Portal:Somerset
The Somerset Portal
Somerset (/ˈsʌmərsɪt, -sɛt/ SUM-ər-sit, -set; archaically Somersetshire /ˈsʌmərsɪt.ʃɪər, -sɛt-, -ʃər/ SUM-ər-sit-sheer, -set-, -shər) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east and the north-east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. The largest settlement is the city of Bath, and the county town is Taunton.
Somerset is a predominantly rural county, especially to the south and west, with an area of 4,171 km2 (1,610 sq mi) and a population of 965,424. After Bath (101,557), the largest settlements are Weston-super-Mare (82,418), Taunton (60,479), and Yeovil (49,698). Wells (12,000) is a city, the second-smallest by population in England. For local government purposes the county comprises three unitary authority areas: Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, and Somerset. Bath and North East Somerset Council is a member of the West of England Combined Authority.
The centre of Somerset is dominated by the Levels, a coastal plain and wetland. The north-east contains part of the Cotswolds uplands and all of the Mendip Hills, which are both national landscapes; the west contains the Quantock Hills and part of the Blackdown Hills, which are also national landscapes, and most of Exmoor, a national park. The major rivers of the county are the Avon, which flows through Bath and then Bristol, and the Axe, Brue, and Parrett, which drain the Levels.
There is evidence of Paleolithic human occupation in Somerset, and the area was subsequently settled by the Celts, Romans and Anglo-Saxons. The county played a significant part in Alfred the Great's rise to power, and later the English Civil War and the Monmouth Rebellion. In the later medieval period its wealth allowed its monasteries and parish churches to be rebuilt in grand style; Glastonbury Abbey was particularly important, and claimed to house the tomb of King Arthur and Guinevere. The city of Bath is famous for its Georgian architecture, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The county is also the location of Glastonbury Festival, one of the UK's major music festivals. (Full article...)
Selected article
The castle was expanded several times by the Luttrell family during the 17th and 18th centuries; they built a large manor house within the Lower Ward of the castle in 1617, and this was extensively modernised, first during the 1680s and then during the 1760s. The medieval castle walls were mostly destroyed following the siege of Dunster Castle at the end of the English Civil War, when Parliament ordered the defences to be slighted to prevent their further use. In the 1860s and 1870s, the architect Anthony Salvin was employed to remodel the castle to fit Victorian tastes; this work extensively changed the appearance of Dunster to make it appear more Gothic and Picturesque.
Following the death of Alexander Luttrell in 1944, the family was unable to afford the death duties on his estate. The castle and surrounding lands were sold off to a property firm, the family continuing to live in the castle as tenants. The Luttrells bought back the castle in 1954, but in 1976 Colonel Walter Luttrell gave Dunster Castle and most of its contents to the National Trust. As of 2011 the castle is operated by the trust as a tourist attraction; it is a Grade I listed building and scheduled monument. (Full article...)
Selected biography -
Stephen Cox Newton (21 April 1853 – 16 August 1916) was an English cricketer who represented, and captained, Somerset County Cricket Club in the late 19th century. During a 14-year first-class cricket career, he also represented Cambridge University, Middlesex and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).
He made his debut in first-class cricket for Cambridge University, where he was awarded his Blue. He then spent nine seasons playing for Somerset, and captained the side for the last five of those seasons. Working as a schoolmaster at Highgate School in London from 1876–1884, his playing opportunities for the south-western county were limited, and from 1885 he only played first-class cricket at Lord's, representing Middlesex in three matches that season, and appearing for the MCC on nine occasions over six years. He returned to play for Somerset in 1887 and 1890 when they had lost their first-class status. He worked as headmaster of Loudon House School in London for some years from 1888, and died following an operation in 1916 in Ipswich. (Full article...)Districts of Somerset
- Somerset (Unitary)
- North Somerset (Unitary)
- Bath and North East Somerset (Unitary)
Subcategories
Related portals
Selected images
Selected settlement
Co-ordinates 51°17′34″N 2°26′52″W / 51.2927°N 2.4477°W
Radstock is a town 9 miles (14 km) south west of Bath, and 8 miles (13 km) north west of Frome. It is within the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset and has a population of 5,275 according to the 2001 Census. Together with neighbouring Midsomer Norton and the smaller settlements of Clandown, Westfield and Haydon, Radstock is part of the conurbation and civil parish of Norton Radstock.
Radstock has been settled since the Iron Age, and its importance grew after the construction of the Fosse Way, a Roman road. The growth of the town occurred after 1763, when coal was discovered in the area. Large numbers of mines opened during the 19th century including several owned by the Waldegrave family, who had been Lords of the Manor since the English Civil War. The spoil heap of Writhlington colliery is now the Writhlington Site of Special Scientific Interest, which includes 3,000 tons of Upper Carboniferous spoil from which more than 1,400 insect fossil specimens have been recovered. The complex geology and narrow seams made coal extraction difficult. Tonnage increased throughout the 19th century, reaching a peak around 1901, when there were 79 separate collieries and annual production was 1,250,000 tons per annum. However, due to local geological difficulties and manpower shortages output declined and the number of pits reduced from 30 at the beginning of the 20th century to 14 by the mid-thirties; the last two pits, Kilmersdon and Writhlington, closed in September 1973. The Great Western Railway and the Somerset and Dorset Railway both established stations and marshalling yards in the town. The last passenger train services to Radstock closed in 1966. Manufacturing industries such as printing, binding and packaging provide some local employment. In recent years, Radstock has increasingly become a commuter town for the nearby cities of Bath and Bristol.
Radstock is home to the Radstock Museum which is housed in a former market hall, and has a range of exhibits which offer an insight into north-east Somerset life since the 19th century. Many of the exhibits relate to local geology and the now disused Somerset coalfield and geology. The town is also home to Writhlington School, famous for its Orchid collection, and a range of educational, religious and cultural buildings and sporting clubs. (Full article...)
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's "Did You Know" archives:
- ... that the Church of Saint Andrew (pictured) in High Ham, Somerset, England, has a 12th century lead-lined font on a stem with rope moulding?
- ... that the coldest temperature in south-west England on record was −16.1 °C (3.0 °F) at Yeovilton, Somerset, in January 1982?
- ... that the Wells and Mendip Museum has a skeleton believed to be that of the Witch of Wookey Hole?
- ... that Cothelstone Manor was largely destroyed during the English Civil War and rebuilt 200 years later?
- ... that the Cheddar Yeo forms the largest underground river system in Britain?
Things you can do
|
Here are some tasks awaiting attention:
|
WikiProjects
Nearby projects: WikiProject Bristol, WikiProject Devon, WikiProject Dorset, WikiProject Wiltshire
Topics
Recognised content
This is a list of recognized content, updated weekly by JL-Bot (talk · contribs) (typically on Saturdays). There is no need to edit the list yourself. If an article is missing from the list, make sure it is tagged (e.g. {{WikiProject Somerset}}) or categorized correctly and wait for the next update. See WP:RECOG for configuration options. |
Featured articles
- Ælfheah of Canterbury
- Bath, Somerset
- Battle of Babylon Hill
- Battle of Marshall's Elm
- Margaret Bondfield
- Robert Burnell
- Chew Stoke
- Equestrian statue of Edward Horner
- Exmoor
- Ham Wall
- Herbie Hewett
- Kennet and Avon Canal
- Mells War Memorial
- Mendip Hills
- Lionel Palairet
- Porlock Stone Circle
- River Parrett
- Sieges of Taunton
- Somerset County Cricket Club in 1891
- Somerset County Cricket Club in 2009
- Somerset Levels
- Sweet Track
- Marcus Trescothick
- Wells Cathedral
- Withypool Stone Circle
Featured lists
- List of ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells
- Works of Keith Floyd
- Grade I listed buildings in Bath and North East Somerset
- Grade I listed buildings in Mendip
- Grade I listed buildings in North Somerset
- Grade I listed buildings in Sedgemoor
- Grade I listed buildings in South Somerset
- Grade I listed buildings in Taunton Deane
- Grade I listed buildings in West Somerset
- Grade II* listed buildings in North Somerset
- List of civil parishes in Somerset
- List of English Heritage properties in Somerset
- List of locks on the Kennet and Avon Canal
- List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Avon
- List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Somerset
- List of Somerset County Cricket Club Twenty20 players
- List of Somerset County Cricket Club grounds
- List of Somerset County Cricket Club players with 100 or more first-class or List A appearances
- List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in Southwest England
- List of hillforts and ancient settlements in Somerset
- List of local nature reserves in Somerset
- List of scheduled monuments in North Somerset
- List of scheduled monuments in Sedgemoor
- List of scheduled monuments in South Somerset
- Grade II* listed buildings in Mendip
- List of museums in Somerset
- List of national nature reserves in Somerset
- List of National Trust properties in Somerset
- Scheduled monuments in Bath and North East Somerset
- Scheduled monuments in Mendip
- Scheduled monuments in Taunton Deane
- Scheduled monuments in West Somerset
- Grade II* listed buildings in Sedgemoor
- Grade II* listed buildings in Taunton Deane
- Grade II* listed buildings in West Somerset
Featured topics
Good articles
- A303 road
- 1754 Taunton by-election
- 1887 Taunton by-election
- The Abbot's Fish House, Meare
- Agapemonites
- William Arnold (settler)
- Ashton Court
- Ashton Court Festival
- Athelm
- River Avon, Bristol
- Avon Gorge
- Herbert E. Balch
- Barrington Court
- E. W. Bastard
- Bath Abbey
- Bath Assembly Rooms
- Beckford's Tower
- Berhtwald
- Birnbeck Pier
- Bishop's Palace, Wells
- Blackdown Hills National Landscape
- Blagdon Lake
- John Braham (RAF officer)
- Brean Down
- HMS Bridgewater (L01)
- Bridgwater and Taunton Canal
- Bridgwater Bay
- Bridgwater
- Brislington House
- Bruton Dovecote
- Buildings and architecture of Bath
- Burnham-on-Sea
- Mike Burns (cricketer)
- Buro Happold
- Burrow Mump
- Burton Pynsent House
- Jenson Button
- Allegra Byron
- Cadbury Camp
- Cadbury Castle, Somerset
- Chard, Somerset
- Cheddar Gorge
- Cheddar, Somerset
- Chew Magna
- St Andrew's Church, Chew Stoke
- Claverton Pumping Station
- Cleeve Abbey
- Clevedon
- Clevedon Court
- Clevedon Pier
- Cleveland Pools
- Clifton Suspension Bridge
- Climate of south-west England
- Coleridge Cottage
- The Crescent, Taunton
- Crewkerne
- Cricket at the 1900 Summer Olympics
- Crook Peak to Shute Shelve Hill
- Dolebury Warren
- Dovecot at Blackford Farm
- Dunkery Hill
- Dunstan
- Dunster Butter Cross
- Dunster Castle
- Dunster
- Dunster Working Watermill
- Ebbor Gorge
- Exmoor pony
- Farleigh Hungerford Castle
- Reginald Fitz Jocelin
- Savaric FitzGeldewin
- Henry Fownes Luttrell (died 1780)
- Henry Fox (sportsman)
- Frome
- Fyne Court
- Gallox Bridge, Dunster
- Edith Garrud
- Geography of Somerset
- Geology of Somerset
- Gisa (bishop of Wells)
- Eleanor Glanville
- Glastonbury Abbey
- Glastonbury Canal
- Glastonbury Festival
- Glastonbury
- Glastonbury Lake Village
- Glastonbury Tor
- Grade I listed buildings in Somerset
- Grand Western Canal
- HM Prison Shepton Mallet
- Hestercombe House
- James Hill (British Army officer)
- Sidney Hill
- History of Somerset
- Holnicote Estate
- Hot Fuzz
- Jocelin of Wells
- John of Tours
- Keynsham
- King Alfred's Tower
- King John's Hunting Lodge, Axbridge
- Scott Laird
- Leigh Court
- Leigh Woods National Nature Reserve
- Long Ashton railway station
- Lyfing (archbishop of Canterbury)
- Lytes Cary
- Masonic Hall, Taunton
- Midsomer Norton
- Minehead
- Monmouth Rebellion
- Montacute House
- Muchelney Abbey
- Nailsea Court
- Nailsea
- Nailsea and Backwell railway station
- Nettlecombe Court
- Stephen Newton
- Tom Nichols (footballer)
- Nunney Castle
- Pill railway station
- PinkPantheress
- Portishead, Somerset
- Massey Poyntz
- The Priest's House, Muchelney
- Prior Park Landscape Garden
- Prior Park
- Pulteney Bridge
- Quantock Hills
- Radstock
- River Brue
- River Tone
- Robert of Bath
- Roman Baths (Bath)
- Royal Crescent
- Ted Sainsbury
- St Catherine's Court
- Sand Point and Middle Hope
- Scheduled monuments in Somerset
- Jake Seamer
- Shepton Mallet
- Sigeric (bishop)
- Sir Bevil Grenville's Monument
- Solsbury Hill
- Somerset Coal Canal
- Somerset Coalfield
- Somerset County Cricket Club in 1882
- Somerset County Cricket Club in 1885
- Somerton, Somerset
- Stanton Drew stone circles
- Steep Holm
- Stembridge Mill, High Ham
- Stoke sub Hamdon Priory
- Ston Easton Park
- Stoney Littleton Long Barrow
- Street, Somerset
- Sutton Court
- Sydney Gardens
- St Joseph's Convent, Taunton
- Taunton
- Taunton Unitarian Chapel
- Team Bath F.C.
- Theatre Royal, Bath
- Tintinhull Garden
- To Catch a Copper
- Treasurer's House, Martock
- Hugh Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard
- The Tribunal, Glastonbury
- Tyntesfield
- Vicars' Close, Wells
- Walton and Ivythorn Hills
- Watchet
- Wellington Monument, Somerset
- Wellington, Somerset
- Hugh of Wells
- Wells, Somerset
- West Hendford Cricket Ground
- West Pennard Court Barn
- West Somerset Mineral Railway
- Westhay Moor
- Weston-super-Mare
- Westonzoyland Pumping Station Museum
- Edward Wickham
- Maisie Williams
- Woodspring Priory
- Wookey Hole Caves
- Worle railway station
- Worlebury Camp
- Wulfhelm
- Yarn Market, Dunster
- Yatton railway station
- Yeovil
Good topics
Associated Wikimedia
The following Wikimedia Foundation sister projects provide more on this subject:
-
Commons
Free media repository -
Wikibooks
Free textbooks and manuals -
Wikidata
Free knowledge base -
Wikinews
Free-content news -
Wikiquote
Collection of quotations -
Wikisource
Free-content library -
Wikiversity
Free learning tools -
Wikivoyage
Free travel guide -
Wiktionary
Dictionary and thesaurus