Towns & Villages

As befits a County Town, Taunton is steeped in history and has much to entertain our visitors, from the superb Somerset Museum in the remnants of the castle to the Cricket Ground and Racecourse. A centre for Arts and Culture, it has shops, cafes, restaurants, riverside walks and a weekly Farmers’ Market.

Rooted between the majestic Quantock Hills, Somerset Levels and the woodland-cloaked Blackdowns, Taunton’s lively nature plays host to major sports centre Somerset County Cricket Club. It’s also a growing business hub, serviced by a vibrant hospitality culture.

A friendly town set in the wide valley between the Brendon and Blackdown Hills, Wellington gave its name to the famous 'Iron Duke', victor of the Battle of Waterloo. The 175ft column built on the scarp edge of the Blackdowns was erected in his honour: at night it is an illuminated landmark for miles around.

Known as Ivell in Thomas Hardy’s Wessex, Yeovil is mentioned in the Domesday Book as a thriving market community and is still a country town at heart surrounded by beautiful countryside. An important centre for the leather industry in the 19th century, the town is famous for its glove-making with its football club nick-named the Glovers and for making helicopters. It has numerous shops, a country park, theatre and entertainment centre.

Settled in ancient times on a major Roman route through the West Country, Yeovil means ‘town on the river’. It’s south Somerset’s centre for entertainment and shopping, and is a centre for everything from top-league football to leather goods to military technology.

Chard is geographically the highest town in Somerset and nestles in a corner of South Somerset between Dorset and Devon.

On the edge of the Somerset Levels, Cheddar’s elevation soars 500 feet to the top of Cheddar Gorge. Home to the country’s highest inland cliffs, Cheddar boasts one of Great Britain's most impressive landmarks alongside world-famous produce.