Willow Man

Once nicknamed the ‘Angel of the South’ due to the similarity in its roadside location to Anthony Gormley’s more famous ‘Angel of the North’, the comparison ends there. 

The twelve metre tall statue was built by the Somerset artist Serena De La Hay at a cost of 15,000 pounds, this roadside attraction was intended as a symbol of the local area.

Following an arson attack in 2001, the decision was made to rebuild the statue with a moat to stop potential arsonists from gaining access. 

Various attempts have been made to repair the wicker cladding, but as of 2022 it was recognised that the cost of restoration could cost anything up to £100,000.

A housing estate and a giant distribution centre have robbed the location of its originally intended open setting, with just the base of the statue and its metal arms visible as a curiosity from the motorway.