Somerset  Market gardening near Cheddar, Somerset, England. The cultivated slopes face southwest so that they receive more heat from the sun, particularly in the afternoon. This area, in the southwest of England, has a mild climate as a result of the North Atlantic Drift, and the mix of clay and limestone in the bedrock helps produce fertile soil. County of southwest England. Area 3,460 sq km/1,336 sq mi Towns Taunton (administrative headquarters); Bridgwater, Frome, Glastonbury, Wells, Yeovil; Burnham-on-Sea, Minehead (coastal resorts) Physical rivers Avon, Axe, Brue, Exe, Parret (the principal river), and Yeo; marshy coastline on the Bristol Channel; Mendip Hills; Quantock Hills; Exmoor; Blackdown Hills Features Cheddar Gorge and Wookey Hole, a series of limestone caves where Stone Age flint implements and bones of extinct animals have been found; Glastonbury Tor, with annual music festival in June Agriculture apples; dairy farming; cereals (wheat, barley, oats), vegetables (turnips, mangolds (a root vegetable used as animal feed)); cider; cattle- and sheep-rearing; willows (withies) for wickerwork Industries agricultural implements; chemicals; dairy products (including Cheddar cheese); engineering; food processing; helicopters; leather; stone quarrying (slate, sandstone, and limestone); textiles; tourism Population (2001) 498,100 Famous people Roger Bacon (philosopher), Ernest Bevin (member of Parliament), Arthur C Clarke (writer), Henry Fielding (writer), John Locke (philosopher), John Pym (parliamentary activist) Topography Somerset is bounded on the southwest by Devon; on the southeast by Dorset; on the east by Wiltshire; on the northeast by Bath and North East Somerset, and North Somerset; and on the northwest by the Bristol Channel. There are low cliffs along the northern coast, which has long sandy beaches and mud tracts at low tide, particularly in the northwest. Bridgwater Bay is the chief inlet; the only important harbour is at the mouth of the River Parret. |
| The Quantock Hills, the highest point of which is Willsneck (387 m/1,270 ft), extend from Taunton northwest towards the sea. In the south of the county is the second-largest area of fen country in England, the Somerset Levels, which includes the area known as Sedgemoor; peat was formerly cut here. |
| The wild forest of Exmoor lies partly in the extreme west of the county and partly in Devon. Dunkery Beacon (518 m/1,700 ft), the highest point in the county, is on the edge of Exmoor. |
Fauna There is a breed of hardy ponies peculiar to the Exmoor district; red deer are also found there. There is good river fishing, including salmon fishing, particularly in the west of the county. |
History There are many notable Roman remains in Somerset, including a large mosaic pavement near Langport, and many later Saxon stone carvings in the church at Milborne Port. Somerset was originally part of the kingdom of Wessex, and figured largely in King Alfred's struggle against the Danes. Somerset contains several abbeys and castles, notably at Glastonbury (7th century) and Dunster (13th century, modernized 17th century), and a 12th-century cathedral at Wells. A battle was fought at Allermoor in 1645 during the Civil War. At the Battle of Sedgemoor in 1685, James II defeated the Duke of Monmouth, a claimant to the English crown who had been proclaimed king at Taunton that year. |
Somerset| City and administrative headquarters of Pulaski County, southern Kentucky, 97 km/60 mi south of Lexington; population (1990) 10,700. Agriculture (especially tobacco and livestock), timber, and stone have been the backbone of its economy. Furniture, car parts, plumbing fixtures, feed, and glass are manufactured. |
| Daniel Boone National Forest, nearby to the east, and Lake Cumberland, to the southwest, draw visitors to the area. |
Somerset| Town in southeastern Massachusetts, in Bristol County, on the Taunton River west of Fall River; population (2000 est) 17,700. Industries include the manufacture of shellac, varnish, and paper products. Originally called Pottersville, the town was incorporated in 1790 as Somerset. |
| The area was part of Shawamat lands and had a large population of native Americans. After the conflict involving the American chief of the Wampanoag people known as King Philip ended, English settlers, largely Quakers, dominated. The area was settled in 1677 as part of Swansea, from which it separated in 1790. Shipbuilding in Somerset dates back to the 18th century and the town was famous for its clipper ships in the early 19th century. However, the industry did not survive the transition to steam ships. Somerset became a largely residential and recreation community. |
Somerset| Community in Franklin township, eastern New Jersey, adjacent to New Brunswick; population (1990) 22,100. It is largely residential. Numerous events are held in its Garden State Exhibit and Convention Center. |
| The Colonial Park Arboretum and Rose Gardens and a nature trail along the old Delaware and Raritan Canal are here. |
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