Somerset County
(Historic)

Map Reference: (51.143314, -2.68334)

Somerset is a maritime county in the West Country of England. The county is mainly agricultural and is traditionally associated with cider production. The Somerset coast includes the resort towns of Minehead, Watchet, Burnham-on-Sea, Weston-super-Mare and Clevedon. In the north of the county, on the River Avon, lies the jewel that is Bath, built by the Romans on the hot springs though equally famous for its Georgian splendour. Downstream is the mediæval market town of Keynsham and then Bristol, the southern part of which, including Bedminster, Knowle and Whitchurch, lies in Somerset. South of Bristol run the Mendip Hills, including the spectacular Cheddar Gorge. In the heart of the county are the Somerset Levels, an ancient flat landscape drained by "rhines" and above which rises Glastonbury Tor. East of the levels lies the cathedral city of Wells. South of the levels, Bridgwater is famous for its Guy Fawkes illuminated carnival. The south of Somerset is a quiet rural area with a few small towns including Somerton, Wincanton, Yeovil and Chard. Taunton in the south-west has over 1,000 years of religious and military history. To its west lies Exmoor, a high sandstone moor and a national park.