A cherished wooden dragon sculpture representing Somerset's folklore has been severely damaged by vandals who used a saw to cut off several parts of the artwork. The 13-foot-tall sculpture, located on High Street in Taunton, is now missing an arm, multiple toes, an ear, and its tongue after what Somerset Council believes was a deliberate act of vandalism.
The wooden dragon statue was originally created in 2023 by chainsaw artist Matthew Crabb and was commissioned by the former Somerset and West Taunton Council. The sculpture was designed to celebrate and reference the county's rich folklore traditions, specifically the legendary Somerset dragon that holds symbolic importance in the region's cultural heritage.
Simon O'Rourke, a fellow chainsaw artist and friend of the sculptor, expressed his disappointment about the vandalism. "He created this sculpture to make something really nice for the town," O'Rourke said, referring to Crabb's original intention behind the artwork. O'Rourke also explained the complexity of repairing such damage, noting that "it's not a straightforward repair. One of the things about making repairs is that you're then applying new wood to old and it dries at a different rate and it will look very different for quite a while."
Somerset Council acknowledged the significance of the sculpture to the local community, describing it as a "much-loved" part of Taunton's town center. A council spokesperson stated that officials are currently reviewing the best course of action regarding repairs to restore the damaged artwork. The council emphasized that "repairs will be carried out when we have determined how we can ensure the continued protection of the sculpture which has become a much-loved part of Taunton's town centre."
