| Somerset | |
| 'Motto of County Council: Sumorsaete ealle' ('all the people of Somerset') |
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| Geography | |
| Status | Ceremonial & (smaller) Non-metropolitan county |
|---|---|
| Origin | Historic |
| Region | South West England |
| Area - Total - Admin. A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group A County council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a County. The ceremonial counties are areas of England that are appointed a Lord-Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as the Counties for the purposes of the Lieutenancies Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of Subdivisions of England used for the purposes of Local government outside Greater London The historic counties of England are ancient subdivisions of England. The region, also known as the government office region, is currently the highest tier of local government sub-national entity of England, with only one South West England is one of the Regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. council - Admin. area |
Ranked 7th 4,171 km² (1,610 sq mi) Ranked 12th 3,451 km² (1,332 sq mi) |
| Admin HQ | Taunton |
| ISO 3166-2 | GB-SOM |
| ONS code | 40 |
| NUTS 3 | UKK23 |
| Demography | |
| Population - Total (2006 est. This is a List of Ceremonial counties of England by Area. See also Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. This is a list of non-metropolitan counties of England by area Taunton is the County town of Somerset, England. The Unparished area (or former Municipal borough) of Taunton has a Population ISO 3166-2GB is an ISO standard which defines Geocodes it is the subset of ISO 3166-2 which applies to the United Kingdom. The Office for National Statistics coding system is a hierarchical code used in the United Kingdom for tabulating Census and other statistical data The Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics, ( NUTS) for the French nomenclature d'unités territoriales statistiques, is a Geocode In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology ) - Density - Admin. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume council - Admin. pop. |
Ranked 22nd 895,700 214/km² (554/sq mi) Ranked 25th 518,700 |
| Ethnicity | 98. This is a List of Ceremonial counties of England by Population. This is a list of non-metropolitan counties of England by population. 5% White |
| Politics | |
 Somerset County Council http://www.somerset.gov.uk/ |
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| Executive | Liberal Democrat |
| Members of Parliament |
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| Districts | |
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Somerset (pronunciation ; IPA [ˈsʌmɚˌsɛt]) is a county in South West England. The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the Composition Graphical representation of the House of Commons This is a comparison of the party strengths in the British House of Commons Jeremy Richard Browne (born 17 May 1970, Islington) is a British Politician. The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the Liam Fox (born 22 September 1961) is a British Conservative Politician, currently Shadow Defence Secretary and The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. This article is about the politician For the professional wrestler see David Heath (wrestler. David Philip Heathcoat-Amory MP (born 21 March 1949 British Politician, Accountant and Farmer. David Anthony Laws (born 30 November 1965 is a politician in the United Kingdom. Ian Richard Peregrine Liddell-Grainger (born 23 February 1959) is a politician in the United Kingdom. Dan Norris (born 28 January 1960 London) is the Labour Member of Parliament for Wansdyke in England. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the John David Penrose (born June 22, 1964) is the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP for Weston-super-Mare. South Somerset is a local government district in Somerset, England. Taunton Deane is a local government district with Borough status in Somerset, England. West Somerset is a local government district in the English county of Somerset. Sedgemoor is a local government district of Somerset in England. Mendip is also a shortened name for The Mendip Hills, from which this district takes its name Bath and North East Somerset (commonly referred to as BANES or B&NES) is a Unitary authority that was created on 1 April 1996 North Somerset is a Unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered The counties of England are territorial divisions of England for the purposes of administrative political and geographical demarcation South West England is one of the Regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The county town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county. A county town is the 'capital' of a County in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland. Taunton is the County town of Somerset, England. The Unparished area (or former Municipal borough) of Taunton has a Population 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. The ceremonial counties are areas of England that are appointed a Lord-Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as the Counties for the purposes of the Lieutenancies Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London History See also History of Gloucestershire Gloucestershire is a historic county mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in the 10th century Etymology The county formerly 'Wiltonshire' or 'Wiltunscir' (9th century is named after the former county town of Wilton (itself named after the River Wylye Dorset ( (or archaically, Dorsetshire) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast Devon is a large county in the South West of England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name It is partly bounded to the north and west by the coast of the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the River Severn. The Bristol Channel ( Môr Hafren) is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset An estuary is a semi-enclosed Coastal body of Water with one or more Rivers or Streams flowing into it and with a free connection to the open For other rivers named "Severn" see Severn River. The River Severn ( Welsh: Afon Hafren, Latin The traditional northern border of the county is the River Avon, but the administrative boundary has crept southwards, with the creation and expansion of the City of Bristol, and latterly the county of Avon and its successor Unitary Authorities in the north. The River Avon is a River in the south west of England. Because of a number of other River Avons in England this river is often also known as the Lower Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London The former County of Avon was a non-metropolitan county and ceremonial county in the west of England, named after the River Avon, which See also Independent city A unitary authority is a type of Local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all Local government functions [1]
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 Mendip Hills (commonly called The Mendips) are a range of Limestone hills situated to the south of Bristol and Bath in Somerset The Quantock Hills are a range of Hills west of Bridgwater in Somerset, England. Exmoor is a National Park situated on the Bristol Channel coast of south west England The Somerset Levels (or Somerset Levels and Moors as they are less commonly but more correctly called is a sparsely populated Wetland area of central Somerset There is evidence of human occupation from Neolithic times, and subsequent settlement in the Roman and Saxon periods. The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial The Saxons or Saxon people were a Confederation of Old Germanic tribes. Later, 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. Alfred the Great (also Ælfred from the Old English Ælfrēd ˈælfreːd (c The English Civil War (1642-1651 was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists. The Monmouth Rebellion of 1685, also known as the Pitchfork Rebellion, was an attempt to overthrow James II, who had become King of England at
Agriculture is a major business in the county. Farming of sheep and cattle, including for wool and the county's famous cheeses, 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. Unemployment is lower than the national average, and the largest employment sectors are retail, manufacturing, tourism, and health and social care. Population growth in the county is higher than the national average.
Contents |
History
Toponymy
The name derives from Old English Sumorsǣte, which is short for Sumortūnsǣte, meaning "the people living at or dependent upon Sumortūn". Somerset is an historic County in the south west of England There is evidence of human occupation since prehistoric times with hand axes and flint points from [2] The first known use of the name Somersæte was in 845, after the region fell to the Saxons. [3] Sumortūn is modern Somerton and may mean "summer settlement", a farmstead occupied during the summer but abandoned in the winter. Somerton is a town in the English County of Somerset, on the River Cary, near Yeovil and Street, northeast of A farm is an area of land including various structures devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food ( Produce, Grains, or Livestock [4] However, Somerton is not down on the levels—lower ground, where only summer occupation was possible because of flooding—but on a hill where winter occupation would have been feasible. An alternative suggestion is that the name derives from Seo-mere-saetan meaning "settlers by the sea lakes". [5] The people of Somerset are first mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle's entry for 845 AD, in the inflected form "Sumursætum", but the county is first mentioned in the entry for 1015 using the same name. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of Annals in Old English chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. The archaic county name Somersetshire is first mentioned in the Chronicle's entry for 878. Although "Somersetshire" had been in common use as an alternative name for the county, it went out of fashion in the late 19th century, and is no longer used. This is possibly due to the adoption of "Somerset" as the official name for the county through the establishment of the County Council in 1889. However, as with other counties not ending in "shire", this suffix was superfluous, as there was no need to differentiate between the county and a town within it.
The Old English name continues to be used in the motto of the county, Sumorsaete ealle, meaning "all the people of Somerset". A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group Adopted as the motto in 1911, the phrase is taken from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of Annals in Old English chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. Somerset was a part of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex, and the phrase refers to the wholehearted support the people of Somerset gave to King Alfred in his struggle to save Wessex from the Viking invaders. The History of Anglo-Saxon England covers the history of Early medieval England from the end of Roman Britain and the establishment of Anglo-Saxon West Saxon redirects here For other meanings of Wessex or West Saxon see Wessex (disambiguation. Alfred the Great (also Ælfred from the Old English Ælfrēd ˈælfreːd (c A Viking is one of the Norse ( Scandinavian Explorers Warriors Merchants, and pirates who raided and colonized wide areas [6][7][8]
Somerset is Gwlad yr Haf in Welsh, Gwlas an Hav in Cornish and Bro an Hañv in Breton, which all mean 'Land of Summer'.
Somerset settlement names are mostly Anglo-Saxon in origin, but a few hill names include Celtic elements. The Brythonic languages (or Brittonic languages or British languages) form one of the two branches of the Insular Celtic language family the other being For example, an Anglo-Saxon charter of 682 concerning Creechborough Hill defines it as "the hill the British call Cructan and we call Crychbeorh". [9][10] Some modern names are Brythonic in origin, such as Tarnock, while others have both Saxon and Brythonic elements, such as Pen Hill. The Brythonic languages (or Brittonic languages or British languages) form one of the two branches of the Insular Celtic language family the other being Tarnock is a village in the county of Somerset, in the south-west of England. Pen Hill forms part of the Mendip Hills plateau in Somerset, England. [11]
Human occupation
The caves of the Mendip Hills were settled during the Palaeolithic period onward and contain extensive archaeological sites such as those at Cheddar Gorge. The Mendip Hills (commonly called The Mendips) are a range of Limestone hills situated to the south of Bristol and Bath in Somerset The term Paleolithic (or Palaeolithic) (from Greek παλαιός palaios, " Old " and λίθος Lithos, "stone" Bones from Gough's Cave have been dated to 12,000 BC while a complete skeleton, known as Cheddar man, dates from 7150 BC. Gough's Cave is located in Cheddar Gorge on the Mendip Hills, in Cheddar, Somerset, England. In the 8th millennium BC, Agriculture becomes widely practiced in the Fertile Crescent and Anatolia. Examples of cave art have been found in caves such as Aveline's Hole. Aveline's Hole ( is a cave at Burrington Combe in the limestone of the Mendip Hills, in Somerset, England. Occupation of some caves continued until modern times, including Wookey Hole. Wookey Hole is a village close to Wells in Somerset, England.
The Somerset Levels—specifically the dry points such as Glastonbury and Brent Knoll— also have a long history of settlement, and are known to have been settled by Mesolithic hunters. The Somerset Levels (or Somerset Levels and Moors as they are less commonly but more correctly called is a sparsely populated Wetland area of central Somerset This article is about the geographical term for the artistic technique see Dry point engraving In Geography a dry point is an area Glastonbury is a small town in Somerset, England, situated at a Dry point on the Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. Brent Knoll is a village in Somerset, England, at the foot of a hill (correctly referred to as the Knoll at Brent with a height of 137 Metres (450 The Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age was a period in the development of human technology in between the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age and the Neolithic or New Stone Age [12][13] Travel in the area was helped by the construction of the world's oldest known engineered roadway, the Sweet Track, which dates from 3807 BC or 3806 BC. The Sweet Track is an ancient Causeway in the Somerset Levels, England. Events The Sweet Track, an ancient Causeway in the Somerset Levels, England, one of the oldest engineered Roads discovered Events The Sweet Track, an ancient Causeway in the Somerset Levels, England, one of the oldest engineered Roads discovered [14][15]
There are numerous Iron Age Hill Forts, some of which, like Cadbury Castle[16] and Ham Hill, were later reoccupied in the Early Middle Ages. This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age for the mythological Iron Age see Ages of Man. A hill fort is a fortified refuge or defended settlement For other Cadbury Castles Camps and Hills see Cadbury. Cadbury Castle is an Iron Age Hill fort in the Civil parish Ham Hill is a Geological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI Iron Age Hill fort, Roman site and Country park, to the The Early Middle Ages is a period in the History of Europe following the fall of the Western Roman Empire spanning roughly five centuries from AD 500 The exact age of the henge monument at Stanton Drew stone circles is unknown, but it is believed to be Neolithic. Archaeologists use the term henge monument to describe a site where a Henge is combined with other features such as Stone circles Standing stones The Stanton Drew stone circles are at just outside the village of Stanton Drew, Somerset. The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos [17]
On the authority of the future emperor Vespasian, as part of the ongoing expansion of the Roman presence in Britain, the Second Legion Augusta invaded Somerset from the south-east in AD 47. Titus Flavius Vespasianus, commonly known as Vespasian ( November 17 9 &ndash June 23 79) was a Roman Emperor who Legio II Augusta, or Second Augustan Legion, was a Roman legion, levied by Gaius Vibius Pansa Caetronianus in 43 BC, and still operative The county remained part of the Roman Empire until around AD 409, when the Roman occupation of Britain came to an end. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial [1] A variety of Roman remains have been found, including Pagans Hill Roman Temple in Chew Stoke,[18] Low Ham Roman Villa and the Roman Baths which gave their name to the city of Bath. The Pagans Hill Roman Temple was a Romano-British -style temple excavated on Pagans Hill at Chew Stoke in the English county of Chew Stoke is a small village and Civil parish in the Chew Valley, in Somerset, England about south of Bristol. The Low Ham Roman Villa was a Roman courtyard villa located near Low Ham in the Civil parish of High Ham in the English For Roman baths in general see Thermae. The Roman Baths complex is a site of historical interest in the English city of Bath Bath is a city in Somerset in the south west of England It is situated west of London and south-east of Bristol. [19]
After the Romans left, Britain was invaded by Anglo-Saxon peoples, who had established control over much of what is now England by A. D. 600 but Somerset was still in British hands. The native British held back Saxon advance in the southwest for some time longer, but by the early eighth century King Ine of Wessex had pushed the boundaries of the West Saxon kingdom far enough west to include Somerset. Ine was King of Wessex from 688 to 726 He was unable to retain the territorial gains of his predecessor Cædwalla, who had brought much of Southern [20] The Saxon royal palace in Cheddar was used several times in the 10th century to host the Witenagemot. Cheddar is a large Village and Civil parish in the district of Sedgemoor in the English county of Somerset. The Witenagemot or the Witena gemot (ˈwɪtənəgɪˌməʊt also known as the Witan (more properly the title of its members was a political institution in [21] After the Norman Conquest, the county was divided into 700 fiefs, and large areas were owned by the crown,[3] with fortifications such as Dunster Castle used for control and defence. Under the system of Feudalism, a fiefdom, fief, feud, feoff, or fee, often consisted of inheritable lands or revenue-producing Dunster Castle is the historical home of the Luttrell family located in the small town of Dunster, Somerset, England ( Somerset contains HMP Shepton Mallet, England's oldest prison still in use, which opened in 1610. HMP Shepton Mallet, sometimes known as Cornhill, is a Prison located in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, England. [22] In the English Civil War Somerset was largely Parliamentarian. The English Civil War (1642-1651 was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists. " Roundheads " was the Nickname given to the Puritan supporters of Parliament during the English Civil War. [23] In 1685 the Monmouth Rebellion was played out in Somerset and neighbouring Dorset. The Monmouth Rebellion of 1685, also known as the Pitchfork Rebellion, was an attempt to overthrow James II, who had become King of England at [24] The rebels landed at Lyme Regis and travelled north, hoping to capture Bristol and Bath, but they were defeated in the Battle of Sedgemoor at Westonzoyland, the last pitched battle fought in England. Lyme Regis (ˌlaɪmˈriːdʒɪs is a coastal town in West Dorset, England, situated 25 Miles west of Dorchester and east of Exeter Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London Bath is a city in Somerset in the south west of England It is situated west of London and south-east of Bristol. The Battle of Sedgemoor was fought on 6 July 1685 and took place at Westonzoyland near Bridgwater in Somerset, England Westonzoyland is a village and Civil parish in the Somerset Levels, four miles south east of Bridgwater. A pitched battle is a Combat fought on a Battlefield expected to be site of engagement by both sides England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland [25] Arthur Wellesley took his title, Duke of Wellington from the town of Wellington;[26] he is commemorated on a nearby hill by a large, spotlit obelisk, known as the Wellington Monument. Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, KP, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS ( c The Dukedom of Wellington, derived from Wellington in Somerset, is an hereditary title and the senior rank in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Wellington is a small industrial town in rural Somerset, England, situated seven Miles south west of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district An obelisk (from Greek ὀβελίσκος - obeliskos, diminutive of ὀβελός - obelos, "spit nail pointed pillar" The Wellington Monument is a high triangular tower located on the highest point of the Blackdown Hills, 3km south of Wellington, Somerset.
The 18th century was largely one of peace in Somerset, but the Industrial Revolution in the Midlands and Northern England spelled the end for most of Somerset's cottage industries. The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture manufacturing and transportation had a profound effect on the Farming continued to flourish, however, and the Bath and West of England Society for the Encouragement of Agriculture, Arts, Manufactures and Commerce was founded in 1777 to improve farming methods. The Royal Bath and West of England Society is a Charitable society founded in 1777 to promote and improve agriculture and related activities around the West [27] Despite this, 20 years later John Billingsley conducted a survey of the county's agriculture in 1795 and found that agricultural methods could still be improved. John Billingsley (1747&ndash1811 was an agricultural pioneer in 18th century Somerset, England. [28] Coal mining was an important industry in north Somerset during the 18th and 19th centuries, and by 1800 it was based around Radstock. The Somerset coalfield included pits in the north Somerset, England, area where Coal was mined from the 15th century until 1973 Radstock is a town in Bath and North East Somerset, England, south west of Bath, and the same distance north west of Frome. [29] The Somerset coalfield reached its peak production by the 1920s, but all the pits have now been closed, the last in 1973. The Somerset coalfield included pits in the north Somerset, England, area where Coal was mined from the 15th century until 1973 [30] Most of the surface buildings have been removed, and apart from a winding wheel outside Radstock Museum, little evidence of their former existence remains. Radstock museum in Radstock, Somerset has a range of exhibits which offer an insight into North Somerset life since the nineteenth century Further west, the Brendon Hills were mined for iron ore in the late 19th century; this was taken by rail to Watchet Harbour for shipment to the furnaces at Ebbw Vale
Many Somerset soldiers died during the First World War, with the Somerset Light Infantry suffering nearly 5,000 casualties. The Brendon Hills are composed of a lofty ridge of hills in the west of Somerset, England. For the Ebbw Vale in Australia see Ebbw Vale Queensland. Ebbw Vale (Glyn Ebwy is a town at the head of the valley formed by the World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's was an infantry regiment of the British Army. [31] War memorials were put up in most of the county's towns and villages; only seven, described as the Thankful Villages, had none of their residents killed. Thankful Villages is a term for the small number of villages in England and Wales which lost no men in World War I. During the Second World War the county was a base for troops preparing for the D-Day landings. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including D-Day may also refer to Decimal Day in the United Kingdom. D-Day is a term often used in Military parlance to denote Some of the hospitals which were built for the casualties of the war remain in use. The Taunton Stop Line was set up to repel a potential German invasion. The Taunton Stop Line was a World War II defensive line in southwest England. The remains of its pill boxes can still be seen along the coast, and south through Ilminster and Chard. A military bunker is a hardened shelter often buried partly or fully underground designed to protect the inhabitants from falling bombs or other attacks Ilminster is a country Town and Civil parish in the countryside of south west Somerset, England, with a population of 4781 Chard is a town and Civil parish in the county Somerset, England, situated on the A30 road near the Devon border south west of [32]
A number of decoy towns were constructed in Somerset in World War II to protect Bristol and other towns, at night. They were designed to mimic the geometry of "blacked out" streets, railway lines, and Bristol Temple Meads railway station, to encourage bombers away from these targets. Bristol Temple Meads railway station is the oldest and largest Railway station in Bristol, England [33] One, on the radio beam flight path to Bristol, was constructed on Black Down. The Battle of the Beams was a period in early World War II when bombers of the German Air Force ( Luftwaffe) started using Radio navigation for Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London Black Down is an area of Open Access common on the Mendip Hills, Somerset, England. [33][34] It was laid out by Shepperton Film Studios, based on aerial photographs of the city's railway marshalling yards. Shepperton Studios, located in Shepperton, Surrey, England is a film studio with a long history of film making Aerial photography is the taking of Photographs of the ground from an elevated position A ( US and Canada) classification yard or ( UK and Canada) marshalling yard (including hump yards) is a Railroad [33] The decoys were fitted with dim red lights, simulating activities like the stoking of steam locomotives. A steam locomotive is a Locomotive powered by Steam. The term usually refers to its use on Railways but can also refer to a "road locomotive" Burning bales of straw soaked in creosote were used to simulate the effects of incendiary bombs dropped by the first wave of Pathfinder night bombers; meanwhile, incendiary bombs dropped on the correct location were quickly smothered, wherever possible. Incendiary devices or incendiary bombs are Bombs designed to start Fires or destroy sensitive equipment using materials such as Napalm, Thermite Drums of oil were also ignited to simulate the effect of a blazing city or town, with the aim of fooling subsequent waves of bombers into dropping their bombs on the wrong location. [33] The Chew Magna decoy town was hit by half-a-dozen bombs on 2 December 1940, and over a thousand incendiaries on 3 January 1941. Chew Magna ( is a village within the Chew Valley in North East Somerset, England Dozen is another word for the Number twelve. The dozen may be one of the earliest primitive groupings perhaps because there are approximately a dozen cycles of the Events 1409 - The University of Leipzig opens 1755 - The second Eddystone Lighthouse is destroyed by fire Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1431 - Joan of Arc is handed over to the Bishop Pierre Cauchon. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. [33] The following night the Uphill decoy town, protecting Weston-super-Mare's airfield, was bombed; a herd of dairy cows was hit, killing some and severely injuring others. Uphill is a village on the edge of Weston-super-Mare in North Somerset, England. Weston-super-Mare is a Seaside resort town and Civil parish in North Somerset, England. Dairy Cattle, generally of the species Bos taurus, are Domesticated Animals bred to produce large quantities of Milk [33]
Cities and towns
- See also: List of places in Somerset and Category:Villages in Somerset
Somerton took over from Ilchester as the county town in the late thirteenth century,[35] but it declined in importance and the status of county town transferred to Taunton about 1366. PLEASE DO NOT ADD AN INFO BOX TO THIS PAGE --> Palladian architecture is a European style of Architecture derived from the designs of the Italian This is a list of cities, Towns Villages and hamlets in the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. Somerton is a town in the English County of Somerset, on the River Cary, near Yeovil and Street, northeast of Ilchester is a Village and Civil parish, situated on the River Yeo five Miles north of Yeovil, in the English county of A county town is the 'capital' of a County in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland. [36] The county has two cities, Bath and Wells, and only a small number of towns. Bath is a city in Somerset in the south west of England It is situated west of London and south-east of Bristol. Wells is a small Cathedral city and Civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, on the southern edge of the Mendip In many cases there are villages which are larger than their neighbouring towns; the village of Cheddar, for example, has three times the population of the nearby town of Axbridge. Cheddar is a large Village and Civil parish in the district of Sedgemoor in the English county of Somerset. Axbridge is a Town in Somerset, England, situated in the Sedgemoor district on the River Axe, near the southern edge of the Mendip Many settlements developed because of their strategic importance in relation to geographical features, such as river crossings or valleys in ranges of hills. Examples include Axbridge on the River Axe, Castle Cary on the River Cary, North Petherton on the River Parrett, and Ilminster, where there was a crossing point on the River Isle. The River Axe is a River in south west England. The river rises from the ground at Wookey Hole Caves in the Mendip Hills in The River Cary is a River in Somerset, England. The River Cary has its source at Park Pond in Castle Cary, and then flows southwest North Petherton is a small Town in Somerset, England, situated on the edge of the eastern foothills of the Quantocks, and close to the edge of The River Parrett has its source in the Thorney Mills springs in the hills around Chedington in Dorset in England and flows west Ilminster is a country Town and Civil parish in the countryside of south west Somerset, England, with a population of 4781 The River Isle flows from its source near Ilminster through Somerset into the River Parrett south of Langport near Midelney. Midsomer Norton lies on the River Somer; while the Wellow Brook and the Fosseway Roman road run through Radstock, which, along with Midsomer Norton, is now designated as apart of Norton Radstock. The River Somer is a small river in Somerset, England. It rises at Chilcompton and flows to Midsomer Norton where it joins the The Wellow brook is a small river in Somerset, England. It rises to the south of Kilmersdon where it is joined by the River Somer and flows The Fosse Way was a Roman road in England that linked Exeter ( Isca Dumnoniorum) in South West England to Lincoln The Roman Roads were essential for the growth of the Roman Empire, by enabling the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate news Norton Radstock is a small conurbation and large Civil parish in Bath and North East Somerset, England, south west of Bath, and the same Chard is the most southerly town in Somerset, and at an altitude of 397 ft (121 m) it is also the highest. Chard is a town and Civil parish in the county Somerset, England, situated on the A30 road near the Devon border south west of [37]
Physical geography
Geology
Much of the landscape of Somerset falls into types determined by the underlying geology. Somerset is a rural county in the southwest of England, covering. Geology (from Greek γη gê, "earth" and λόγος Logos, "speech" lit These landscapes are the limestone karst and lias of the north, the clay vales and wetlands of the centre, the oolites of the east and south, and the Devonian sandstone of the west. Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 Karst topography is a landscape shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble Bedrock, usually Carbonate rock such as Limestone For general context see Jurassic. The Early Jurassic (in geology referred to as the Lower Jurassic, originally (and still in Europe the Clay is a naturally occurring material composed primarily of fine-grained Minerals which show plasticity through a variable range of Water content, and In Geology, a valley (also called a vale, dale, glen or strath and near or in Appalachia, a draw) is A wetland is an area of Land consisting of Soil that is Saturated with Moisture, such as a Swamp, Marsh, or Bog Oolite ( egg stone) is a Sedimentary rock formed from Ooids spherical grains composed of concentric layers The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic era spanning from to million years ago. Sandstone is a Sedimentary rock composed mainly of Sand -size Mineral or rock grains. [38] To the north east of the Somerset Levels, the Mendip Hills are moderately high limestone hills. The Somerset Levels (or Somerset Levels and Moors as they are less commonly but more correctly called is a sparsely populated Wetland area of central Somerset The Mendip Hills (commonly called The Mendips) are a range of Limestone hills situated to the south of Bristol and Bath in Somerset The central and western Mendip Hills was designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1972 which covers 76 square miles (197 km²). An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB is an area of countryside with significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of [39] The main habitat on these hills is calcareous grassland, with some arable agriculture. A habitat (which is Latin for "it inhabits" is an Ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular Species. Calcareous grassland (or alkaline grassland) is an Ecosystem associated with thin basic Soil, such as that on Chalk and Limestone In Geography, arable land (from Latin arare, to Plough) is an agricultural term meaning land that can be used for The Somerset coalfield is part of a larger coalfield which stretches into Gloucestershire. The Somerset coalfield included pits in the north Somerset, England, area where Coal was mined from the 15th century until 1973 History See also History of Gloucestershire Gloucestershire is a historic county mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in the 10th century To the north of the Mendip hills is the Chew Valley and to the south, on the clay substrate, are broad valleys which support dairy farming and drain into the Somerset Levels. The Chew Valley is an area in North Somerset, England named after the River Chew, which rises at Chewton Mendip, and joins the River Avon
Caves and rivers
There is an extensive network of caves, including Wookey Hole, underground rivers, and gorges, including Cheddar Gorge and Ebbor Gorge. River Brue originates in the parish of Brewham in Somerset, England. Glastonbury is a small town in Somerset, England, situated at a Dry point on the Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. The Caves of the Mendip Hills are formed by the particular geology of the Mendip Hills, with large areas of limestone worn away by water makes it a national centre for Caving Wookey Hole Caves is a show cave and tourist attraction in the village of Wookey Hole on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills near Wells in Somerset For the song see CANYONMID. For the band see Canyon (band. A canyon (rarely cañon) or gorge Ebbor Gorge ( is a Limestone Gorge in Somerset, England, close to Wells, designated as a 63 [40] The county has many rivers, including the Axe, Brue, Cary, Parrett, Sheppey, Tone and Yeo. The River Axe is a River in south west England. The river rises from the ground at Wookey Hole Caves in the Mendip Hills in River Brue originates in the parish of Brewham in Somerset, England. The River Cary is a River in Somerset, England. The River Cary has its source at Park Pond in Castle Cary, and then flows southwest The River Parrett has its source in the Thorney Mills springs in the hills around Chedington in Dorset in England and flows west The River Tone is a river in Somerset, that flows through Taunton and joins the River Parrett. For other rivers called Yeo see River Yeo The River Yeo (often referred to as the Congresbury Yeo, after the village of Congresbury These both feed and drain the flat levels and moors of mid and west Somerset. [41] In the north of the county the River Chew flows into the Bristol Avon. The River Chew is a small River in England. It merges with the River Avon after 17 miles forming the Chew Valley. The River Avon is a River in the south west of England. Because of a number of other River Avons in England this river is often also known as the Lower The Parrett is tidal almost to Langport, where there is evidence of two Roman wharfs. Langport is a small Town and Civil parish in Somerset, England, situated five Miles west of Somerton in the South . [42] At the same site during the reign of King Charles I, river tolls were levied on boats to pay for the maintenance of the bridge. Charles I, (19 November 1600 &ndash 30 January 1649 was King of England, Scotland and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution. [42]
Levels and moors
The Somerset Levels (or Somerset Levels and Moors as they are less commonly but more correctly known) are a sparsely populated wetland area of central Somerset, between the Quantock and Mendip hills. A wetland is an area of Land consisting of Soil that is Saturated with Moisture, such as a Swamp, Marsh, or Bog The Quantock Hills are a range of Hills west of Bridgwater in Somerset, England. They consist of marine clay levels along the coast, and the inland (often peat based) moors. Peat is an accumulation of partially Decayed Vegetation matter. The Levels are divided into two by the Polden Hills; land to the south is drained by the River Parrett while land to the north is drained by the River Axe and the River Brue. The Polden Hills are a long low ridge extending for 20 miles and separated from the Mendip Hills, to which they are nearly parallel by a marshy tract known as the Somerset The River Parrett has its source in the Thorney Mills springs in the hills around Chedington in Dorset in England and flows west The River Axe is a River in south west England. The river rises from the ground at Wookey Hole Caves in the Mendip Hills in River Brue originates in the parish of Brewham in Somerset, England. The total area of the Levels amounts to approximately 160,000 acres (64,750 ha)[43] and broadly corresponds to the administrative district of Sedgemoor but also includes the south west of Mendip district. The acre is a unit of Area in a number of different systems including the imperial and U Explanation The hectare is commonly used in most countries around the world especially in domains concerned with land planning and management such as Agriculture, Districts are a type of Administrative division, in some countries managed by a Local government. Sedgemoor is a local government district of Somerset in England. Mendip is also a shortened name for The Mendip Hills, from which this district takes its name Approximately 70% of the area is grassland and 30% is arable. [43] Stretching up to 20 miles (32 km) inland, this expanse of flat land barely rises above sea level. Before it was drained, much of the land was under a shallow brackish sea in winter and was marsh land in summer. In Geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of Wetland which is subject Drainage began with the Romans, and was restarted at various times: by the Anglo-Saxons; in the Middle Ages by the Glastonbury Abbey, from 1400–1770; and during the Second World War, with the construction of the Huntspill River. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial For their language see Anglo-Saxon language. Anglo-Saxon is the term usually used to describe the invading Tribes in the south Glastonbury Abbey, founded in the seventh century was a rich and powerful monastery in Glastonbury, Somerset, England. The River Huntspill (or Huntspill River) is an artificial river in the Somerset Levels, in the Sedgemoor District of Somerset, Pumping and management of water levels still continues. [44]
The North Somerset Levels basin, north of the Mendips, covers a smaller geographical area than the Somerset Levels; and forms a coastal area around Avonmouth. The North Somerset Levels are an expanse of low-lying flat ground which occupy an area between Weston-super-Mare and Bristol in North Somerset, England Avonmouth is a port and suburb on the Severn Estuary, at the mouth of the River Avon. It too was reclaimed by draining. [44][45] It is mirrored, across the Severn Estuary, in Wales, by a similar low-lying area: the Caldicot and Wentloog Levels. The Severn Estuary (Môr Hafren is the Estuary of the River Severn, the longest River in Great Britain. The Caldicot and Wentloog Levels comprise two areas of low-lying estuarine alluvial Wetland and intertidal Mudflats adjoining the north bank [45]
In the far west of the county, running into Devon, is Exmoor, a high Devonian sandstone moor, which was designated as a national park in 1954, under the 1949 National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act. Exmoor is a National Park situated on the Bristol Channel coast of south west England The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic era spanning from to million years ago. Moorland or moor is a type of habitat found in upland areas characterised by low growing vegetation on Acidic soils A national park is a reserve of land usually declared and owned by a national Government, protected from most Human development and pollution The National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which created the Countryside Commission (which [46] The highest point in Somerset is Dunkery Beacon on Exmoor, with an altitude of 1,704 ft (519 m). Dunkery Beacon is the highest hill on Exmoor, and the highest point in Somerset, England A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International Over 100 sites in Somerset have been designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This is a list of the Sites of Special Scientific Interest
Coastline
The 40 mile (64 km) coastline of the Bristol Channel and Severn Estuary forms part of the northern border of Somerset. Brean Down is a promontory off the coast of Somerset standing high and extending into the Bristol Channel between Weston-super-Mare and Burnham on Steep Holm ( is an English Island lying in the Bristol Channel. The Bristol Channel ( Môr Hafren) is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset The Severn Estuary (Môr Hafren is the Estuary of the River Severn, the longest River in Great Britain. [47] The Bristol Channel has the second largest tidal range in the world. At Burnham-on-Sea, for example, the tidal range of a spring tide is over 39 feet (12 m). Burnham-on-Sea is a Town in Somerset, England, at the mouth of the River Parrett and Bridgwater Bay. [48][49] Proposals for the construction of a Severn Barrage aim to harness this energy. The Severn Barrage is the name of a number of ideas for building a barrage from the English Coast to the Welsh coast over the The main coastal towns are, from the west to the north east, Minehead, Watchet, Burnham-on-Sea, Weston-super-Mare, Clevedon and Portishead. Minehead is a coastal Town and Civil parish in the west of the the English county of Somerset. Watchet is a Harbour Town and Civil parish in the English county of Somerset, with an approximate Burnham-on-Sea is a Town in Somerset, England, at the mouth of the River Parrett and Bridgwater Bay. Weston-super-Mare is a Seaside resort town and Civil parish in North Somerset, England. Clevedon is a town in North Somerset, England.The name derives from the Saxon, 'Cleve' meaning Cleave or Cleft and 'don' meaning hill the town being Portishead (pɔːtɪsˈhɛd is a coastal town in North Somerset, England, with a population of 21000 (Local council update July 24, 2007) The coastal area between Minehead and the eastern extreme of the administrative county's coastline at Brean Down is known as Bridgwater Bay, and is a National Nature Reserve. Brean Down is a promontory off the coast of Somerset standing high and extending into the Bristol Channel between Weston-super-Mare and Burnham on Bridgwater Bay is on the Bristol Channel, near Bridgwater in Somerset, England at the mouth of the River Parrett. National Nature Reserves in England are managed by Natural England and are key places for Wildlife and natural features in England. [41] North of that, the coast forms Weston Bay and Sand Bay whose northern tip, Sand Point, marks the lower limit of the Severn Estuary. Weston Bay is an inlet of the Bristol Channel in North Somerset, England, lying between Brean Down and Worlebury Hill. Sand Bay is a strip of coast in North Somerset bordered to the south by Worlebury Hill and to the north by Middle Hope (commonly referred to as Sand Point Sand Point in Somerset is the peninsula stretching out from Middle Hope which lies to the north of the village of Kewstoke, and the stretch of coastline called Sand Bay [50] In the mid and north of the county the coastline is low as the level wetlands of the levels meet the sea. In the west, the coastline is high and dramatic where the plateau of Exmoor meets the sea, with high cliffs and waterfalls. In Geology and Earth science, a plateau, also called a high plateau or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting [41]
Climate
Along with the rest of South West England, Somerset has a temperate maritime climate which is generally wetter and milder than the rest of the country. South West England is one of the Regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to The annual mean temperature is approximately 10 °C (50 °F) and shows a seasonal and a diurnal variation, but due to the modifying effect of the sea the range is less than in most other parts of the UK. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 Diurnal motion is an astronomical term referring to the apparent daily motion of Stars around the Earth, or more precisely around the two January is the coldest month with mean minimum temperatures between 1 °C (34 °F) and 2 °C (36 °F). July and August are the warmest months in the region with mean daily maxima around 21 °C (70 °F).
The south-west of England has a favoured location with respect to the Azores high pressure when it extends its influence north-eastwards towards the UK, particularly in summer. The Azores High, also known as the Bermuda High in the United States, is a large subtropical semi-permanent centre of high atmospheric pressure Convective cloud often forms inland however, especially near hills, reducing the number of hours of sunshine. Convection in the most general terms refers to the movement of molecules within Fluids (i The average annual sunshine totals around 1,600 hours.
Rainfall tends to be associated with Atlantic depressions or with convection. A low pressure area, or " low " is a region where the Atmospheric pressure is lower in relation to the surrounding area The Atlantic depressions are more vigorous in autumn and winter and most of the rain which falls in those seasons in the south-west is from this source. Average rainfall is around 31 inches (787 mm)–35 inches (889 mm). Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. The Millimetre ( American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to About 8–15 days of snowfall is typical. November to March have the highest mean wind speeds, with June to August having the lightest winds. The predominant wind direction is from the south-west. [51]
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Economy and industry
Somerset has few industrial centres, but it does have a variety of light industry and high technology businesses, along with traditional agriculture and an increasingly important tourism sector, resulting in an unemployment rate of 2. Somerset is a county in the south west of England. It is a rural county and transport infrastructure has been significant in industrial development Dunster is a village in west Somerset, England, situated on the Bristol Channel coast 2 5%. [52] Bridgwater was developed during the Industrial Revolution as the West Country's leading port. Bridgwater in Somerset, England, is a Market town, the administrative centre of the Sedgemoor district, and the leading industrial The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture manufacturing and transportation had a profound effect on the The River Parrett was navigable by large ships as far as Bridgwater. The River Parrett has its source in the Thorney Mills springs in the hills around Chedington in Dorset in England and flows west Cargoes were then loaded onto smaller boats at Langport Quay, next to the Bridgwater Bridge, to be carried further up river to Langport;[53] or they could turn off at Burrowbridge and then travel via the River Tone to Taunton. Langport is a small Town and Civil parish in Somerset, England, situated five Miles west of Somerton in the South Burrowbridge is a village and Parish in Somerset, England, situated on the River Parrett and A361 road 5 miles (8 km south The River Tone is a river in Somerset, that flows through Taunton and joins the River Parrett. [42] The Parrett is now only navigable as far as Dunball Wharf. Dunball is a small hamlet east of the village of Puriton and close to the town of Bridgwater, Somerset. Bridgwater, in the 19th and 20th centuries, was a centre for the manufacture of bricks and clay roof tiles, and later cellophane, but those industries have now closed. Cellophane is a thin transparent sheet made of regenerated Cellulose. [53] With its good links to the motorway system, Bridgwater has developed as a distribution hub for companies such as Argos, Toolstation and Gerber Juice. Argos ( Greek: Ἄργος, Árgos ˈaɾɣos is a city in Greece in the Peloponnese near Nafplio, which was its historic harbor AgustaWestland manufactures helicopters in Yeovil,[54] and Normalair Garratt, builder of aircraft oxygen systems, is also based in the town. AgustaWestland is a Helicopter design and manufacturing company based in Italy and the United Kingdom. Yeovil (ˈjovɪl is a town in south Somerset, England, on the A30 and A37. Normalair Garrett Limited (NGL, or Normalair was a British manufacturing company based in Yeovil, Somerset, England [55] Many towns have encouraged small-scale light industries, such as Crewkerne's Ariel Motor Company, one of the UK's smallest car manufacturers. Light industry is usually less Capital intensive than Heavy industry, and is more Consumer -oriented than Business -oriented (i Crewkerne is a Town in Somerset, England, situated south west of Yeovil and east of Chard in the South Somerset district This article is about the modern sportscar manufacturer for the historic British motorcycle and car marque see Ariel (vehicle
Somerset is an important supplier of defence equipment and technology. A Royal Ordnance Factory, ROF Bridgwater was built at the start of the Second World War, between the villages of Puriton and Woolavington,[56] to manufacture explosives. Royal Ordnance Factory (ROF Bridgwater is a factory which produced High explosives for Munitions It is situated between the Villages World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Puriton is a Village and a Parish, at the westerly end of the Polden Hills, in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, UK. Woolavington is a village in Somerset, England. In 1812 it was the birthplace of John Jacob, a British army officer As of April 2008 the site is being decommissioned and is due to close in July 2008. International holidays and other major events April 1 - April Fools' Day April 4 - Qingming Festival (Mainland [57] Templecombe has Thales Underwater Systems,[58] and Taunton presently has the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office and Avimo, which became part of Thales Optics. Templecombe is a village in Somerset, England, situated on the A357 road five miles south of Wincanton, twelve miles east of Yeovil Thales Underwater Systems (TUS, formerly known as Thomson Marconi Sonar, is an international defence manufacturer specialising in Sonar systems for Submarines The United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (or UKHO) is an organisation within the UK government responsible for providing Navigational and other hydrographic It has been announced twice, in 2006 and 2007, that manufacturing is to end at Thales Optics' Taunton site,[59] but the Trade Unions and Taunton Deane District Council are working to reverse or mitigate these decisions. A trade union or labour union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages hours and working conditions forming Other high-technology companies include the optics company Gooch and Housego, at Ilminster. Ilminster is a country Town and Civil parish in the countryside of south west Somerset, England, with a population of 4781 There are Ministry of Defence offices in Bath, and Norton Fitzwarren is the home of 40 Commando Royal Marines. The Ministry of Defence ( MoD) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters Bath is a city in Somerset in the south west of England It is situated west of London and south-east of Bristol. Norton Fitzwarren is a village and Parish in Somerset, England, situated two Miles north west of Taunton in the Taunton Deane 3 Commando Brigade is a commando formation of the British Armed Forces and the main manoeuvre formation of the Royal Marines. The Royal Naval Air Station in Yeovilton, is one of Britain's two active Fleet Air Arm bases and is home to the Royal Navy's Lynx helicopters and the Royal Marines Commando Westland Sea Kings. Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, or RNAS Yeovilton, (HMS Heron) is an airfield of the Royal Navy, sited in South West England a few miles Around 1675 service and 2000 civilian personnel are stationed at Yeovilton and key activities include training of aircrew and engineers and the Royal Navy's Fighter Controllers and surface based aircraft controllers.
Agriculture and food and drink production continue to be major industries in the county, employing over 15,000 people. [60] Apple orchards were once plentiful, and Somerset is still a major producer of cider. For the non-alcoholic beverage commonly known in the US as "cider" see Apple cider. The towns of Taunton and Shepton Mallet are involved with the production of cider, especially Blackthorn Cider, which is sold nationwide, and there are specialist producers such as Burrow Hill Cider Farm and Thatchers Cider. Shepton Mallet is a small rural Town in Somerset, England. It is situated five miles (8 km to the east of Wells, and lies just Blackthorn Cider is a processed commercial Cider produced by Matthew Clark plc Burrow Hill Cider Farm is a Cider Farm in Somerset, England at the base of Burrow Hill overlooking the Somerset Levels. Thatchers Cider is a Cider producing company based in Sandford, in North Somerset, England. Gerber Products Company in Bridgwater is the largest producer of fruit juices in Europe, producing brands such as 'Sunny Delight' and 'Ocean Spray'. Gerber Products Company is a purveyor of Baby food and baby products Sunny Delight (now marketed as Sunny D in some regions is a popular orange -flavored Drink, manufactured until recently Development of the milk-based industries, such as Ilchester Cheese Company and Yeo Valley Organic, have resulted in the production of ranges of desserts, yoghurts and cheeses,[61] including Cheddar cheese – some of which has the West Country Farmhouse Cheddar PDO. The Ilchester Cheese Company is a British cheese company They do not actually manufacture any cheese but specialise in blending a variety of British cheeses with other ingredients Yeo Valley Organic is part of a family-owned farming and Dairy company based in the village of Blagdon, in the Yeo Valley, Somerset Yoghurt, yogurt, yoghourt, youghurt or yogourt (see spelling below is a Cheddar cheese is a relatively hard pale yellow to off-white and sometimes sharp-tasting Cheese from the English village of Cheddar, in Somerset
Traditional willow growing and weaving is not as extensive as it used to be but is still carried out on the Somerset Levels and is commemorated at the Willows and Wetlands visitor centre. Willows, sallows and osiers form the Genus Salix, around 400 species of Deciduous Trees and Shrubs found primarily The Somerset Levels (or Somerset Levels and Moors as they are less commonly but more correctly called is a sparsely populated Wetland area of central Somerset The Willows and Wetlands Visitor Centre is situated at Stoke St Gregory, on the Somerset levels, north east of Taunton. [62] Fragments of willow basket were found near the Glastonbury Lake Village, and it was also used in the construction of several Iron Age causeways. This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age for the mythological Iron Age see Ages of Man. [63] The willow was harvested using a traditional method of coppicing, where a tree would be cut back to the main stem. Coppicing is a traditional method of Woodland management in which young tree stems are cut down to near ground level During the 1930s over 9,000 acres (36 km²) of willow were being grown commercially on the Levels. Largely due to the displacement of baskets with plastic bags and cardboard boxes, the industry has severely declined since the 1950s. By the end of the 20th century only around 350 acres (1. 4 km²) were grown commercially, near the villages of Burrowbridge, Westonzoyland and North Curry. Burrowbridge is a village and Parish in Somerset, England, situated on the River Parrett and A361 road 5 miles (8 km south Westonzoyland is a village and Civil parish in the Somerset Levels, four miles south east of Bridgwater. North Curry is a village and Parish in Somerset, England, situated five Miles east of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district [43] The Somerset Levels is now the only area in the UK where basket willow is grown commercially.
Towns such as Castle Cary and Frome grew around the medieval weaving industry. Castle Cary is a Market town in south Somerset, England, north west of Wincanton and eight miles south of Shepton Frome ( (ˈfruːm is a medium-sized Town and Civil parish in Somerset, England, near the Mendip Hills. This article describes textile weaving For other senses of this word see Weaving (disambiguation. Street developed as a centre for the production of woollen slippers and, later, boots and shoes, with C&J Clark establishing its headquarters in the town. Street is a town and Civil parish in the county of Somerset, England, situated on a dry spot in the Somerset Levels, at the end of the Polden C and J Clark Ltd, better known as Clarks, is a high-end British Shoe manufacturer with a High street Retail operation C&J Clark's shoes are no longer manufactured there as the work was transferred to lower-wage areas, such as China and Asia. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National [64] Instead, in 1993, redundant factory buildings were converted to form Clarks Village, the first purpose-built factory outlet in the UK. Clarks Village is a designer outlet shopping complex at Street in the English county of Somerset. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located C&J Clark also had shoe factories, at one time at Bridgwater and Minehead, to provide employment outside the main summer tourist season, but those satellite sites were closed in the late 1980s, before the main site at Street. Minehead is a coastal Town and Civil parish in the west of the the English county of Somerset. Dr. Martens shoes were also made in Somerset, by the Northampton-based R. For the ITV Comedy/Drama series click here Dr Martens is a Footwear, clothing and accessories brand and the footwear products are most often known Griggs Group, using redundant skilled shoemakers from C&J Clark; that work has also been transferred to Asia.
The county has a long tradition of supplying freestone and building stone. Quarries at Doulting supplied freestone used in the construction of Wells Cathedral. Doulting is a village and Civil parish east of Shepton Mallet, on the A361, in the Mendip district of Somerset, England Wells Cathedral is a Church of England Cathedral in Wells, Somerset, England. Bath stone is also widely used. Bath Stone is an Oolitic Limestone comprising granular fragments of Calcium carbonate. Ralph Allen promoted its use in the early 18th century, as did Hans Price in the 19th century, but it was used long before then. Ralph Allen (1693 - June 29, 1764) was baptised at St Columb Major, Cornwall on July 24, 1693. Hans Price (1835 - 1912 was the Architect responsible for much of the development of Weston-super-Mare, in North Somerset, England, during the It was mined underground at Combe Down and Bathampton Down Mines, and as a result of cutting the Box Tunnel, at locations in Wiltshire such as Box. Combe Down and Bathampton Down Mines ( is a 622 hectare (1537 acre Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI in Bath and North East Somerset Box Tunnel is a railway Tunnel in western England, between Bath and Chippenham, dug through the Box Hill. Etymology The county formerly 'Wiltonshire' or 'Wiltunscir' (9th century is named after the former county town of Wilton (itself named after the River Wylye Box is a Village located in Wiltshire, England, about 8 km (5 miles east of Bath and 11 km (7 miles west of Chippenham. [65][66][67] Bath stone is still used on a reduced scale today, but more often as a cladding rather than a structural material. [65] Further south, Hamstone is the colloquial name given to stone from Ham Hill, which is also widely used in the construction industry. Hamstone is the colloquial name given to stone from Ham Hill, Somerset, England Ham Hill is a Geological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI Iron Age Hill fort, Roman site and Country park, to the Blue Lias has been used locally as a building stone and as a raw material for lime mortar and Portland cement. Blue Lias is a sequence of layers of Limestones and Shales laid down in Jurassic times between 195 and 200 million years ago Lime mortar is a type of mortar. It was used in the construction of the vast majority of brick and stone buildings worldwide from ancient times until the widespread adoption Portland cement is the most common type of Cement in general usage in many parts of the world as it is a basic ingredient of Concrete, mortar, Stucco Until the 1960s, Puriton had Blue Lias stone quarries, as did several other Polden Villages. Puriton is a Village and a Parish, at the westerly end of the Polden Hills, in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, UK. The Polden Hills are a long low ridge extending for 20 miles and separated from the Mendip Hills, to which they are nearly parallel by a marshy tract known as the Somerset Its quarries also supplied a cement factory at Dunball, adjacent to the King's Sedgemoor Drain. Dunball is a small hamlet east of the village of Puriton and close to the town of Bridgwater, Somerset. King's Sedgemoor Drain is an Artificial drainage channel which diverts the River Cary in Somerset, England along the southern flank of the Its derelict, early 20th-century remains were removed when the M5 motorway was constructed in the mid-1970s. This article is about the M5 motorway in England See M5 for other roads numbered "M5" [68] Since the 1920s, the county has supplied aggregates. Construction aggregate, or simply " aggregate " is a broad category of coarse particulate Material used in Construction, including Foster Yeoman is Europe's large supplier of limestone aggregates, with quarries at Merehead Quarry. Foster Yeoman Limited, based in the United Kingdom, is one of Europe's largest Quarrying and Asphalt companies owned by Swiss construction materials conglomerate Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 Torr Works quarry is a Limestone Quarry at East Cranmore, near Shepton Mallet on the Mendip Hills, Somerset, England It has a dedicated railway operation, Mendip Rail, which is used to transport aggregates by rail from a group of Mendip quarries. Mendip Rail is an independent freight operating railway company in the Great Britain. The Mendip Hills are the most southerly Carboniferous Limestone Upland in Britain and are found in northern Somerset. [69]
Tourism is a major industry, estimated in 2001 to support around 23,000 people. [70] Attractions include the coastal towns, part of the Exmoor National Park, the West Somerset Railway (a heritage railway), and the museum of the Fleet Air Arm at RNAS Yeovilton. Exmoor is a National Park situated on the Bristol Channel coast of south west England The West Somerset Railway (WSR is a Heritage railway that runs along the edge of the Quantock Hills in Somerset, England, between Bishops A heritage railway ( United Kingdom) preserved railway ( United Kingdom) or tourist railroad ( United States and Canada) is a The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the Royal Navy responsible for the operation of the aircraft on board their ships Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, or RNAS Yeovilton, (HMS Heron) is an airfield of the Royal Navy, sited in South West England a few miles The town of Glastonbury has mythical associations, including legends of a visit by the young Jesus of Nazareth and Joseph of Arimathea, with links to the Holy Grail, King Arthur, and Camelot, identified by some as Cadbury Castle, an Iron age hill fort. Glastonbury is a small town in Somerset, England, situated at a Dry point on the Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Joseph of Arimathea was according to the Gospels, the man who donated his own prepared tomb for the burial of Jesus after Jesus' Crucifixion According to Christian mythology, the Holy Grail was the dish plate or cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper, said to possess miraculous powers King Arthur is a legendary British leader who according to medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against the Saxon invaders Camelot is the most famous Castle and court associated with the legendary King Arthur. For other Cadbury Castles Camps and Hills see Cadbury. Cadbury Castle is an Iron Age Hill fort in the Civil parish This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age for the mythological Iron Age see Ages of Man. A hill fort is a fortified refuge or defended settlement Glastonbury also gives its name to an annual open-air rock festival held in nearby Pilton. A rock festival, or a rock fest, is a large-scale outdoor Rock music Concert, featuring multiple acts often spread out over several days Pilton is a village in Somerset, England, situated on the A361 road in the Mendip district 3 miles (5 km south west of Shepton There are show caves open to visitors in the Cheddar Gorge, as well as its locally produced cheese, although there is now only one remaining cheese maker in the village of Cheddar. Show caves, also called tourist caves, public caves, and in the U Cheddar is a large Village and Civil parish in the district of Sedgemoor in the English county of Somerset.
Demography
| Somerset Compared | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK Census 2001 | Somerset C. A nationwide Census, commonly known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday 29 April 2001 C. [71] | North Somerset UA[72] | BANES UA[73] | South West England[73] | England[73] |
| Total population | 498,093 | 188,564 | 169,040 | 4,928,434 | 49,138,831 |
| Foreign born | 7. North Somerset is a Unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered Bath and North East Somerset (commonly referred to as BANES or B&NES) is a Unitary authority that was created on 1 April 1996 South West England is one of the Regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to 6% | 9. 5% | 11. 2% | 9. 4% | 9. 2% |
| White | 98. 8% | 97. 1% | 97. 3% | 97. 7% | 91% |
| Asian | 0. 3% | 1. 7% | 0. 5% | 0. 7% | 4. 6% |
| Black | 0. 2% | 0. 9% | 0. 5% | 0. 4% | 2. 3% |
| Christian | 76. 7% | 75. 0% | 71. 0% | 74. 0% | 72% |
| Muslim | 0. 2% | 0. 2% | 0. 4% | 0. 5% | 3. 1% |
| Hindu | 0. 1% | 0. 1% | 0. 2% | 0. 2% | 1. 1% |
| No religion | 14. 9% | 16. 6% | 19. 5% | 16. 8% | 15% |
| Over 75 years old | 9. 6% | 9. 9% | 8. 9% | 9. 3% | 7. 5% |
| Unemployed | 2. 5% | 2. 1% | 2. 0% | 2. 6% | 3. 3% |
The population in 1901 was 508,256. [3] In the 2001 census the population of the Somerset County Council area was 498,093[74] with 169,040 in Bath and North East Somerset,[75] and 188,564 in North Somerset[76] giving a total for the historic county of 855,697. A nationwide Census, commonly known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday 29 April 2001 Bath and North East Somerset (commonly referred to as BANES or B&NES) is a Unitary authority that was created on 1 April 1996 North Somerset is a Unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered This was estimated to have risen to 895,700 in 2006. [77]
Population growth is higher than the national average, with a 6. Population growth is the change in Population over time and can be quantified as the change in the number of individuals in a population using "per unit time" for 4% increase, in the Somerset County Council area, since 1991, and a 17% increase since 1981. The population density is 1. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 4 persons per hectare, which can be compared to 2. Explanation The hectare is commonly used in most countries around the world especially in domains concerned with land planning and management such as Agriculture, 07 persons per hectare for the South West region. South West England is one of the Regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to Within the county, population density ranges 0. 5 in West Somerset to 2. West Somerset is a local government district in the English county of Somerset. 2 persons per hectare in Taunton Deane. Taunton Deane is a local government district with Borough status in Somerset, England. The percentage of the population who are economically active is higher than the regional and national average, and the unemployment rate is lower than the regional and national average. [78]
The black minority ethnic proportion of the total population is 2. 9% in Somerset. Chinese is the largest ethnic group, and although there is no official recording, it is believed that Romany Gypsies are a significant ethnic minority. Romnichal (or Romanichal) is a neologism by which groups of Roma people (often known as Gypsies found in some parts of the United Kingdom, notably [47] Over 25% of Somerset's population is concentrated in Taunton, Bridgwater and Yeovil. The rest of the county is rural and sparsely populated. Over 9 million tourist nights are spent in Somerset each year, which significantly increases the population at peak times. [47]
| Population since 1801 | |||||||||||||
| Year | 1801 | 1851 | 1901 | 1911 | 1921 | 1931 | 1941 | 1951 | 1961 | 1971 | 1981 | 1991 | 2001 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somerset CC area[79] | 187,266 | 276,684 | 277,563 | 280,215 | 282,411 | 284,740 | 305,244 | 327,505 | 355,292 | 385,698 | 417,450 | 468,395 | 498,093 |
| BANES[80] | 57,188 | 96,992 | 107,637 | 113,732 | 113,351 | 112,972 | 123,185 | 134,346 | 144,950 | 156,421 | 154,083 | 164,737 | 169,045 |
| North Somerset[81] | 16,670 | 33,774 | 60,066 | 68,410 | 75,276 | 82,833 | 91,967 | 102,119 | 119,509 | 139,924 | 160,353 | 179,865 | 188,556 |
| Total | 261,124 | 407,450 | 445,266 | 462,357 | 471,038 | 479,758 | 520,396 | 563,970 | 619,751 | 682,043 | 731,886 | 812,997 | 855,694 |
Politics
The county is divided into nine constituencies for the election of Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons. North Somerset is a Unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords As of November 2007, the constituencies of Bridgwater, Wells, Weston-super-Mare and Woodspring elect Conservative MPs, while Bath, Somerton and Frome, Taunton and Yeovil return Liberal Democrats. Bridgwater is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Wells is a County constituency centred on the city of Wells in Somerset. Weston-super-Mare is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Woodspring is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Bath is a Constituency in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Somerton and Frome is a Constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Taunton is a County constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Yeovil is a County constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the [82] Only Wansdyke, which will become North East Somerset at the next election,[83] returns a Labour politician. Wansdyke is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Boundaries The constituency covers the part of Bath and North East Somerset that is not in the Bath constituency. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the Residents of Somerset also form part of the electorate for the South West England constituency for elections to the European Parliament. South West England is a Constituency of the European Parliament. The European Parliament ( Europarl or EP) is the only directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union (EU [84]
The ceremonial county of Somerset consists of a non-metropolitan county and two unitary authorities. The ceremonial counties are areas of England that are appointed a Lord-Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as the Counties for the purposes of the Lieutenancies Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of Subdivisions of England used for the purposes of Local government outside Greater London See also Independent city A unitary authority is a type of Local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all Local government functions The districts of Somerset are West Somerset, South Somerset, Taunton Deane, Mendip and Sedgemoor. The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government West Somerset is a local government district in the English county of Somerset. South Somerset is a local government district in Somerset, England. Taunton Deane is a local government district with Borough status in Somerset, England. Mendip is also a shortened name for The Mendip Hills, from which this district takes its name Sedgemoor is a local government district of Somerset in England. The two administratively independent unitary authorities, which were established on 1 April 1996 following the break up of the county of Avon, are North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) The former County of Avon was a non-metropolitan county and ceremonial county in the west of England, named after the River Avon, which North Somerset is a Unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered Bath and North East Somerset (commonly referred to as BANES or B&NES) is a Unitary authority that was created on 1 April 1996 These unitary authorities include areas that were once part of Somerset before the creation of Avon in 1974. [85] In 2007, proposals to abolish the district councils in favour of a single Somerset unitary authority were rejected following local opposition. [86]
Culture
Somerset has traditions of art, music and literature. Somerset is a county in the south west of England. It has a varied cultural tradition ranging from the Arthurian legends to the The Wurzels, a band specialising Wells Cathedral is a Church of England Cathedral in Wells, Somerset, England. Wordsworth and Coleridge wrote while staying in Coleridge Cottage, Nether Stowey. Samuel Taylor Coleridge ( 21 October 1772 &ndash 25 July 1834) was an English Poet, Critic and philosopher Coleridge Cottage is a Cottage situated in Nether Stowey, Bridgwater, Somerset, England. Nether Stowey is a small village in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, South West England. [87] The writer Evelyn Waugh spent his last years in the village of Combe Florey. Arthur Evelyn St John Waugh (ˈiːvlɪn ˈwɔː (28 October 1903 &ndash 10 April 1966 was an English Writer, best known for such darkly humorous and Combe Florey is a Village and Parish in Somerset, England, situated six Miles north west of Taunton in the Taunton [88] Traditional folk music, both song and dance, was important in the agricultural communities. Somerset songs were collected by Cecil Sharp and incorporated into works such as Holst's A Somerset Rhapsody. Cecil James Sharp (22 November 1859 – 23 June 1924 was the founding father of the folklore revival in England in the early twentieth century, and many Gustav Theodore Holst (21 September 1874 – 25 May 1934was an English Composer and was a music teacher for nearly 20 years Halsway Manor near Williton is an international centre for folk music. Halsway Manor is a manor house in Halsway, Somerset, now used as England's National Centre for Traditional Music Dance and Song Williton is a medium-sized village in West Somerset. It has many of the facilities of a small town being the administrative centre for the district The tradition continues today with groups such as The Wurzels specialising in Scrumpy and Western music. Adge Cutler and The Wurzels, renamed The Wurzels after Cutler's death are a British Scrumpy and Western band Scrumpy and Western refers humorously to music from England 's West Country that fuses comical folk-style songs often full of Double entendre, with affectionate [89]
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts takes place most years in Pilton, near Shepton Mallet, attracting over 170,000 music and culture lovers from around the world, and world-famous entertainers. For the classical music and theatre festivals co-founded by Rutland Boughton between 1914 and 1926 see Glastonbury Festival (1914-1925 The Pilton is a village in Somerset, England, situated on the A361 road in the Mendip district 3 miles (5 km south west of Shepton Shepton Mallet is a small rural Town in Somerset, England. It is situated five miles (8 km to the east of Wells, and lies just [90] The Big Green Gathering which grew out of the Green fields at the Glastonbury Festival is held in the Mendip Hills between Charterhouse and Compton Martin each summer. The Big Green Gathering (BGG is an annual Festival that is held every summer in the Mendip Hills between Charterhouse and Compton Martin, Charterhouse, also known as Charterhouse-on-Mendip, is a small hamlet in the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB in the Compton Martin ( is a small village within the Chew Valley in Somerset and Civil parish in the North Somerset Unitary authority [91] The annual Bath Literature Festival is one of several local festivals in the county; others include the Frome Festival and the Trowbridge Village Pump Festival, which, despite its name, is held at Farleigh Hungerford in Somerset. The Bath Literature Festival held annually in Bath Somerset has become an important date in the national literary calendar playing host to an array of Journalists The annual ten-day Frome Festival, starting the first Friday in July is Somerset ’s largest community festival with more than 160 events held at various venues Trowbridge Village Pump Festival is an annual music festival held at Stowford Manor Farm Farleigh Hungerford, England. Farleigh Hungerford ( is a village in Somerset, England, 9 miles southeast of Bath, 3½ miles west of Trowbridge on A366, in the The annual circuit of West Country Carnivals is held in a variety of Somerset towns during the autumn, forming a major regional festival, and the largest Festival of Lights in Europe. The West Country Carnival is an annual celebration featuring a Parade of illuminated floats (termed "carts" locally in the English [92]
In Arthurian legend, Avalon became associated with Glastonbury Tor when monks at Glastonbury Abbey claimed to have discovered the bones of King Arthur and his queen. The Matter of Britain is a name given collectively to the Legends that concern the Celtic and legendary History of Great Britain, especially those Avalon (probably from the Celtic word abal: apple see Etymology below is a legendary island featured in the Arthurian legend, famous for its beautiful Glastonbury Tor is a Hill at Glastonbury, Somerset, England, which features the roofless St Glastonbury Abbey, founded in the seventh century was a rich and powerful monastery in Glastonbury, Somerset, England. King Arthur is a legendary British leader who according to medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against the Saxon invaders [93] What is more certain is that Glastonbury was an important religious centre by 700 and claims to be "the oldest above-ground Christian church in the World"[94] situated "in the mystical land of Avalon". The claim is based on dating the founding of the community of monks at AD 63, the year of the legendary visit of Joseph of Arimathea, who was supposed to have brought the Holy Grail. Joseph of Arimathea was according to the Gospels, the man who donated his own prepared tomb for the burial of Jesus after Jesus' Crucifixion According to Christian mythology, the Holy Grail was the dish plate or cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper, said to possess miraculous powers [94] During the Middle Ages there were also important religious sites at Woodspring Priory and Muchelney Abbey. Woodspring Priory is a former Augustinian priory beside the Severn Estuary about north east of Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset. Muchelney Abbey is an English Heritage property in the village of Muchelney in the Somerset Levels, England. The present Diocese of Bath and Wells covers Somerset and a small area of Dorset. The Diocese of Bath and Wells is a Diocese in the Church of England Province of Canterbury in England. The Episcopal seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells is now in the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew in the city of Wells, having previously been at Bath Abbey. A cathedra ( Latin, "chair" from Greek, kathedra, "seat" is the Chair or Throne of a Bishop The Bishop of Bath and Wells heads the Church of England Diocese of Bath and Wells in the Province of Canterbury in England. Wells Cathedral is a Church of England Cathedral in Wells, Somerset, England. Wells is a small Cathedral city and Civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, on the southern edge of the Mendip The Abbey Church of Saint Peter Bath, commonly known as Bath Abbey, is an Anglican Parish church and a former Benedictine Monastery Before the English Reformation, it was a Roman Catholic diocese. The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th century England by which the Church of England first broke away from the authority of the Pope The Benedictine monastery Saint Gregory's Abbey, commonly known as Downside Abbey, is at Stratton-on-the-Fosse, and the Cistercian Cleeve Abbey is near the village of Washford. Benedictine refers to the Spirituality and Consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in The Basilica of St Gregory the Great at Downside commonly known as Downside Abbey, is a Roman Catholic Benedictine Monastery and Stratton-on-the-Fosse is a village and Civil parish located on the edge of the Mendip Hills north east of Shepton Mallet, and from Frome, in Cleeve Abbey is a Medieval Monastery located near the village of Washford, in Somerset, England. Washford is a small village on the River Washford in the English county of Somerset.
The county has several museums; those at Bath include the American Museum in Britain, the Building of Bath Museum, the Herschel Museum of Astronomy, the Jane Austen Centre, and the Roman Baths. Tyntesfield is a Victorian Gothic Revival estate near Wraxall, North Somerset, England, in the Vale of Nailsea, seven miles from The American Museum in Britain is based at Claverton Manor, near Bath in a house designed by Jeffry Wyatville and built in the 1820s on the site of a The Building of Bath Museum in Bath, Somerset, England provides exhibits which explain the building of the Georgian era city during the 18th The Herschel Museum of Astronomy (also known as the William Herschel Museum) is a small independent Museum dedicated to the life and works of the famous Astronomer The Jane Austen Centre at 40 Gay Street in Bath Somerset is a permanent exhibition which tells the story of Jane Austen 's Bath experience – the effect that living For Roman baths in general see Thermae. The Roman Baths complex is a site of historical interest in the English city of Bath Other visitor attraction which reflect the cultural heritage of the county include Claverton Pumping Station, Dunster Working Watermill, the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton, Nunney Castle, The Helicopter Museum in Weston super Mare, King John's Hunting Lodge in Axbridge, Radstock Museum, Somerset County Museum in Taunton, the Somerset Rural Life Museum in Glastonbury, and Westonzoyland Pumping Station Museum. Claverton Pumping Station is a Pumping station, located in the village of Claverton in the English county of Somerset, which pumps water from Dunster Working Watermill (also known as Castle Mill is a restored 18th century Watermill situated in the grounds of Dunster Castle in Dunster, Somerset The Fleet Air Arm Museum is located north of Yeovil, and south of Bristol. Nunney Castle is a Castle in Nunney, Somerset, England. It is a small French-style castle surrounded by a deep Moat, built for The Helicopter Museum in Weston-super-Mare, England, is a dedicated museum featuring a collection of more than 80 Rotorcraft from around the world both King John's Hunting Lodge is a Wool -merchant's house of around 1500 in Axbridge, Somerset, England. Axbridge is a Town in Somerset, England, situated in the Sedgemoor district on the River Axe, near the southern edge of the Mendip Radstock museum in Radstock, Somerset has a range of exhibits which offer an insight into North Somerset life since the nineteenth century Somerset County Museum is located in the 12th century great hall of Taunton Castle, in Taunton Somerset, England. The Somerset Rural Life Museum is situated in Glastonbury, Somerset, UK. The Westonzoyland Pumping Station Museum is a small Industrial Heritage Museum dedicated to steam powered machinery in Westonzoyland, Somerset
Somerset has 11,500 listed buildings, 523 Scheduled Monuments, 192 conservation areas,[95] 41 parks and gardens including those at Barrington Court, Holnicote Estate, Prior Park Landscape Garden and Tintinhull Garden, 36 English Heritage sites and 19 National Trust sites,[1] including Clevedon Court, Fyne Court, Montacute House and Tyntesfield as well as Stembridge Tower Mill the last remaining thatched windmill in England. A listed building in the United Kingdom is a building or other structure officially designated as being of special architectural historical or cultural significance In the United Kingdom, a Scheduled Monument is a 'nationally important' Archaeological site or historic building given protection against unauthorised change A conservation area is a tract of land that has been awarded protected status in order to ensure that natural features cultural heritage or biota are safeguarded Barrington Court is a Tudor Manor house begun c 1538 and completed in the late 1550s with a vernacular seventeenth-century stable court (1675 situated in Holnicote Estate is a National Trust property consisting of 12500 acres (50 For the nearby Catholic Independent School adjoining the Prior Park Landscape Garden see Prior Park College; for its prep school see Prior Park Preparatory School Tintinhull Garden, located in Tintinhull, Yeovil, Somerset, England is a small 20th century Arts and Crafts Garden surrounding English Heritage is a Non-departmental public body of the United Kingdom government ( Department for Culture Media and Sport) with a broad remit of The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organization in England, Wales Clevedon Court is a manor house in Clevedon, North Somerset, England, dating from the early fourteenth century Fyne Court is a National Trust -owned Nature reserve and Visitor centre in Broomfield, Bridgwater, Somerset, England Montacute House, situated in the South Somerset Village of Montacute, is described by its owners the National Trust, as "one of the glories Tyntesfield is a Victorian Gothic Revival estate near Wraxall, North Somerset, England, in the Vale of Nailsea, seven miles from Stembridge Tower Mill in High Ham, Somerset, England is the last remaining Thatched Windmill in England [1] Other historic houses in the county which have remained in private ownership or used for other purposes include Halswell House and Marston Bigot. Halswell House is a country house in Goathurst, Somerset, England. Marston Bigot is a small village near Nunney and south of Frome in Somerset, England. A key contribution of Somerset architecture is its medieval church towers. The Somerset Towers are a collection of distinctive mostly Spireless Gothic church towers in the county of Somerset in south west Jenkins writes, "These structures, with their buttresses, bell-opening tracery and crowns, rank with Nottinghamshire alabaster as England's finest contribution to medieval art. " [96]
Bath Rugby play at the Recreation Ground in Bath, and the Somerset County Cricket Club are based at the County Ground in Taunton. Bath Rugby (also known as just Bath) is an English professional Rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. The Recreation Ground ("the Rec" is a large open space in the centre of Bath, next to the River Avon, used for recreational purposes by Bath residents and Somerset County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English domestic Cricket structure representing the historic county The County Cricket Ground, is the most southwesterly of the English First Class Cricket grounds located in Taunton, Somerset. The county gained its first Football League club in 2003, when Yeovil Town won promotion to Division Three as Football Conference champions. The Football League, also known as the Coca-Cola Football League for sponsorship reasons is a league competition featuring professional football clubs Yeovil Town FC is an English football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. From the 1992-93 to the 2003-04 season, the Football League Third Division was the third-highest division of The Football League and the fourth-highest Organisation The Football Conference stands at the top of the National League System (NLS a comprehensive structure linking together over 50 different leagues under the [97] They had achieved numerous FA Cup victories over Football League sides in the past 50 years, and since joining the elite they have won promotion again – as League Two champions in 2005. The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football League, also known as the Coca-Cola Football League for sponsorship reasons is a league competition featuring professional football clubs Football League Two (often referred to as League Two for short or Coca-Cola Football League 2 for Sponsorship reasons is the third-highest division of They came close to yet another promotion in 2007, when they reached the League One playoff final, but lost to Blackpool at the newly reopened Wembley Stadium. Football League One (often referred to as League One for short or Coca-Cola Football League 1 for sponsorship reasons is the second-highest division of The Football Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 and located in the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. Wembley Stadium is a Stadium in Wembley, located in the London Borough of Brent in London, England. Horse racing courses are at Taunton and Wincanton. Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide Sport and Industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred Horses It is governed by different national Taunton Racecourse is a Thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Orchard Portman, just outside Taunton, Somerset, England. Wincanton Racecourse is a Thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Wincanton, Somerset, England.
In addition to English national newspapers the county is served by the regional Western Daily Press and local newspapers including; the Weston & Somerset Mercury, theBath Chronicle, Chew Valley Gazette, Clevedon Mercury and the Mendip Times. This article is a list of Newspapers in the United Kingdom. UK daily newspapers Traditionally newspapers could be split into serious-minded newspapers usually referred The Western Daily Press is a regional newspaper covering parts of South West England, mainly Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Somerset The Weston & Somerset Mercury is a weekly paid for newspaper that covers Weston-super-Mare and the surrounding areas of Somerset, England. The Bath Chronicle is a weekly newspaper published since 1760 in Bath, England. The Chew Valley and Wrington Vale Gazette is a monthly local newspaper for the Chew Valley and surrounding areas of north Somerset, England. The Clevedon Mercury is a weekly free newspaper delivered to homes in the North Somerset area The Mendip Times is a monthly magazine for the Mendip Hills and surrounding areas of north Somerset, England. Television and radio are provided by BBC Somerset, GWR FM Bristol, Orchard FM Taunton, Ivel FM Yeovil, and HTV, now known as ITV Wales & West Ltd, but still commonly referred to as HTV. GWR FM is a radio station serving the former County of Avon, England. Orchard FM is an Independent Local Radio station broadcasting from Somerset, England. Ivel FM was a United Kingdom radio station The studios were based in Yeovil centre but the station's TSA covered parts of South Somerset HTV, now legally known as ITV Wales and West, is the ITV contractor for Wales and the West of England. [98]
Transport
Somerset has 4,058 miles (6,531 km) of roads. The main arterial routes, which include the M5 motorway, A303, A37, A38 and A39, give good access across the county, but many areas can only be accessed via narrow lanes. This article is about the M5 motorway in England See M5 for other roads numbered "M5" The A303 is a Trunk road in England. It is the main road between Basingstoke in Hampshire and Honiton in Devon. The A37 is a major Road in southern England. It runs north from the A35 at Dorchester in Dorset into Somerset through The A38 is a major Trunk road in England. Though formally known as the Exeter - Leeds Trunk Road it actually runs from Bodmin in Cornwall The A39 is an A road in south west England. It runs south-west from Bath in Somerset through Wells, Glastonbury, Street [47] Rail services are provided by the West of England Main Line through Yeovil, the Bristol to Taunton Line, Heart of Wessex Line which runs from Bristol to Weymouth and the Reading to Plymouth Line. The West of England Main Line is a British railway line running from London Waterloo to Exeter St Davids. The Bristol to Taunton Line is a main line Railway in England, which links the Great Western Main Line at Bristol Temple Meads to the The Heart of Wessex Line, also known as the Bristol to Weymouth line, is a United Kingdom railway line that runs from Bristol to Westbury The Reading-Plymouth line is the central part of the trunk Railway line between London Paddington and Penzance railway stations in the southern Bristol International Airport provides national and international air services. Bristol International Airport is the commercial Airport serving the city of Bristol, England and the surrounding area
The Somerset Coal Canal was built in the early 19th century to reduce the cost of transportation of coal and other heavy produce. The Somerset Coal Canal (originally known as the Somersetshire Coal Canal) was a narrow canal in England, built around 1800 from basins at Paulton and [42] The first 10 miles (16 km), running from a junction with the Kennet and Avon Canal, along the Cam valley, to a terminal basin at Paulton, were in use by 1805, together with several tramways. The Kennet and Avon Canal is a Canal in southern England The name may refer to either the route of the original Kennet and Avon Canal Company, which linked the The Cam brook is a small river in Somerset, England. It rises near Hinton Blewitt, flows through Cameley, Temple Cloud, Paulton is a large village population around 5000 located to the North of the Mendip Hills, in the Unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset A planned 7. 25-mile (12 km) branch to Midford was never built, but in 1815 a tramway was laid along its towing path. In 1871 the tramway was purchased by the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway (S&DJR),[99][100] and operated until the 1950s. The Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway – almost always referred to as "the S&D" – was an English railway line connecting Bath in north east Somerset and
The 19th century saw improvements to Somerset's roads with the introduction of turnpikes, and the building of canals and railways. A toll road, (also known as a tollway, turnpike, pike, or toll highway, especially if it is constructed to Freeway standards Nineteenth-century canals included the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal, Westport Canal, Glastonbury Canal and Chard Canal. The Bridgwater and Taunton Canal is a Canal in the south west of England between Bridgwater and Taunton, linking with the River Parrett The Westport Canal was built around 1840 between Westport and Langport in Somerset, England. The Glastonbury Canal ran for just over through two locks from Glastonbury to Highbridge in Somerset, England, where it entered the The Chard Canal was a 13½ mile (22km Tub boat Canal in Somerset, England, that ran from the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal at [12][42] The Dorset and Somerset Canal was proposed, but little of it was ever constructed. The Dorset and Somerset Canal was a proposed Canal in the south west of England. [42]
The usefulness of the canals was short lived, though some have now been restored for recreation. The 19th century also saw the construction of railways to and through Somerset. The county was served by five pre-1923 Grouping railway companies: the Great Western Railway (GWR);[101][102] a branch of the Midland Railway (MR) to Bath Green Park (and another one to Bristol);[103] the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway,[104][105][102] and the London and South Western Railway (L&SWR). The Railways Act of 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being The Great Western Railway ( GWR) was a British railway company and a notable example of Civil engineering, linking London with the West The Midland Railway (MR was a Railway company in the United Kingdom, which existed from 1844 to 1922 when it became part of the London Midland and Scottish Green Park railway station is a former railway station in Bath, Somerset, England. The London and South Western Railway (L&SWR was a Railway company in England from 1838 to 1922 [106][102] The former main lines of the GWR are still in use today, although many of its branch lines were scrapped. The former lines of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway closed completely,[107] as has the branch of the Midland Railway to Bath Green Park (and to Bristol St Philips); however, the L&SWR survived as a part of the present West of England Main Line. St Philips railway station was a small terminus station in Bristol built by the Midland Railway to relieve pressure on the main station at Bristol Temple Meads, which The West of England Main Line is a British railway line running from London Waterloo to Exeter St Davids. None of these lines, in Somerset, are electrified. Railway electrification in Great Britain describes the past and present electrification systems used to supply traction current to railways and tramways in Great Britain Two branch lines, the West and East Somerset Railways, were rescued and transferred back to private ownership as "heritage" lines. The West Somerset Railway (WSR is a Heritage railway that runs along the edge of the Quantock Hills in Somerset, England, between Bishops The East Somerset Railway is a Heritage railway in Somerset, running between Cranmore and Mendip Vale. A heritage railway ( United Kingdom) preserved railway ( United Kingdom) or tourist railroad ( United States and Canada) is a The fifth railway was a short-lived light railway The Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Railway. The Weston Clevedon and Portishead Railway was conceived and built initially as a Tramway to link the three small North Somerset coastal towns of Weston-super-Mare The West Somerset Mineral Railway carried the iron ore from the Brendon Hills to Watchet. History The line was built in stages between 1856 and 1861 the construction of the incline taking the last two years of this period The Brendon Hills are composed of a lofty ridge of hills in the west of Somerset, England. Watchet is a Harbour Town and Civil parish in the English county of Somerset, with an approximate
Until the 1960s the piers at Weston-super-mare, Clevedon, Portishead and Minehead were served by the paddle steamers of P and A Campbell who ran regular services to Barry and Cardiff as well as Ilfracombe and Lundy Island. Weston-super-Mare is a Seaside resort town and Civil parish in North Somerset, England. Clevedon is a town in North Somerset, England.The name derives from the Saxon, 'Cleve' meaning Cleave or Cleft and 'don' meaning hill the town being Portishead (pɔːtɪsˈhɛd IS an English musical group from Bristol. Minehead is a coastal Town and Civil parish in the west of the the English county of Somerset. A paddle steamer is a ship or boat driven by a Steam engine that uses one or more Paddle wheels to develop thrust for propulsion. P & A Campbell Ltd of Bristol with its White Funnel Fleet became the dominant excursion-steamer operator in the Bristol Channel by the 1890s and along Barry (Y Barri is a Town in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. Located along the northern coast of the Bristol Channel less than 7 miles (11 kilometers Cardiff ( 'kɑːdɪf) is the Capital and the largest city and county in Wales. Ilfracombe is a Seaside resort and Civil parish on the north coast of Devon, England with a small Harbour, surrounded by Lundy is the largest island in the Bristol Channel, lying off the coast of Devon, England, approximately one third of the distance across the The pier at Burnham-on-Sea was used for commercial goods, one of the reasons for the Somerset and Dorset Railway was to provide a link between the Bristol Channel and the English Channel. Burnham-on-Sea is a Town in Somerset, England, at the mouth of the River Parrett and Bridgwater Bay. The Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway – almost always referred to as "the S&D" – was an English railway line connecting Bath in north east Somerset and The Bristol Channel ( Môr Hafren) is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset The pier at Burnham on Sea is the shortest pier in the UK. [108] In the 1970s the Royal Portbury Dock was constructed to provide extra capacity for the Port of Bristol. The Royal Portbury Dock is part of the Port of Bristol, in England. The Port of Bristol comprises the commercial and former commercial docks situated in and near the city of Bristol in England.
For long-distance holiday traffic travelling through the county to and from Devon and Cornwall, Somerset is often regarded as a marker on the journey. North–south traffic moves though the county via the M5 Motorway. This article is about the M5 motorway in England See M5 for other roads numbered "M5" [109] Traffic to and from the east travels either via the A303 road, or the M4 Motorway, which runs east–west, crossing the M5 just beyond the northern limits of the county. The A303 is a Trunk road in England. It is the main road between Basingstoke in Hampshire and Honiton in Devon. The M4 motorway is a Motorway in Great Britain linking London with Wales.
Education
State schools in Somerset are provided by three Local Education Authorities: Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, and the larger Somerset County Council. State school is an expression used in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom to distinguish schools provided by the government from privately All state schools are comprehensive. In some areas primary, infant and junior schools cater for ages four to eleven, after which the pupils move on to secondary schools. See also Primary education A primary school (from French école primaire) is an institution where children receive the first stage of Compulsory An Infant school is a type of School which caters for young children usually between the ages of 4 and 7 years A junior school is a type of School which caters for children often between the ages of 4 and 11 Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational Institution where the final stage of compulsory schooling known as Secondary education, takes There is a three-tier system of first, middle and upper schools in West Somerset, while most other schools in the county use the two-tier system. First school and lower school are terms used in some areas of the United Kingdom to describe the first stage of Primary education. Middle school or Junior High School serves as a "bridge" between the Elementary School and the High School Upper Schools tend to be schools within Secondary education. Outside England the term normally refers to a section of a larger school [110] Somerset has 30 state and 17 independent secondary schools;[111] Bath and North East Somerset has 13 state and 5 independent secondary schools;[112] and North Somerset has 10 state and 2 independent secondary schools, excluding sixth form colleges. A sixth form college is an educational institution in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Hong Kong or Malta where students aged 16 [113]
| % of pupils gaining 5 grades A-C including English and Maths in 2006[114] (average for England is 45. 8%) | |
|---|---|
| Education Authority | % |
| Bath and North East Somerset (Unitary Authority) | 52. 0% |
| West Somerset | 51. 0% |
| Taunton Deane | 49. 5% |
| Mendip | 47. 7% |
| North Somerset (Unitary Authority) | 47. 4% |
| South Somerset | 42. 3% |
| Sedgemoor | 41. 4% |
Some of the county's secondary schools have specialist school status. The specialist schools programme is a UK government initiative which encourages Secondary schools in England to specialise in certain areas of the curriculum Some schools have sixth forms and others transfer their sixth formers to colleges. Several schools can trace their origins back many years, such as The Blue School in Wells, Richard Huish College[115] in Taunton and Oldfield School in Bath. } The Blue School is a Coeducational, Secondary school located in Wells, Somerset, England Richard Huish College is named after Richard Huish who originally established the college as a Grammar school for boys in the 18th century Oldfield School is a girls Secondary school, with a small Co-educational Sixth form, in Newbridge, Bath, England. [116] Others have changed their names over the years such as Beechen Cliff School which was started in 1905 as the City of Bath Boys' School and changed to its present name in 1972 when the grammar school was amalgamated with a local secondary modern school, to form a comprehensive school. Beechen Cliff School is a boys` Secondary school in Bath Somerset, in England. A grammar school is one of several different types of School in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries A Secondary Modern School is a type of Secondary school that existed in most of the United Kingdom from 1944 until the early 1970s under the Tripartite System A comprehensive school is a Secondary school and State school for children from the age of 11 to at least 16 that does not select children on the basis of academic Many others were established and built since the Second World War. In 2006, 5,900 pupils in Somerset sat GCSE examinations, with 44. The General Certificate of Secondary Education ( GCSE) is the name of an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject generally taken in a number of subjects by 5% achieving 5 grades A-C including English and Maths (compared to 45. 8% for England). [117]
Sexey's School is a state boarding school in Bruton that also takes day pupils from the surrounding area. Sexey's School is a state Boarding school in Bruton, Somerset, England that also takes some day pupils from the surrounding area A boarding school is a School where some or all pupils not only study but also live during term time with their fellow students and possibly teachers Bruton is a Town and Civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the River Brue seven miles south east of Shepton Mallet [118] The Somerset LEA also provides special schools such as Farleigh College, which caters for children aged between 10 and 17 with special educational needs. A special school is a school catering to students who have Special educational needs e Farleigh College is a mainly residential Special school for pupils with Asperger’s syndrome, situated at Newbury Manor, an 18th century grade one listed Special Education is the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures adapted equipment and materials accessible settings and other interventions [119] Provision for pupils with special educational needs is also made by the mainstream schools.
There is also a range of independent or public schools. An independent school in the United Kingdom is a school relying upon private sources for all of its funding predominantly in the form of school fees The term public school has two distinct (and virtually opposite meanings depending on the location of usage in the United States, Australia and Many of these are for pupils between 11 and 18 years, such as King's College, Taunton and Taunton School. King's College is a British Coeducational, secondary boarding school in Taunton, Somerset, England. Taunton School is an Independent school in Taunton, Somerset, England King's School, Bruton was founded in 1519 and received royal foundation status around 30 years later in the reign of Edward VI. King's Bruton is an independent co-educational secondary school based in Bruton, Somerset, England. Edward VI (12 October 1537 &ndash 6 July 1553 became King of England and Ireland on 28 January 1547 and was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine Millfield is the largest co-educational boarding school, and the largest co-educational independent school in the country, catering for 1,260 pupils, of which 910 are boarders. Millfield is an independent school in Street Somerset, England. Mixed-sex education, (or just Mixed education) also known as Coeducation, is the integrated education to males and females at the same school facilities [120] There are also preparatory schools for younger children, such as All Hallows, and Hazlegrove Preparatory School. In English language usage in the former British Empire, the present-day Commonwealth, a preparatory school (usually abbreviated to prep school All Hallows is a co-educational Catholic prep school that provides day and boarding facilities Hazlegrove Preparatory School is an independent Preparatory school (UK located near Sparkford, Somerset, England. Other schools provide education for children from the age of 3 or 4 years through to 18, such as King Edward's School, Bath, Queen's College, Taunton and Wells Cathedral School which is one of the five established musical schools for school-age children in Britain. King Edward's School (KES Bath in South-West England is an Independent School providing education for pupils aged 3 - 18 Queen's College is a co-educational public school located in Taunton, the County town of Somerset, England. Wells Cathedral School is an independent school located at Wells in Somerset, England. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located [121] Some of these schools have religious affiliations, such as Monkton Combe School, Prior Park College, Sidcot School which is associated with the Religious Society of Friends,[122] Downside School which is a Roman Catholic public school in Stratton-on-the-Fosse, situated next to the Benedictine Downside Abbey,[123] and Kingswood School, which was founded by John Wesley in 1748 in Kingswood near Bristol, originally for the education of the sons of the itinerant ministers (clergy) of the Methodist Church. Monkton Combe School is an independent Christian mixed boarding and day school near Bath, England. Overview Originally intended to be England's first Catholic university Prior Park College was founded in 1830 and since then has been a Roman Catholic school Sidcot School is an independent fee-paying school associated with the Religious Society of Friends. Downside School is a Roman Catholic Public School in Stratton-on-the-Fosse near Bath, situated next to Downside Abbey. Stratton-on-the-Fosse is a village and Civil parish located on the edge of the Mendip Hills north east of Shepton Mallet, and from Frome, in Benedictine refers to the Spirituality and Consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in The Basilica of St Gregory the Great at Downside commonly known as Downside Abbey, is a Roman Catholic Benedictine Monastery and Kingswood School is a Coeducational, public day and boarding school in Bath, Somerset, England. John Wesley (ˈwɛslɪ ( – March 2, 1791) was an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian who was the founder of the (Evangelical Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations [124]
Further and higher education
A wide range of adult education and further education courses is available in Somerset, in schools, colleges and other community venues. Adult education is the practice of teaching and educating adults Further education (often abbreviated "FE" is Post-secondary Education (in addition to that received at Secondary school) that is distinct from The colleges include Bridgwater College, Frome Community College, Richard Huish College, Somerset College of Arts and Technology, Strode College and Yeovil College. Bridgwater College is a Further education college based in Somerset. Frome Community College is a Comprehensive school in Frome, Somerset, England with specialist Media arts status Richard Huish College is named after Richard Huish who originally established the college as a Grammar school for boys in the 18th century Somerset College of Arts and Technology is a community college based in Taunton, in the county of Somerset, England. Strode College is a Further education College situated in Street Somerset, UK. [125]
Bath University and Bath Spa University are higher education establishments in the north-east corner of the county. The University of Bath is a Campus university located in Bath, England. Bath Spa University is a University based in and around Bath, England. Bath University gained its Royal Charter in 1966, although its origins go back to Bristol Trade School (founded 1856) and Bath School of Pharmacy (founded 1907). [126] It has a purpose-built campus at Claverton on the outskirts of Bath, and has 12,000 students). Claverton is a small village situated approximately to the east of Bath at the southern end of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in [127] Bath Spa University, which is based at Newton St Loe, achieved university status in 2005, and has origins including the Bath Academy of Art (founded 1898), Bath Teacher Training College, and the Bath College of Higher Education. Newton Saint Loe ( is a small Somerset village located between Bath & Bristol in the South West of England. [128] It has several campuses and 5,500 students.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d Rajan, Amal. This is a list of visitor attractions in the English county of Somerset See also List of places The West Country dialects and West Country accents are generic terms applied to any of several English Dialects and accents used by much of the "Around a county in 40 facts: A (very) brief history of Somerset", Independent on Sunday, 2007-08-24. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar 's General Gaius Scribonius Curio is defeated in the Second Battle of the Bagradas River Retrieved on 2007-10-21. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1512 - Martin Luther joins the theological faculty of the University of Wittenberg.
- ^ Watts, Victor (Ed. ) (2004). The Cambridge Dictionary of English Place-Names. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge University Press (known colloquially as CUP is a Publisher given a Royal Charter by Henry VIII in 1534 ISBN 0-521-36209-1.
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- ^ Mesolithic hunters and fishermen. Somerset History. Retrieved on 2006-05-28. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling
- ^ Whitlock, Ralph (1975). Somerset. London: B. T. Batsford Ltd. ISBN 0713429054.
- ^ The Danish Invasions. Somerset County Council archives. Retrieved on 2007-10-18. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid
- ^ Manuscript E: Bodleian MS Laud 636. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: An Electronic Edition (Vol 5) literary edition. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Retrieved on 2008-01-21. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1189 - Philip II of France and Richard I of England begin to assemble troops to wage the Third Crusade.
- ^ The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle by Unknown. Project Gutenburg. Retrieved on 2008-01-21. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1189 - Philip II of France and Richard I of England begin to assemble troops to wage the Third Crusade.
- ^ Cartularium saxonicum: a collection of charters relating to Anglo-Saxon history. Google Books. Retrieved on 2008-04-21. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 753 BC - Romulus and Remus found Rome ( traditional date)
- ^ West Country Languages and Dialects. Intellect Books website. Retrieved on 2008-04-21. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 753 BC - Romulus and Remus found Rome ( traditional date)
- ^ A word to the wise. Take our word for it. Retrieved on 2008-01-22. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 565 - Eutychius is deposed as Patriarch of Constantinople by John Scholasticus.
- ^ a b Dunning, Robert (1983). A History of Somerset. Chichester: Phillimore & Co. ISBN 0-85033-461-6.
- ^ Somerset. Camelot Village: Britain's Heritage and History. Retrieved on 2006-05-28. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling
- ^ The day the Sweet Track was built. New Scientist, 16 June 1990. Events 1487 - Battle of Stoke Field, the last dying breath of the Wars of the Roses. Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Retrieved on 2007-10-26. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death
- ^ Brunning, Richard (2001). "The Somerset Levels". In: Current Archaeology, Vol. Current Archaeology describes itself as the " United Kingdom 's best selling archaeology magazine" XV, (No. 4), Issue Number 172 (Wetlands Special Issue), (February 2001), Pp 139-143. ISSN 0011-3212. An International Standard Serial Number ( ISSN) is a unique eight-digit number used to identify a print or electronic Periodical publication.
- ^ Mendip Hills An Archaeological Survey of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (pdf). Somerset County Council Archaeological Projects. Retrieved on 2006-10-28. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 306 - Maxentius is proclaimed Roman Emperor. 312 - Battle of Milvian Bridge: Constantine
- ^ Stanton Drew Stone Circles. English Heritage Archeometry. Retrieved on 2006-07-08. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 939 - The Major Occultation or Ghaybat el-Kubra of Muhammad al-Mahdi 1099 - First Crusade: 15000
- ^ Hucker, Ernest (1997). Chew Stoke Recalled in Old Photographs. Ernest Hucker.
- ^ Roman Baths Treatment Centre. Images of England. Retrieved on 2006-11-15. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 655 - Battle of Winwaed: Penda of Mercia is defeated by Oswiu of Northumbria.
- ^ Lewis, Brenda Ralph; David Nash Ford. Narative History of Saxon Somerset. Britania. Retrieved on 2007-10-21. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1512 - Martin Luther joins the theological faculty of the University of Wittenberg.
- ^ Rahtz, Phillip. The Saxon and Medieval Palaces at Cheddar, Somerset-an Interim Report of Excavations in I 960-62 (PDF). Archaeology Data Service. Retrieved on 2008-03-31. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor
- ^ Historic Buildings of Shepton Mallet. Shepton Mallet Town Council. Retrieved on 2007-08-30. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1363 - Beginning date of the Battle of Lake Poyang; the forces of two Chinese rebel leaders— Chen Youliang and
- ^ Rodgers, Colonel H. C. B. (1968). Battles and Generals of the Civil Wars. Seeley Service & Co. .
- ^ Sedgemoor Battle and the Monmouth Rebellion Campaign (PDF). Retrieved on 2007-12-14. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people
- ^ History of Bridgwater. Bridgwater. Retrieved on 2007-10-21. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1512 - Martin Luther joins the theological faculty of the University of Wittenberg.
- ^ History and Chronology of Arthur Wellesley Wellington in Great Britain. World History Database. Retrieved on 2007-12-14. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people
- ^ Society History. Royal Bath and West. Retrieved on 2007-12-14. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people
- ^ Billingsley, John (1798). General View of the Agriculture of the County of Somerset.
- ^ A Brief History of the Bristol and Somerset Coalfield. The Mines of the Bristol and Somerset Coalfield. Retrieved on 2008-01-22. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 565 - Eutychius is deposed as Patriarch of Constantinople by John Scholasticus.
- ^ Cornwell, John (2005). Colleries of Somerset & Bristol. Ashborne: Landmark Publishing. ISBN 1-84306-170-8.
- ^ Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's). Somerset Military Museum. Retrieved on 2007-12-23. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 962 - Byzantine-Arab Wars: Under the future Emperor Nicephorus Phocas, Byzantine troops stormed the city
- ^ Taunton Stop Line. Pillboxes Somerset. Retrieved on 2007-10-25. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1147 - The Portuguese, under Afonso I, and Crusaders from England and Flanders conquer Lisbon after a
- ^ a b c d e f Brown, Donald (1999). Somerset v Hilter: Secret Operations in the Mendips 1939 - 1945. Newbury: Countryside Books. ISBN 1-85306-590-0.
- ^ Mendip Hills An Archaeological Survey of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Somerset County Council Archaeological Projects. Retrieved on 2006-10-28. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 306 - Maxentius is proclaimed Roman Emperor. 312 - Battle of Milvian Bridge: Constantine
- ^ Somerton by Miranda Richardson. Somerset Urban Archaeological Survey. Retrieved on 2008-01-07. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1325 - Alfonso IV becomes King of Portugal. 1558 - France takes Calais, the last continental
- ^ A town plan for Somerton (PDF). South Somerset Council. Retrieved on 2008-01-07. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1325 - Alfonso IV becomes King of Portugal. 1558 - France takes Calais, the last continental
- ^ Welcome to Chard. Chard Town Council. Retrieved on 2008-01-11. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire.
- ^ Somerset Geology. Good Rock Guide. Retrieved on 2006-10-30. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 637 - Antioch surrenders to the Muslim forces under Rashidun Caliphate after the Battle of Iron bridge.
- ^ Frequently Asked Questions. Mendip Hills AONB. Retrieved on 2007-12-14. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people
- ^ Somerset. English Nature, Special Sites, Somerset Geology. Retrieved on 2006-10-30. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 637 - Antioch surrenders to the Muslim forces under Rashidun Caliphate after the Battle of Iron bridge.
- ^ a b c Somerset Topography. Somerset County Council. Retrieved on 2006-05-28. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling
- ^ a b c d e f Hadfield, Charles (1999). Charles Hadfield ( 5 August 1909 &ndash 6 August 1996) was a Canal Historian and the Author of many classic Canals of Southern England. London: Phoenix House Ltd.
- ^ a b c Williams, Robin; Romey Williams (1992). The Somerset Levels. Bradford on Avon: Ex Libris Press. ISBN 0948578386.
- ^ a b Williams, Michael (1970). The Draining of the Somerset Levels. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-07486-X.
- ^ a b Rippon, Stephen (1997). The Severn Estuary: Landscape Evolution and Wetland Reclamation. London: Leicester University. ISBN 0-7185-0069-5
- ^ Exmoor National Park Authority. Everything Exmoor. Retrieved on 2007-10-16. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 456 - Magister militum Ricimer defeats the Emperor Avitus at Piacenza and becomes master of the western
- ^ a b c d About The Service. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue. Retrieved on 2007-10-20. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1740 - Maria Theresa takes the throne of Austria. France, Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony
- ^ Severn Estuary Barrage (PDF). UK Environment Agency (31 May 2006). Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Retrieved on 2007-09-03. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 36 BC - In the Battle of Naulochus, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Admiral of Octavian, defeats Sextus Pompeius
- ^ Coast: Bristol Channel. BBC. Retrieved on 2007-08-27. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 479 BC - Greco-Persian Wars: Persian forces led by Mardonius are routed by Pausanias, the Spartan
- ^ Ordnance Survey. OS MasterMap [map]. Retrieved on 2007-04-12. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 467 - Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire.
- ^ About south-west England. Met Office. Retrieved on 2008-01-22. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 565 - Eutychius is deposed as Patriarch of Constantinople by John Scholasticus.
- ^ Somerset Key Figures for 2001 Census: Key Statistics. Office of National Statistics. Retrieved on 2007-12-14. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people
- ^ a b Lawrence, J. F. (2005). A History of Bridgwater. (revised and compiled by J. C. Lawrence) Chichester: Phillimore & Co. ISBN 1-86077-363-X.
- ^ History. AgustaWestland. Retrieved on 2007-12-14. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people
- ^ Bednall, M. P. . Celebrating fifty years of Normalair - A brief history.
- ^ Cocroft, Wayne D. (2000). Dangerous Energy: The archaeology of gunpowder and military explosives manufacture. Swindon: English Heritage. ISBN 1850747180.
- ^ Colledge, Matthew. "Sad day as firm sheds workforce", Bridgwater Mercury, 31 March 2008. Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Retrieved on 2008-04-15. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1450 - Battle of Formigny: Toward the end of the Hundred Years' War, the French attack and nearly annihilate English
- ^ From the origins of the company in 1893 to 2007 and the "New Thales". Thales. Retrieved on 2007-12-14. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people
- ^ Shock at factory closure news. This is the West Country. Retrieved on 2007-10-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 437 - Valentinian III, Western Roman Emperor, marries Licinia Eudoxia, daughter of his cousin Theodosius II
- ^ Somerset Industry of Employment - All People (KS11A). 2001 Census Key statistics: Office of National Statistics. Retrieved on 2007-12-14. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people
- ^ Mini profiles of the key industrial sectors in Somerset. Celebrating Somerset. Retrieved on 2007-10-26. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death
- ^ Celebrating Somerset Willow. Somerset County Council. Retrieved on 2007-06-10. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1190 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem
- ^ Somerset Levels. BBC Radio 4 - Open Country. Retrieved on 2007-06-10. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1190 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem
- ^ Clarks ends shoemaking in Somerset. BBC Somerset. Retrieved on 2007-10-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 437 - Valentinian III, Western Roman Emperor, marries Licinia Eudoxia, daughter of his cousin Theodosius II
- ^ a b Hudson (1971). The Fashionable Stone. Bath: Adams & Dart. ISBN 0-239-00066-8
- ^ Bezzant, Norman (1980). Out of the Rock. . . London: William Heinemann Ltd. ISBN 0-434-06900-0
- ^ Perkins, J. W. , Brooks, A. T. and McR. Pearce, A. E. (1979). Bath Stone: a quarry history. Cardiff: Department of Extra-mural Studies, University College Cardiff. ISBN 0-906230-26-8
- ^ (n/a)(1998). Images of England: Bridgwater (Compiled from the collections at Admiral Blake Museum). Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-1049-0
- ^ Shannon, Paul (2007). "Mendip Stone". In: Railway Magazine, Vol. The Railway Magazine is a monthly British Railway Magazine, aimed at the railway enthusiast market that has been published in 153, No. 1,277, Pp 22-26. (September 2007)ISSN 0033-8922. An International Standard Serial Number ( ISSN) is a unique eight-digit number used to identify a print or electronic Periodical publication.
- ^ Employers in Somerset. Somerset Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved on 2006-05-28. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling
- ^ United Kingdom Census 2001 (2001). Key Figures for 2001 Census: Census Area Statistics: Area: Somerset (Education Authority). statistics. gov. uk. Retrieved on 2007-12-12. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 627 - Battle of Nineveh: A Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeats Emperor Khosrau II 's Persian
- ^ United Kingdom Census 2001 (2001). Key Figures for 2001 Census: Census Area Statistics: Area: North Somerset. statistics. gov. uk. Retrieved on 2007-12-12. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 627 - Battle of Nineveh: A Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeats Emperor Khosrau II 's Persian
- ^ a b c United Kingdom Census 2001 (2001). Key Figures for 2001 Census: Census Area Statistics: Area: Bath and North East Somerset. statistics. gov. uk. Retrieved on 2007-12-12. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 627 - Battle of Nineveh: A Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeats Emperor Khosrau II 's Persian
- ^ Somerset. Office for National Statistics 2001 Census. Retrieved on 2007-10-20. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1740 - Maria Theresa takes the throne of Austria. France, Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony
- ^ Bath and North East Somerset UA. Office for National Statistics 2001 Census. Retrieved on 2007-10-20. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1740 - Maria Theresa takes the throne of Austria. France, Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony
- ^ North Somerset UA. Office for National Statistics 2001 Census. Retrieved on 2007-10-20. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1740 - Maria Theresa takes the throne of Austria. France, Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony
- ^ T 09: Quinary age groups and sex for local authorities in the United Kingdom; estimated resident population Mid-2006 Population Estimates. Office for National Statistics. The Office for National Statistics (ONS is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly Retrieved on 2007-10-20. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1740 - Maria Theresa takes the throne of Austria. France, Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony
- ^ Demographic Information. Somerset school organisation plan. Retrieved on 2007-10-20. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1740 - Maria Theresa takes the throne of Austria. France, Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony
- ^ Somerset: Total Population. A Vision of Britain Through Time. Great Britain Historical GIS Project. Retrieved on 2007-12-12. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 627 - Battle of Nineveh: A Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeats Emperor Khosrau II 's Persian
- ^ Bath and North East Somerset: Total Population. A Vision of Britain Through Time. Great Britain Historical GIS Project. Retrieved on 2007-12-13. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1294 - Saint Celestine V abdicates the papacy after only five months Celestine hoped to return to his previous life
- ^ North Somerset: Total Population. A Vision of Britain Through Time. Great Britain Historical GIS Project. Retrieved on 2007-12-13. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1294 - Saint Celestine V abdicates the papacy after only five months Celestine hoped to return to his previous life
- ^ Alphabetical List of Members of Parliament. Parliament UK. Retrieved on 2008-01-11. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire.
- ^ Somerset North East: New Boundaries Calculation. Electoral Calculus: General Election Prediction. Retrieved on 2007-09-19. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 335 - Dalmatius is raised to the rank of Caesar by his uncle Constantine I.
- ^ UK MEPs for the South West. European Parliament UK Office. Retrieved on 2008-01-11. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire.
- ^ The Avon (Structural Change) Order 1995. HMSO. Retrieved on 2007-12-09. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 536 - Byzantine General Belisarius enters Rome while the Ostrogothic garrison peacefully leaves the city
- ^ A unitary council for Somerset. Somerset County Council. Retrieved on 2007-06-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 512 - A Solar eclipse is recorded by a monastic chronicler in Ireland.
- ^ Everett, Glenn. William Wordsworth: Biography. The Victorian Web. Retrieved on 2007-01-07. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1325 - Alfonso IV becomes King of Portugal. 1558 - France takes Calais, the last continental
- ^ Waugh, Auberon (December 1991). Auberon Alexander Waugh (ˈɔːbərən ˈwɔː ( November 17, 1939 &ndash January 16, 2001) was a British author and Journalist. Will this do?. Century, pp. 206. ISBN 0712637338.
- ^ Review: The Wurzels' Big Summer Party. BBC Somerset. Retrieved on 2007-10-21. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1512 - Martin Luther joins the theological faculty of the University of Wittenberg.
- ^ Extra Glastonbury Tickets Snapped Up. Contact Music (22 April 2007). Events 1500 - Portuguese Navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral becomes the first European to sight Brazil. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Retrieved on 2007-10-22. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 202 BC - Hannibal Barca, leader of the Carthaginians, is defeated by the Roman legions under Scipio Africanus
- ^ Mark Adler (August 2006). It's my party. Mendip Times 2 (3): 14–15.
- ^ Evans, Roger; Peter Nichols. Somerset Carnivals: A Celebration of 400 Years. ISBN 1841144835.
- ^ King Arthur and Glastonbury. Britain Express. Retrieved on 2007-10-23. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 4004 BC - Creation of the world begins according to the calculations of Archbishop James Ussher 42 BC -
- ^ a b Glastonbury Abbey's official website. Glastonbury Abbey. Retrieved on 2007-10-23. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 4004 BC - Creation of the world begins according to the calculations of Archbishop James Ussher 42 BC -
- ^ Somerset Local Transport Plan 2006-2011. Somerset County Council. Retrieved on 2008-01-11. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire.
- ^ Jenkins, Simon (2000). England's Thousand Best Churches. Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-029795-2.
- ^ Yeovil Town. Football Club History Database. Retrieved on 2008-01-11. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire.
- ^ Wales and West ITV. Ofcom. Retrieved on 2008-01-11. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire.
- ^ Rivers and Canals. Somerset County Council: History of Somerset. Retrieved on 2006-10-29. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 437 - Valentinian III, Western Roman Emperor, marries Licinia Eudoxia, daughter of his cousin Theodosius II
- ^ Athill, Robin (1967). The Somerset & Dorset Railway. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. David & Charles (also David and Charles) is a publisher specialising in illustrated non-fiction books ISBN 0-7153-4164-2.
- ^ HM Government (1921). Railways Act 1921. The Railways Archive. (originally published by HMSO). Retrieved on 2006-11-25. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1034 - Máel Coluim mac Cináeda, King of Scots dies Donnchad, the
- ^ a b c St. John Thomas, David (1960). David St John Thomas (born 1929 is an English publisher and writer A Regional history of the railways of Great Britain: Volume 1 - The West Country. London: Phoenix House.
- ^ Smith, Martin (1992). The Railways of Bristol and Somerset. Sheperton: Ian Allan Ltd. ISBN 0-7110-2063-9.
- ^ Awdry, Christopher (1990). Christopher Awdry (born 1940 is a British Author best known for his contributions to The Railway Series of books featuring Thomas the Tank Engine Encyclopaedia of British Railway Companies. Patrick Stephens Ltd. Page 237.
- ^ Casserley, H. C. (1968). Britain's Joint Lines. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0024-7.
- ^ Williams, R. A. (1968) The London & South Western Railway, v. 1: The formative years, and v. 2: Growth and consolidation, David and Charles, ISBN 0-7153-4188-X; ISBN 0-7153-5940-1
- ^ Atthill, Robin and Nock, O. S. (1967). Oswald Stevens Nock (1904–1994 usually known as OS Nock, was a British Railway author and signal engineer by profession The Somerset & Dorset Railway. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. David & Charles (also David and Charles) is a publisher specialising in illustrated non-fiction books ISBN 0-7153-4164-2.
- ^ Handley, Chris (2001). Maritime Activities of the Somerset & Dorset Railway. Cleckheaton: Millstream Books. ISBN 0-9488975-63-6.
- ^ Charlesworth, George (1984). A History of British Motorways. London: Thomas Telford Limited. ISBN 0-7277-0159-2.
- ^ Learning in Somerset. Celebrating Somerset. Retrieved on 2007-10-26. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death
- ^ Education and Learning. Somerset County Council. Retrieved on 2007-12-18. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 218 BC - Second Punic War: Battle of the Trebia - Hannibal 's Carthaginian forces defeat those of the
- ^ Primary, Secondary and Specialist Schools. Bath and North East Somerset Council. Retrieved on 2007-12-18. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 218 BC - Second Punic War: Battle of the Trebia - Hannibal 's Carthaginian forces defeat those of the
- ^ Schools. North Somerset Council. Retrieved on 2007-12-18. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 218 BC - Second Punic War: Battle of the Trebia - Hannibal 's Carthaginian forces defeat those of the
- ^ LDF Contextual Info (Excel). Intelligence West. Retrieved on 2007-12-14. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people
- ^ Richard Huish College. Creative Steps. Retrieved on 2007-12-18. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 218 BC - Second Punic War: Battle of the Trebia - Hannibal 's Carthaginian forces defeat those of the
- ^ Welcome. Oldfield School. Retrieved on 2007-12-18. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 218 BC - Second Punic War: Battle of the Trebia - Hannibal 's Carthaginian forces defeat those of the
- ^ LDF Contextual Info (Excel). Intelligence West. Retrieved on 2007-12-14. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people
- ^ Sexey's School. Sexey's School - A Brief History. Retrieved on 2007-07-01. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song.
- ^ Farleigh College. Farleigh College. Retrieved on 2007-12-18. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 218 BC - Second Punic War: Battle of the Trebia - Hannibal 's Carthaginian forces defeat those of the
- ^ PS Series wins place at Millfield school. Nexo. Retrieved on 2007-10-26. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death
- ^ Wells Cathedral School. Wells Cathedral School. Retrieved on 2007-12-18. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 218 BC - Second Punic War: Battle of the Trebia - Hannibal 's Carthaginian forces defeat those of the
- ^ About Sidcot. Sidcot School. Retrieved on 2007-12-18. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 218 BC - Second Punic War: Battle of the Trebia - Hannibal 's Carthaginian forces defeat those of the
- ^ About Downside School. Downside School. Retrieved on 2007-12-18. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 218 BC - Second Punic War: Battle of the Trebia - Hannibal 's Carthaginian forces defeat those of the
- ^ A Christian Ethos. Kingswood School. Retrieved on 2007-12-18. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 218 BC - Second Punic War: Battle of the Trebia - Hannibal 's Carthaginian forces defeat those of the
- ^ Somerset Colleges. Somerset Colleges. Retrieved on 2007-12-18. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 218 BC - Second Punic War: Battle of the Trebia - Hannibal 's Carthaginian forces defeat those of the
- ^ University of Bath. History of the University. Retrieved on 2008-01-02. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire.
- ^ University of Bath. Facts and figures. Retrieved on 2008-01-02. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire.
- ^ Bath Spa University. Our History. Retrieved on 2008-01-02. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire.
Further reading
- Encyclopædia Britannica, 1911, "Somersetshire". The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911 is a 29-volume reference work that marked the beginning of the Encyclopædia Britannica
- Victoria History of the Counties of England – History of the County of Somerset. The Victoria History of the Counties of England, commonly known as the Victoria County History or the VCH, is an English History project begun in 1899 in Oxford: Oxford University Press, for: The Institute of Historical Research.
- Note: Volumes I to IX published so far **1st link to on-line version (not all volumes)
- 2nd link to on-line version (not all volumes)
- Volume I: Natural History, Prehistory, Domesday
- Volume II: Ecclesiastical History, Religious Houses, Political, Maritime, and Social and Economic History, Earthworks, Agriculture, Forestry, Sport.
- Volume III: Pitney, Somerton, and Tintinhull hundreds.
- Volume IV: Crewkerne, Martock, and South Petherton hundreds.
- Volume V: Williton and Freemanors hundred.
- Volume VI: Andersfield, Cannington and North Petherton hundreds (Bridgwater and neighbouring parishes).
- Volume VII: Bruton, Horethorne and Norton Ferris Hundreds.
- Volume VIII: The Poldens and the Levels.
- Volume IX: Glastonbury and Street, Baltonsborough, Butleigh, Compton Dundon, Meare, North Wootton, Podimore, Milton, Walton, West Bradley, and West Pennard.
- Adkins, Lesley and Roy (1992). A field guide to Somerset Archeology. Stanbridge: Dovecote press. ISBN 0946159947.
- Aston, Michael; Ian Burrow (1982). Michael (Mick Antony Aston (born July 1 1946) is a British Archaeologist. The Archaeology of Somerset: A review to 1500 AD. Somerset: Somerset County Council. . ISBN 0861830288.
- Aston, Michael (1988). Michael (Mick Antony Aston (born July 1 1946) is a British Archaeologist. Aspects of the Medieval Landscape of Somerset & Contributions to the landscape history of the county. Somerset: Somerset County Council. ISBN 0861831292.
- Bush, Robin (1994). Somerset: The complete guide. Wimbourne: Dovecote press. ISBN 187433627X.
- Costen, Michael (1992). The origins of Somerset. Manchester: Manchester University Press. ISBN 0719036755.
- Croft, Robert; Mick Aston (1993). Somerset from the air: An aerial Guide to the Heritage of the County. Somerset: Somerset County Council. ISBN 0861832159.
- Dunning, Robert (1995). Somerset Castles. Somerset: Somerset Books. ISBN 0861832787.
- Leach, Peter (2001). Roman Somerset. Stanbridge: The Dovecote Press. ISBN 1874336938.
- Little, Bryan (1983). Portrait of Somerset. London: Robert Hale Ltd. ISBN 0709009151.
- Robinson, Stephen (1992). Somerset Place Names. Wimbourne: The Dovecote Press Ltd. ISBN 1874336032.
External links
- Official Somerset Tourism Web Site
- Somerset County Council
- BBC Somerset
- Weston & Somerset Mercury
- Somerset at the Open Directory Project
- Somerset, available at Project Gutenberg. The Open Directory Project ( ODP) also known as dmoz (from directory Project Gutenberg, abbreviated as PG, is a volunteer effort to Digitize, archive and distribute Cultural works
- 3d photos of Somerset's towns and villages (Anaglyphs)
- Somerset at GENUKI
- flickr: Images of Somerset
- Photographs of Somerset
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