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Somerset is a county in South West England. The county town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county. The ceremonial county of Somerset borders the counties of Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the coast of the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the River Severn.
Somerset is a rural county of rolling hills such as the Mendip Hills, Quantock Hills and Exmoor National Park, and large flat expanses of land including the Somerset Levels. The county played a significant part in the consolidation of power and rise of King Alfred the Great, the English Civil War and the Monmouth Rebellion.
Agriculture is a major business in the county. Farming of sheep and cattle, including for wool and the county's famous cheeses (most notably Cheddar), are traditional and contemporary, as is the more unusual cultivation of willow for basketry. Apple orchards were once plentiful, and to this day Somerset is known for the production of strong cider. It can broadly be subdivided into seven main constituent parts:
The area benefits from one of the most scenic landscapes in England. Nearly two thirds of the western land area of the district forms part of Exmoor National Park designated in 1954 while on the eastern edge of the district are the Quantock Hills which, in 1956, became the first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty created in the UK. Large areas of Exmoor and the Quantock Hills are also designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest because of their value for wildlife.
The West Somerset Railway runs through most of the district, from Bishop's Lydeard in the south east, to Minehead in the north west. Operated mainly as a tourist attraction, the railway runs mostly steam and some diesel locomotives.
Towns: Minehead.
Main villages: Allerford, Bicknoller, Brompton Ralph, Crowcombe, Dulverton, Dunster, Exford, Holford, Huish Champflower, Kilve, Luccombe, Luxborough, Monksilver, Porlock, St Audries, Simonsbath, Stogumber, Timberscombe, Triscombe, Vellow, Washford, Watchet, Weacombe, West Quantoxhead, Williton, Winsford, Withycombe, Withypool, Wootton Courtenay.
Communications: The nearest mainline rail connections avilable to London Paddington are from Taunton with train times of approximately 2 hours 20 mins. The major roads to the area are either the M5 (Jn 25) or the A303 transfering to the A358 at Taunton.
Places of interest: Dunster Castle, Cleeve Abbey, Cothay Manor, Quantock Hills, Exmoor National Park, West Somerset Railway.
The South Somerset district covers and area ranging from the borders with Devon and Dorset to the edge of the Somerset Levels.
Towns: Bruton, Castle Cary, Chard, Crewkerne, Ilminster, Langport, Milborne Port, Somerton, Wincanton, Yeovil
Main villages: Alford, Aller, Ashill, Babcary, Barrington, Barton St David, Compton Pauncefoot, Bratton Seymour, Brympton, Buckland St Mary, Chaffcombe, Charlton Horethorne, Charlton Mackrell, Charlton Musgrove, Chillington, Chilthorne Domer, Combe St Nicholas, Corton Denham, Cricket St Thomas, Cucklington, Dinnington, Dowlish Wake, East Chinnock, East Coker, Fivehead, Hardington Mandeville, Haselbury Plucknett, Hinton St George, Horsington, Huish Episcopi, Kingsbury Episcop, Kingweston, Knowle St Giles, Limington, Long Load, Long Sutton, Marston Magna, Martock, Misterton, Montacute, Muchelney, North Cadbury, North Cheriton, North Perrott, Norton sub Hamdon, Penselwood, Seavington St Mary, Seavington St Michael, Shepton Beauchamp, South Petherton, Stoke sub Hamdon, Stoke Trister, Tintinhull, Wayford, West Chinnock, West Coker, Whitelackington,Winsham.
Schools: Hazelgrove, Perrott Hill, Bruton School for Girls, King’s School.
Communications: Threre are a number of mainline railway stations in South Somerset which go to either London Waterloo or Paddington and include Bruton, Castle Cary, Crewkerne, Templecombe, Yeovil Junction and Yeovil Pen Mill (1.75 to 2 hours). The A303 London to Exeter main road provides access to most centres and London. The A37 Yeovil to Bristol main road runs north/south through the area.
Places of interest: Barrington Court, Montacute House, Forde Abbey, Muchelney Abbey.
The district of Taunton Deane is centered on the town of Taunton, and includes surrounding suburbs and villages. It lies between the Quantock Hills and the Blackdown Hills with a fertile vale between.
Towns: Taunton, Wiveliscombe and Wellington.
Main villages: Ash Priors, Bathealton, Bishops Lydeard, Bradford on Tone, Cheddon Fitzpaine, Chipstable, Churchstanton, Combe Florey, Cothelstone, Fitzhead, Hatch Beauchamp, Kingston St Mary, Langford Budville, Lydeard St Lawrence, Milverton, Otterford, Sampford Arundel, Staple Fitzpaine, Stoke St Gregory, Stoke St Mary, Tolland, West Bagborough, West Buckland, West Monkton.
Schools: Taunton, King’s College, Queen’s College, Wellington.
Communications: The nearest mainline rail connections avilable to London Paddington are from Taunton with train times of approximately 2 hours 20 mins. The major roads to the area are either the M5 (Jn 25) or the A303 transfering to the A358 at Taunton.
Places of interest: Hestercombe Gardens, Cothelstone Manor, Taunton Race Course, Bridgwater to Taunton canal, Taunton Castle, Poundisford Park, Hatch Court.
A low lying area of land close to sea level between the Quantock and Mendip hills, historically largely marsh, it contains the bulk of the area also known as the Somerset Levels, including the World's oldest known engineered roadway, the Sweet Track. There are a number of sandy beaches and resorts along the Bristol Channel
Towns: Bridgwater, Burnham-on-Sea, North Petherton, Highbridge, Axbridge.
Main villages: Cheddar, Compton Bishop, Cossington, Fiddington, Goathurst, Middlezoy, Moorlinch, Nether Stowey, Otterhampton, Over Stowey, Spaxton, Wedmore.
Communications: The nearest mainline rail connections avilable to London Paddington are from Taunton with train times of approximately 2 hours. The major roads to the area are either the M5 (Jn 24/23) or the A39 or A372/A303.
Places of interest: Cheddar Gorge, Wookey Hole, Coleridge Cottage.
The area is predominantly based along the Bristol Channel with the main focus being Weston-super-Mare.
Towns: The principal towns in the district are the coastal towns of Weston-super-Mare, Portishead and Clevedon and the commuter town Nailsea.
Main villages: Banwell, Blagdon, Bourton, Brockley, Burrington, Butcombe, Chelvey, Christon, Churchill, Claverham, Cleeve, Congresbury, East Rolstone, Flax Bourton, Ham Green, Hewish, Long Ashton, Lower Langford, Milton, North End, Pill, Portbury, Puxton, Sandford, Sheepway, Sidcot, Tickenham, Uphill, West Wick, Wick St. Lawrence, Winford, Winscombe, Worle, Wraxall, Wrington.
Communications: By road on the M4/M5 (Jn 21/22) from London or by train changing at Bristol Temple Meads with connections to London Paddington.
Places of interest: Mendip Hills, Sand Bay and Sand Point, Worlebury Hill, Burrington Combe, Goblin Combe, Brockley Combe, North Somerset Levels, St. Paul's Church, Kewstoke, Woodspring Priory.
The Mendip District of Somerset is a picturesque area in the South West of England. Its wonderful scenery ranges from the limestone Mendip Hills to the tranquil Somerset Levels.
Towns: Frome, Glastonbury and Shepton Mallet are the only towns in the district, as Wells has city status and Street has maintained its status as a village despite a population in excess of 11,000.
Main villages: Baltonsborough, Batcombe, Binegar, Butleigh, Butleigh Wootton, Chantry, Chewton Mendip, Dinder, Ditcheat, Evercreech, Godney, Lamyatt, Meare, Mells, Nunney, Oakhill, Pilton, Priddy, Pylle, Rode, Ston Easton, Stratton-on-the-Fosse, Stoke St Michael, Trudoxhill, Upton Noble, West Compton, Westbury-sub-Mendip, Westhay, Wookey, Wookey Hole, Wraxall, Witham Friary, Yarley
Schools: All Hallows, Millfield, Wells Cathedral.
Communications: By road on the A303/A37 and A361 or by train from London Paddington to Frome (1 hour 40 Mins).
Places of interest: Glastonbury Tor, Glastonbury Abbey, Wells Cathedral, the Abbot’s Fish House, Mells Manor, the Bishop’s Palace, Wells.
The area stretches from the outskirts of Bristol, south into the Mendip Hills and east to the southern Cotswold Hills and Wiltshire border. The city of Bath is the principal settlement in the district, but the area also covers Keynsham, Midsomer Norton, Radstock and the Chew Valley.
It has has varied geography including river valleys and rolling hills. The history of human habitation is long but expanded massively during Roman times, and played significant roles in the Saxon era and English civil war. Bath developed as a spa resort in Georgian times and remains a major cultural tourism centre having gained World Heritage City status.
Towns: Bath, Keynsham, Midsomer Norton.
Villages: Bathampton, Batheaston, Charlcombe, Chelwood, Chew Magna, Chew Stoke, Combe Hay, Compton Dando, Corston, Dunkerton, East Harptree, Englishcombe, Farmborough, Farrington Gurney, Marksbury, Monkton Combe, Nempnett Thrubwell, Newton St Loe, North Stoke, Norton Malreward, Paulton, Peasedown, Paulton, Radstock, Saltford, Stanton Drew, Swainswick, Timsbury, Ubley, West Harptree.
Schools: Downside, King Edward’s, Paragon, Kingswood, Prior park, Monkton.
Communications: By road on the M4 (Jn18)/A46 or the A4 from Chippenham. Rail connections are from London Paddington to Bath Spa (1 hour 40 mins).
Places of Interest: Bath is a major tourist centre and has a range of museums and art galleries including the Victoria Art Gallery, the Museum of East Asian Art, and Holburne Museum of Art, numerous commercial art galleries and antique shops, as well as numerous museums, among them Bath Postal Museum, The Fashion Museum, the Jane Austen Centre, the Herschel Museum of Astronomy and the Roman Baths. Outside the city there are also several historic manor houses such as St Catherine's Court and Sutton Court.
The Old Hemp Store
North Mills
Bridport
Dorset DT6 3BE
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