and flower beds. The timbers used in the original roundhouse construction started to rot, and damage to roof slats hastened the structure’s decline. A project to replace the structure began in October 2024. Metal supports for the wooden poles have lifted them slightly off the ground, preventing future rotting, and the timber chosen for the refurbished roundhouse is stronger and more resilient, for longevity.
Cllr Mark Dorrington said “This project was made possible thanks to the skill of experienced carpenter and project leader Martin Roscoe of Housemartin Carpentry, supported by Richard Chisnall of Futurustic Woodworking and Joey Blane, Laurence Hardy and Dan Stevenson. Building the self-supporting reciprocal roof was a particular challenge, as working out how the poles lie on each other has a mystical geometry to it! Our rangers provided excellent support and it’s looking fantastic.”
“Like the roof timbers used in the construction, which were felled metres from the roundhouse, Martin’s workshop is just across the road, so this has been a truly local endeavour. One of the most challenging tasks was hunting down exactly the right timber for this special job: many sawmills were contacted in an effort to find the right roundwood timber: it seems natural timber doesn’t grow on trees! Many thanks to Marilyn Smith of Wessex Water and Ben Brebner of Frome Sewage Treatment Works for going above and beyond to help the team access and use quality timber from their site, preventing it going to waste. This new structure, with the help of a careful maintenance regime by the rangers, should last a very long time, and ensure this lovely space can be enjoyed for many years to come. Thanks also to the many passers by who stopped to chat and were so appreciative of the work being done, and to Zak Gratton of Wild Memories and Sheila, Sue and Susan of FROGs for their involvement in looking after The Otherside.”
The work on the roundhouse coincided with ongoing Environment Agency works to create a watercraft launching site and lifting pad by the Roundhouse. This work is expected to finish before Christmas 2024, allowing full public access to The Otherside once more.
