Discover South Somerset…
Here in the heart of England's west country, you will find historic houses and beautiful gardens, world-class museums, bustling towns and pretty villages.
Best of all, this classic English countryside has perfect places to picnic, great spots for golf and fishing and miles of footpaths and tracks for walking, cycling and horse-riding.
South Somerset is easy to reach from London and Birmingham and some of Britain's most famous visitor attractions are only a day-trip away.
Weymouth - venue for the Olympic sailing events and close to the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site - is less than an hour by road or rail.
We look forward to offering you a warm Somerset welcome in 2012 and showing you our special part of England…
The living heart of Somerset with plenty to entertain you, from stylish clothes shops and galleries to books and antique shops.
Far enough away from the larger towns with their chain stores and supermarkets the market towns can still maintain a range of small shops: butchers and bakers, hardware stores, clothes shops, books and antiques and many places to eat and drink, from quaint old hostelries to modern bistro and fine dining in smart restaurants.
Bruton
A picturesque little hillside town on the river Brue, with Jacobean almshouses, abbey remains and a famous dovecote (NT). Narrow alleys link the high street with a riverside walk, 15th century Packhorse Bridge and a magnificent twin-towered church.
More information about Bruton can be found at the...
Bruton Museum and Local Information Centre, The Dovecote Building, 26 High Street, Bruton BA10 0AA
W: brutonmuseum.co.uk
Chard
The High Street is flanked by two streams and a variety of shops. Chard's history since the 13th century is told in the museum which also has the Stringfellow Collection celebrating the inventor of powered flight.
More information about Chard can be found at the ...
Chard and District Museum, Godworthy House, High Street, Chard TA20 1QB T: 01460 65091
W: chardmuseum.co.uk
Chard Tourist Information Centre, The Guildhall, Fore Street, Chard TA20 1PP T: 01460 260051
Castle Cary
Busy market town with a winding main street of golden stone and an 18th century round house lock-up on Bailey Hill, one of only four in the country.
More information about Castle Cary can be found at the...
Castle Cary and Ansford District Museum and Local Information Centre, The Market House, Castle Cary BA7 7AH T: 01963 350 680
W: castlecarymuseum.org.uk
Crewkerne
An important town since before the Norman Conquest, with many fine old buildings and a magnificent 15th century church. Nelson's captain, Sir Thomas Hardy, attended the grammar school which was founded in 1499.
More information about Crewkerne can be found at the ...
Crewkerne Heritage Centre, Market Square, Crewkerne, TA18 7JU T: 01460 77079
W: crewkernemuseum.co.uk
Crewkerne Local Information Centre, Town Hall, Market Square, Crewkerne TA18 7LN
Ilchester
Once a major Roman garrison town on the Fosse Way and the county town of Somerset until the 19th century, Ilchester has some fine Georgian houses and town hall and a 13th century church tower that changes from square to octagonal as it rises.
More information about Ilchester can be found at the...
Ilchester Museum, High Street, Ilchester BA22 8NQ, T: 01935 841247
Ilminster
The Minster that gives the town its name stands amongst quality independent shops. The open market house sits at the heart of the medieval crossroads that lead to excellent walking and cycling routes.
More information about Ilminster can be found at the...
Ilminster Local Information Centre, The Meeting House Arts Centre and Cafe, East Street, Ilminster TA19 0AN, T: 01460 57294
Langport
In bygone days a busy river port, this ancient market town is noted for its distinctive houses on Bow Street and the 'hanging chapel' in the old town wall. The Battle of Langport in 1645 was one of the last battles of the first civil war.
More information about Langport can be found at the...
Langport Local Information Centre, Bow Street, Langport TA10 9PR, T: 01458 253527
Martock
One of the largest parishes in Somerset, Martock also has one of the oldest domestic dwellings - the Treasurer's House - owned by the National Trust. Other notable buildings are the impressive parish church of All Saints, the old grammar school founded in 1661 and perhaps the prettiest Nat West bank in England.
More information about Martock can be found at the...
Martock Community Information Office, The Market House, Church Street, Martock TA12 6JL
Somerton
An attractive town of architectural and historical interest, with old stone buildings, elegant inns and almshouses. An octagonal, roofed market cross, locally known as The Butter Cross, sits in the wide 17th century square.
More information about Somerton can be found at the...
Somerton Local Information Centre, Market Cross Antiques, West Street, Somerton TA11 7PS
Wincanton
Elegant Georgian houses and coaching inns record Wincanton's importance as a staging post on the main London to Plymouth road. In the 1600's the town provided stabling for nearly 300 horses.
More information about Wincanton can be found at the...
Wincanton Local Information Centre, Town Hall, Market Place, Wincanton BA9 9LD T: 01963 31693
Yeovil
A bustling town with a mix of small shops and major high street retailers, a twice-weekly market and theatres, bowling complex, multiscreen cinema, nightclubs and sport venues.
The imposing parish Church of St John the Baptist dates from the 1300s and the expansive churchyard around it is a popular meeting place, known affectionately by locals as "the beach".
Visiting Yeovil for the first time? Click here for a list of car parks in Yeovil.
Yeovil Tourist Information Centre, Petters House, Petters Way, Yeovil, Somerset BA20 1SH
T: 01935 462781
E: yeovilTIC@southsomerset.gov.uk
Yeovil Shopmobility
This registered charity provides powered and manual equipment for both short and long term town hire. The service is for anyone with limited mobility. You don't have to be registered disabled to use the scheme.
Basement Car Park, Quedam Shopping Centre, Yeovil BA20 1EY
T: 01935 420889
W: yeovilshopmobility.co.uk
Local Markets - for information on Country Markets (which used to be know as WI Markets) visist www.country-markets.co.uk
View or request a copy of our Market Town Leaflet.
The past is all around waiting to be explored - in beautiful buildings and ancient sites, traditions and folklore.
Visit Ham Hill Country Park to see the remnants of an Iron Age hill fort, the largest of its kind in Britain. Trace your family history on church monuments or village war memorials. Many of the market towns have a small museum and the Museum of Somerset has a fully-equipped learning centre for searching the records.
Somerset Routes, was created by the Somerset Heritage and Libraries Service and the Museums of Somerset Group to help visitors to Somerset unearth the wealth of heritage sites on offer. Visit www.somersetroutes.co.uk for more information.
South Somerset has two classic great museums within a few minutes drive of each other: The Fleet Air Arm Museum has the largest naval aviation collection in Europe and a thrilling international air show in July. At Haynes Motor Museum you can see the fast and fantastic with a display of 350 amazing cars and bikes.
National Trust properties in the area include Barrington Court - this year hosting Antony Gormley's Turner prize-winning installation Field for the British Isles. Montacute House (also NT), has a permanent exhibition of pictures from the National Portrait Gallery.
Forget sleepy Somerset - there's a lively music scene in local pubs and clubs.
For drama and dance, comedy and concerts, opera and ballet, the Octagon Theatre has a year-round programme of professional performance. A distinguished amateur theatre company is based at the Swan Theatre in Yeovil and there are live performances at arts centres in Ilminster and South Petherton.
The peace and beauty of South Somerset inspires a lively artistic community of painters, potters, wood-turners and willow workers. Somerset Art Weeks in September give you the chance to see artists at home in their studios.
Somerset is also rich in heritage crafts such as hedge-laying, hurdle-making and basket weaving with local classes and workshops to learn these skills.
Somerset has cottage gardens, formal gardens and landscaped estates.
A group of beautiful National Trust houses and gardens are within easy driving distance of each other and are also linked by a cycle route. Some beautiful private gardens are open through the National Garden Scheme and there are also many plant nurseries - the first known use of the word nursery in connection with plants, occurred in Somerset in 1369!
South Somerset's cider apple orchards produce one of the most famous flavours of rural England and you know about Cheddar too - but there's more. Discover smoked eel caught in local rivers and preserved the traditional way - locally reared beef and lamb, pork and buffalo - yes, buffalo!
Our quality restaurants, cafes and pubs feature locally produced food on their menus and many food businesses have been recognised with awards.
There's a top class range of sports activities and venues on offer in South Somerset.
Join the football crowd at a Glovers match or cheer on your favourite horse at Wincanton Racing. There's golf at a choice of 9 and 18-hole courses, fishing in lakes and rivers, racquet sports, fitness centres and swimming pools. And if it's the ultimate 2012 experience you're after, Weymouth's Olympic sailing events are only 45 minutes drive.