THE historic Quakers Walk gates in Devizes have been restored, complete with dolphin emblems, marking a memorable mammal that legend says saved hundred of lives.

Dolphins have been absent from the roundels in the gates for more than 40 years.

Wiltshire Council took the opportunity while having the gates restored to have new dolphins made.

The dolphins were the symbol of the Colston family crest. The Colstons owned Roundway Park and the Quakers Walk gatehouse.

Both the gatehouse and the gates are Grade II listed.

According to legend, Edward Colston, a merchant from Bristol who was born in 1636, took the dolphin as a symbol following the safe return of an uninsured ship .

It is said that one of his ships, heavily laden and returning from the West Indies, sprung a leak which the crew were unable to stop. The water rose rapidly but unaccountably it ceased. The pumps were kept at work and the ship was soon cleared of water and able to proceed.

On reaching port the ship was examined for damage and a hole was found in the ship’s timbers, but it had been blocked by a dolphin which had got stuck in the hole, keeping the leak at bay sufficiently for the ship to carry on its voyage.

The dolphin was credited with saving the lives of the crew and the vessel from floundering.

Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon, which are building the new houses on land next to Quakers Walk, paid for the restoration work to the gates. In phase one of the work, the masonry was cleaned and cleared of vegetation before the stonework was restored and the detail to the top of the stone pillars replaced.

In phase two, the iron works were restored by carrying out blast cleaning, replacing and repairing missing palings, installing the dolphin motifs and repainting the iron works.

Wiltshire councillor Sue Evans, whose ward includes the Quakers Walk gates, said: “The gates look really great, it’s really good for the town.

“The connection with the dolphins is fascinating.”

Philippa Morgan, co-ordinator of Quakers Walk Protection Group, said: “The gates look great. The company who did the work have done a very good job and the dolphins look very nice.”