A statue of an Ottery-born poet has been approved by the council.

Sidmouth Herald: A front view of a maquette designed by sculptor Nicholas Dimbleby. Picture: JUDITH COXA front view of a maquette designed by sculptor Nicholas Dimbleby. Picture: JUDITH COX (Image: Archant)

Coleridge Memorial Trust (CMT)’s proposal to install a £100,000 bronze statue of Samuel Taylor Coleridge has been given the green light by East Devon District Council (EDDC).

Including the plinth, the statue will be almost seven-and-a-half feet tall and will be made out of bronze, while the plinth will me made using granite.

EDDC states construction must begin within the next three years setting a deadline of January 18 2022.

The statue will be placed on the south side of Ottery Parish Church and in its application, the trust said: “Coleridge is a colossus of English cultural history, and as Devon’s pre-eminent cultural icon, we are duty-bound to cultivate his international reputation and impress upon visitors the love Coleridge had for his home town and for the church in particular.”

The poet was born in 1772 in the School House in Ottery and was known to spend much of his youth in the church grounds.