Taunton: A Potted History

by Lynne Cleaver

Overview

Taunton’s history goes back to Anglo-Saxon times, when it was an important burh and the site of a monastery. The manor was owned by the bishops of Winchester and in the 13th century the borough of Taunton became the county town of Somerset. The town and its castle were fought over in the Civil War, changing hands several times, and it was also in Taunton that the Duke of Monmouth crowned himself king in his rebellion in 1685. Judge Jeffrey held a session of the Bloody Assizes in Taunton Castle following the crushing of the rebellion. Taunton entered a period of prosperity in the Georgian era, boosted in the next century by the arrival of the canal system and the railways. Industry came into the town, mainly along the river, housing increased so did the need for infrastructure and the Shire Hall, courts, churches, hospitals, schools and leisure facilities were built, including today’s Brewhouse Theatre and County Cricket Ground. Taunton was granted the status of a Garden Town in 2017 and plans are evolving to extend its housing and develop its spaces into a town fit for the 21st century. Illustrated throughout, this accessible historical portrait of the transformation that Taunton has undergone through the ages will be of great interest to residents, visitors and all those with links to the town.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781398116887
Publisher:	Amberley Publishing
Publication date:	09/16/2025
Series:	A Potted History
Pages:	96
Product dimensions:	6.50(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.00(d)

About the Author

Lynne Cleaver's interest in local history began with an A-level project on her village near Scarborough. On leaving school she started work at Scarborough library, where she soon joined the Reference & Local Studies department. After a career break Lynne took a job at Gloucestershire County Library Service where she worked primarily in the Local History Department. Lynne undertakes private family and local history research for those unable to do their own. She is married with two children and now lives in Somerset.