Fire Exit Frieze

Today we decided to head to another town that we'd not been to in years - Sevenoaks in Kent. Unfortunately, it was yet another nondescript day - pallid slate grey skies and not even a hint of sunshine - but we made the effort to venture out nonetheless.
I can't say that we were particularly excited about our reacquaintance with the town as it proved to be almost as nondescript as the weather and feeling in need of something to restore our spirits somewhat when we then came across a public house named The Restoration we took as a sign to stop for a pint and try to get our photographic juices flowing again.
Not long after we left the pub we suddenly came upon a triangular area at the heart of the old town with the gloriously eccentric name of "The Shambles".
Many of the buildings in this area of the town have early origins, some having clear medieval roots with complicated histories and uses that have altered over time. Some have disappeared entirely but the original centuries old plan is preserved in the odd corners and sharp angles that still exist.
The area is now largely composed of the backs of shops which front on to the High Street with efforts having been made over the years to improve this relatively tiny area of the townscape, most recently in the addition of murals and panels representing just a few of the trades present here in the medieval period.
My main image is of just some of these murals by Juliet Simpson and Tom Cousins which were first painted in 1999, sponsored by the town's District Council, and resulting in what must be the most elaborate fire exit that I have ever seen - a fire exit frieze if you will! I even like the pops of colour from the attendant purple bin lids!
The extra made me do a second take - rather alarmingly I initially thought it was real dog that had been abandoned in a sack in a shop window. In fact it appeared to be a lost display piece that had been left behind when the shop closed - made all the more poignant by the fact that the label attached to the, as it turns out, ceramic sack says "With Love".