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Taunton

Coordinates:51°01′08″N3°06′00″W/ 51.019°N 3.100°W/51.019; -3.100
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Taunton
Town
From the top to bottom-right, View of Taunton with theMinsteron the right,Municipal Buildings,The Crescent,Vivary Park,Shire Hall
Taunton is located in Somerset
Taunton
Taunton
Location withinSomerset
Population60,479 (2011 census)[1]
OS grid referenceST228250
Civil parish
  • Taunton
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townTAUNTON
Postcode districtTA1, TA2, TA3
Dialling code01823
PoliceAvon and Somerset
FireDevon and Somerset
AmbulanceSouth Western
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Somerset
51°01′08″N3°06′00″W/ 51.019°N 3.100°W/51.019; -3.100

Taunton(/ˈtɔːntən/) is thecounty townofSomerset,England. It is amarket townand has aminster church.Its population in 2011 was 64,621.[2]Its thousand-year history includes a 10th-centurymonastic foundation,owned by theBishops of Winchester,which was rebuilt asTaunton Castleby theNormansin the 12th century. Parts of the inner ward house were turned into theMuseum of Somersetand Somerset Military Museum. For theSecond Cornish uprising of 1497,Perkin Warbeckbrought an army of 6,000; most surrendered to Henry VII on 4 October 1497.[3][4]On 20 June 1685 in Taunton theDuke of Monmouthcrowned himself King of England in a rebellion, defeated at theBattle of Sedgemoor.Judge Jeffreysled theBloody Assizesin the Castle's Great Hall.[5]

TheGrand Western Canalreached Taunton in 1839 and theBristol and Exeter Railwayin 1842. Today it hostsMusgrove Park Hospital,Somerset County Cricket Club,is the base of40 Commando,Royal Marines,and is home to theUnited Kingdom Hydrographic Officeon Admiralty Way.[6]The popularTaunton flower showhas been held inVivary Parksince 1866, and on 13 March 2022,St Mary Magdaleneparish church was elevated to the status ofTaunton Minster.[7]

History

[edit]
Street scene showing roads and shops around a stone cross.
The War Memorial and town centre, Taunton

The town name derives from "Town on theRiver Tone"or Tone Town.[8][3]Cambria Farm,which now hosts apark and rideclose to theM5 motorwayJunction 25, was the site ofBronzeandIron Agesettlement and aRomanfarm.[9]There was aRomano-Britishvillage near the suburb ofHolway.[10]Taunton was important inAnglo-Saxontimes[11]as aburhwith amint.[3]KingIne of Wessexthrew up an earthen castle about 700, but it was levelled in 722 by his queen,Æthelburg of Wessex,to prevent seizure by rebels.[3]

Taunton Cross c. 1770

A monastery was founded before 904.[12]Thebishops of Winchesterowned the manor, and obtained the first charter for their "men of Taunton" fromKing Edwardin 904, freeing them from all royal and county tribute. Some time before Domesday, Taunton became a borough with privileges and a population of some 1,500,[11]including 64burgesses[3]governed by aportreeveappointed by the bishops.Somertontook over fromIlchesterascounty townin the late 13th century,[13]but declined; the county-town status passed to Taunton about 1366.[14]Between 1209 and 1311 the Bishop of Winchester's manor of Taunton expanded two-and-a-half times.[15]The parishes of Staplegrove, Wilton and Taunton were part ofTaunton Deanehundred.[16]

In 1451, during theWars of the Roses,Taunton saw a skirmish between theEarl of Devon,andBaron Bonville.[3]Queen Margaretand her troops passed through in 1471 to defeat at theBattle of Tewkesbury.[3]In theSecond Cornish uprising of 1497most Cornish gentry supportedPerkin Warbeck's cause and on 17 September a Cornish army some 6,000 strong enteredExeterbefore advancing on Taunton.[3][4]Henry VIIsent his chief general,Giles, Lord Daubeney,to attack the Cornish. When Warbeck heard that the King's scouts were atGlastonburyhe panicked and deserted his army. On 4 October 1497, Henry VII reached Taunton, where he received the surrender of the remaining Cornish army. Ringleaders were executed and others fined a total of £13,000.[17]

Taunton Castlechanged hands several times in theCivil Warof 1642–1645, as did the town.[18]During theSiege of Tauntonit was defended byRobert Blakefrom July 1644 to July 1645, and suffered destruction of many medieval and Tudor buildings.[3]On 20 June 1685, theDuke of Monmouthcrowned himself King of England at Taunton during theMonmouth Rebellion.In the autumn of that yearJudge Jeffreyslived in the town during theBloody Assizesthat followed theBattle of Sedgemoor.[5]

An old map showing the main roads and the river in the town.
A road map of Taunton from 1948

The town lacked a charter of incorporation until 1627.[11]This was renewed in 1677, but lapsed in 1792 due to vacancies in the corporate body, and was not reincorporated until 1877. The medieval fairs and markets (a weekly market remains) were celebrated for the sale of woollen cloth called "Tauntons" made in the town. On the decline of the woollen industry in the west of England, silk-weaving was introduced at the end of the 18th century.[19]

In 1839 theGrand Western Canalreached Taunton, aiding southward trade,[20]which was enhanced by the arrival of the railway in 1842.[3]

A permanent military presence came toJellalabad Barracksin 1881.[21]

In the Second World War, theBridgwater and Taunton Canalformed part of theTaunton Stop Line,set to curb any advance of a German invasion.Pillboxescan still be seen along its length.[22]

A fireaboard aPenzanceto Londonsleeping cartrain approaching Taunton in 1978 killed 12 passengers and injured 15 others.

Regeneration

[edit]

Taunton was rated "strategically important" in the government's Regional Spatial Strategy, allowingSomerset County Councilto receive funding for large-scale regeneration projects.[23]In 2006, the council revealed plans dubbed "Project Taunton". This would see regeneration of the areas of Firepool, Tangier, the retail town centre, the cultural quarter, and the River Tone, to sustain Taunton as business hub in the South West.[24]

Tangier Way bridge under construction in 2011

The Firepool area, just north of the town centre by the main railway station, includes vacant or undeveloped land. The council is promoting sustainable, high-quality, employment-ledmixed-use developmentto attract 3,000 new jobs and 500 new homes.[25]

In Tangier, a brownfield area betweenBridgwater and Taunton Collegeand the bus station, the project proposed to build small offices and more riverside housing.[26]

The "Cultural Quarter" is the area along the river between Firepool and Tangier.[27]The plans are to extend riverside retail and attract smaller, boutique businesses such as those found at Riverside.[28]

Plans for the town centre include more pedestrianisation and greater sizes and numbers of retail units.[29]

Several sites along the River Tone are set for renovation. Firepool Weir lock, long silted up, was to be dredged in 2011[30]to allow boats to pass from the navigable section of the Tone through Taunton to theBridgwater and Taunton Canal.Goodland Gardens received a makeover and a new café, The Shed, opened. Projects to develop Somerset Square (a paved area next to theBrewhouse Theatre) and Longrun Meadow (a country park near Bridgwater & Taunton College) have been put forward.[30]

Traffic congestion was identified as an obstacle to further economic growth.[23]Part of the strategy was a new road infrastructure consisting of a £7.5 million link road to ease traffic in the town centre (Taunton's "Third Way" ), completed in 2011,[31]and a Northern Inner Distributor Road linking Staplegrove Road, the station and Priory Avenue at a planned cost of £21 million, opened in 2017.[32]

Governance

[edit]

Taunton is governed by aparish/town counciland theunitary authorityofSomerset Council.

Parish / Town Council

[edit]

A large part of the town wasunparishedfrom the 1974 local government reorganisation until 1 April 2023, when a new Parish Council came into being following a Community Governance Review held by Somerset West and Taunton Council.[33]

While the town was unparished,Charter Trusteesmade up of the district councillors representing wards in the unparished area elected aMayorand Deputy Mayor.[34]

The first elections to the new parish council were held on 4 May 2023 with 19Liberal Democratcouncillors and oneConservativecouncillor being elected to represent 14 wards. The council is expected to formally resolve to adopt the style of a Town Council at its first meeting.[35]

Borough Council

[edit]
The oldMunicipal Buildings

Taunton was the main settlement and centre of thelocal government districtofTaunton Deane.The district, formed on 1 April 1974 under theLocal Government Act 1972,by merging themunicipal boroughof Taunton,Wellingtonurban district,Taunton Rural District,andWellington Rural District,was grantedborough statusin 1975, perpetuating the mayoralty of Taunton.[36]The district was named as an alternate form of theTaunton hundred.Taunton Deane Council, once based at theMunicipal Buildingsin Corporation Street,[37]moved to modern facilities at Deane House on Belvedere Road in spring 1987.[38][39]

Taunton Deane merged withWest Somersetto formSomerset West and Tauntonin 2019,[40][41][42] and was abolished on 1 April 2023 when Somerset Council took over.[43]

Former County Council

[edit]
Red brick building with a curved façade seen across roads.
County Hall,The Crescent

Somerset County Council,which was based atCounty Hallin Taunton from 1974-2023, consisted of 55 councillors. The town has broadly six electoral divisions, each of which had a single county councillor: Taunton North; Taunton East; Taunton South; Bishop’s Hull & Taunton West; Comeytrowe & Trull, Monkton & North Curry (which includes rural areas).

On 1 April 2023, Somerset's county council and four district councils were replaced by a singleunitary authoritycalledSomerset Councilwith elections for the new authority's 110 councillors (two per electoral division) having taken place on 5 May 2022.[43][44]

Parliament

[edit]

Taunton and Wellingtonis acounty constituencyof theHouse of Commons.It is based on the town, but extends toWellington.The current MP isGideon Amosof theLiberal Democrats.[45]

Geography

[edit]

Taunton lies on theRiver Tonebetween theQuantock,BlackdownandBrendonhills. The area is known as the Vale of Taunton. It is surrounded by many other large towns and cities seen on this directional compass:

Taunton is 38 miles (61 km) south-west ofBristol,28 miles (45 km) north-east ofExeter,63 miles (101 km) north-east of Plymouth and 40 miles (64 km) north-west ofWeymouth.

Geology

[edit]

The Taunton area hasPermianred sandstones andbrecciaoutcrop 295–250million years old. Rocks ofTriassicage (248–204million years ago) underlie much of Somerset's moors and levels.[46]

Nature reserves

[edit]

The severallocal nature reservesin and around Taunton are protected under Section 21 of theNational Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949.South Taunton Streams is an urban wetland.[47]The northern suburbs include the Children's Wood riverside reserve, a movement corridor for animals such asottersalong the banks of the Tone. Birds include thekingfisher,dipper,grey wagtail,mute swan,grey heronandreed warblerand butterflies thesmallandlarge skipper,marbled white,small heathandsmall copper,along withdragonfliesanddamselflies.[48]

Weirfield Riverside, a nature reserve along theRiver Tone,hasalderandwillowwoodland, bramble, scrub and rough grassland. The wetter, flood-prone areas featurehemlock water-dropwort,andyellow flag.[49]Silk Mills Park and Ride offer landscaping and ponds in three areas by the Tone. The woodland and grassland support aquatic and marginal vegetation,[50]with various birds, bats, reptiles andinvertebrates.[51]Frieze Hill Community Orchard has turned fromallotmentsto rough grassland andorchard.Among the apples grown areKingston BlackandYarlington Mill.[52]

Climate

[edit]

Like most ofSouth West England,Taunton has a temperate climate, wetter and milder than the rest of the country.[53]The annual mean temperature is about 10 °C (50.0 °F).Seasonal temperature variationis less extreme because of the adjacent sea. The summer months of July and August have mean daily maxima of about 21 °C (69.8 °F). In winter, mean minimum temperatures of 1 °C (33.8 °F) or 2 °C (35.6 °F) are common.[53]In the summer theAzoreshigh pressure affects the south-west of England, butconvectivecloud sometimes forms inland, reducing the sunshine hours. Annual sunshine rates are slightly under the regional average of 1,600hours.[53]Most of the rainfall in the south-west is caused byAtlantic depressionsor byconvection– in autumn and winter by the former, which are then at their most active. In summer, much rainfall results from the sun heating the ground, leading to convection, showers and thunderstorms. Average rainfall is about 700 mm (28 in). Some 8–15days of snowfall are typical. November to March have the highest mean winds and June to August the lightest. The prevailing wind direction is from the south-west.[53]

Demography

[edit]
Population profile[54]
UK Census 2001 Taunton Deane South West England England
Total population 102,299 4,928,434 49,138,831
Foreign born 4.1% 9.4% 9.2%
White 98.4% 97.7% 91%
Asian 0.4% 0.7% 4.6%
Black 0.2% 0.4% 2.3%
Christian 75.9% 74.0% 72%
Muslim 0.3% 0.5% 3.1%
Hindu 0.1% 0.2% 1.1%
No religion 15.7% 16.8% 15%
Over 75 years old 9.5% 9.3% 7.5%
Unemployed 2.4% 2.6% 3.3%

The town of Taunton (which for population estimates includes theunparished areaor formermunicipal boroughplus the neighbouring parishes ofBishop's Hull,Comeytrowe,Norton Fitzwarren,Staplegrove,TrullandWest Monkton) had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001.[55]Taunton includes Holway, once a village in its own right as one of theFiveHundredsof Taunton Deane,the Infaring division or district of three districts that made up Taunton Deane.[56]

Taunton is the largest town in the Somerset shire county and forms part of the largerboroughof Taunton Deane, which includes the town ofWellingtonand surrounding villages. This had an estimated population of 109,883 in 2010.[57]

The figures here are for the Taunton Deane area.

Taunton Deane population since 1801
YearPop.±%
180133,139—
185151,844+56.4%
190153,759+3.7%
191155,666+3.5%
192156,161+0.9%
193156,661+0.9%
194162,745+10.7%
195169,492+10.8%
196175,320+8.4%
197181,639+8.4%
198184,795+3.9%
199195,791+13.0%
2001102,304+6.8%
2010109,883+7.4%
Source: A Vision of Britain through Time & Inform Somerset[57][58]

In 2011, Taunton built-up area had a population of 60,479[1]and the surrounding borough of Taunton Deane one of 110,187.[1][59]Of Taunton's residents 91.6 per cent were White British in 2011,[1]compared with 93.4 per cent for Taunton Deane.[59]Taunton's ethnic mix resembles that of South West England – 91.8 per cent White British in the same year. It is also matches other major regional centres likePooleandPlymouth.The larger urban area, extending toMonkton Heathfield,Norton Fitzwarrenand Bathpool, had a 2011 population of 64,621.[60]

Economy

[edit]
A large vehicle lit by many lights and carrying people dressed in costume in a darkened street. People stand on the balconies of the shops behind.
The annual Taunton Carnival takes a route through the shopping district in the centre of the town.

Taunton Deane had low unemployment of 4.1 per cent compared with a national average of 5.0 per cent in 2005.[61]

Taunton is home to theUnited Kingdom Hydrographic Office(UKHO), aMinistry of Defencebody responsible for providingnavigationaland otherhydrographicinformation for national, civil and defence requirements. The UKHO is located on Admiralty Way and has a workforce of about 1100.[62]At the start of the Second World War, chart printing moved to Taunton, but the main office did not follow until 1968.[63]Taunton holds the head offices of Western Provident Association,Viridorand CANDAC.[citation needed]Other professional services are based at Blackbrook near the motorway junction.

The first store of the multinationalNew Lookclothing retailer opened in Taunton in 1969.[64]Taunton is also famed forcider.[65]

Landmarks

[edit]
Red brick building.
Gray's Almshouses

Gray's Almshousesin East Street, founded by Robert Gray in 1615 for poor single women,[66]are red brick buildings bearing the arms of Robert Gray, dated 1635, and another arms of the Merchant Tailors. A small room used as a chapel has original benches and a painted ceiling. It has been classed byEnglish Heritageas a Grade Ilisted building.[67]

St Margaret's Almshouseswas founded as aleper colonyin the 12th century.Glastonbury Abbeyacquired patronage of it in the late 13th century and rebuilt it asalmshousesin the early 16th. From 1612 to 1938 the building continued as such, cared for by a local parish. In the late 1930s it was converted into a hall of offices for theRural Community Counciland accommodation for the Somerset Guild of Craftsmen. It later fell into disrepair. TheSomerset Buildings Preservation Trustwith Falcon Rural Housing purchased and restored it for use as four units of social housing. It is a Grade II* listed building.[68]

The grounds ofTaunton Castle[69]include theSomerset County MuseumandThe Castle Hotel,which incorporates the Castle Bow archway. With the municipal buildings they form a three-sided group just beyond the Castle Bow archway from Fore Street. A plain brick Mecca Bingo hall fills the west side of it.[70]

The frontage of the Fore StreetTudor Tavern,now aCaffè Nerobranch, dates from 1578, but the rest is thought to be from the 14th century.[71]

Old photograph of Tudor building with wooden buildings in the protruding upper floors.
Tudor Buildings, Fore Street

The riverside area north of the centre is edged byMorrisonssupermarket, retirement housing and theBrewhouse Theatre.Towards the centre are the Zinc Nightclub, Bridge Street and Goodlands Gardens. A current[when?]regeneration programme north of Bridge Street will include redeveloping theCounty Cricket Ground,which hosted open-air concerts forElton Johnin 2006 and 2012 and forRod Stewartin 2014.

Shopping

[edit]

Hankridge Farm, a retail park close to the M5 motorway, has stores that includeCurrys PC World,Oak Furniture Land,Hobbycraft,Halfords,B&Q,The Rangeand the town's secondSainsbury's.There is a Venue in the park with restaurants, anOdeon cinemaand aHollywood Bowlbowling alley. It is now known as Riverside Retail Park.

Taunton has three other such parks. Belvedere is near the town centre. St Johns is just off Toneway, towards the motorway, and consists of two units, occupied byDFS,joined by Go Outdoors in April 2014. Taunton's second largest retail park is Priory Fields in Priory Avenue, with eight units and an anchor store,Wickes.It was redeveloped in 2003 to modernise a rather worn-out retail park and increase retail floor space.

The Old Market was a farmers' market in the Parade in front of Market House, but then moved to the Firepool area, although cattle trading on the site ceased only in 2008.[72]A large indoor shopping centre to the east of the Parade covers a site that was once a pig market. Although its official name is now Orchard, and before that the Old Market Centre, locals still call it the Pig Market; one existed there from 1614 to 1882.[73]

County Walk is a small indoor shopping arcade in the town centre with an anchor supermarket,Sainsbury's,and several other large national retailers such asSubway,Costa Coffee,andSavers.

Public parks

[edit]
Ornamental fountain in circular pool surrounded by grassy areas. In the background is a red brick building.
Victoria memorial water fountain,Vivary ParkwithJellalabad Barracksin the background

Taunton's public parks includeVivary Park,Goodlands Park and Victoria Park. The most notable is Vivary, on land that was once a medievalfish farmorvivariumforTaunton PrioryandTaunton Castle.[74]Fronted by a pair ofcast irongates from theSaracen Foundryof Glasgow,[75]it contains the Sherford Stream, a Tone tributary that flows through the 7.5 hectares (19 acres) park, which is near the town centre.[76]It has two main open spaces and awar memorialdating from 1922, a miniaturegolf course,tennis courts, two children's playgrounds, amodel railway trackadded in 1979, and an 18-hole, 4620-yard, par-63 golf course.[77]The park includes trees, rose beds andherbaceous borders,with some 56,000 spring and summerbedding plantsused each year.[76]The rose garden includes theRoyal National Rose SocietyProvincial Trial Ground.[74]Taunton Flower Showheld annually in the park since the 19th century. It has been described as "TheChelseaof the West ",[78]and draws some 24,000 visitors over two days.[79]Goodlands Gardens, in the centre of the town, is behind the formerDebenhamsdepartment store andThe Castle Hotel.

Pride Rainbow Path

[edit]
Pride Rainbow Path, Taunton.

The Pride Rainbow Path in Goodland Gardens, Taunton town centre, runs alongside theRiver Tone.Designed by Jenny Keogh and Liz Hutchin of GoCreate,[80][81]it opened on 28 June 2021 to mark the anniversary of theStonewall riots,which served as a catalyst for the gay rights movement. It is believed to be the first such path in the UK.[81]The opening coincided with the first TauntonPridein July 2021 and the Pride inspired Art Trail.[82][83]

The far end of the 62-metre path includes the chevron ofDaniel Quasar's "Progress" flag, which incorporates the transgender flag and ethnic minorities, while the majority of the path uses the traditionalLGBT rainbow.[84]The path has been designed not to require maintenance for 15 years.[81]It was funded by Taunton's Emergency Town Centre Recovery Fund and is intended to reflect Taunton's commitment to inclusivity and diversity.

Transport

[edit]

Railway

[edit]
Taunton station entrance

Taunton railway stationis a principal stop on theBristol to Exeter line,theReading to Taunton lineand theCross Country Route.It is served by twotrain operating companies:

The former railway toMineheadwas closed in 1971 and is now aheritage railway;West Somerset Railwayprovides services betweenBishops Lydeardand Minehead.

In 2009,Project Taunton,the authority responsible for Taunton's regeneration, revealed proposals forTaunton metro rail,under a transport sustainability plan.[87]They were not implemented.

Road

[edit]

Taunton has road links with theM5 motorwayjunctions 25 (Taunton) and 26 (Wellington) close to the town, and other major roads such as theA38and A358. The Taunton bypass section of the M5, between the two junctions, opened in April 1974 and relieved the town of heavy holiday traffic on the A38.Taunton Deane servicesuse that motorway section.

A strong economy increases traffic; in 2011, the County Council foresaw a sharp rise from 2001 levels.[88]Two major roads opened: the Third Way (A3807) linking Bridge Street and Castle Street in 2011,[89]and the Northern Inner Distributor Road (A3087) between Staplegrove Road and Priory Avenue in July 2017.[90][91]

2011 M5 crash

[edit]
Main article:2011 M5 motorway crash

On the evening of 4 November 2011, 34 vehicles met with an accident near junction 25 of theM5 motorwaynorthbound, on the north-eastern edge of the town atWest Monkton.[92]Seven people were killed and a further 51 injured.[93]

Buses and coaches

[edit]
Taunton's former bus station

Bus services in the Taunton area are detailed below:[94]

  • Many local services are provided byThe Buses of Somerset;their routes operate toMinehead,BridgwaterandYeovil.Its route 28 links the railway stations at Taunton and Bishops Lydeard.[95][96]Other services are provided by Hatch Green Coaches.[97]Taunton bus stationwas in Tower Street from 1953 until 2020. Most services now terminate at stops on The Parade or Castle Way.
  • Taunton'spark and rideservice operates between Taunton gateway near the M5 motorway and Silk Mills on the north-west side of town. It is operated byStagecoach,who also operate the Falcon coach service between Plymouth, Taunton and Bristol.
  • Berrys Coaches,based in Taunton, operates several 'Superfast' services toLondon,[98]as well as operating services on behalf ofFlixbus.National Expressruns long-distance coach services to many destinations.

Air

[edit]

The nearest airports areExeterandBristol,both within 40 mi (64 km) of Taunton.[99][100]

Trams

[edit]
A single-deck car in Fore Street, c.1910

Taunton Tramwayopened on 21 August 1901. Six double-decker cars operated on a3 ft 6 in(1,067 mm) gauge line betweenthe railway stationand the depot at East Reach. In 1905 the service was withdrawn for two months while the track was improved; the cars were replaced by six single-decker cars and the old double deckers sold toLeamington Spa.A short extension beyond the station to Rowbarton opened in 1909, making the line 1.66 miles (2.7 km) long. However, the price of its electricity was due to rise in 1928 to a level the firm refused to pay, and it offered to sell out, but this was not accepted. The electricity was cut off on 28 May 1921 and the system closed.[101][102]

Canal

[edit]

TheBridgwater and Taunton Canalis a navigable waterway that links Taunton with Bridgwater, opened in 1827. Having been closed to navigation in 1907, it re-opened after restoration in 1994.

Education

[edit]
Red brick building with tower. In the foreground are grass and shrubs.
King's College

State secondary schools in Taunton includeThe Castle School,Heathfield Community School,Bishop Fox's SchoolandThe Taunton Academy.Further education is offered byRichard Huish College,The Taunton Academy(sponsored by Richard Huish College) andBridgwater and Taunton College.Heathfield Community Schoolhas a post-16 further education college specialising in performing arts and technical theatre called The SPACE (The Somerset Performing Arts Centre for Education). Heathfield Community School is also a teaching school and the base of Taunton Teaching Alliance.[103]The Taunton campus of Bridgwater and Taunton College is a partner ofPlymouth Universityand includes University Centre Taunton. There are three co-educationalprivate schools:Queen's College,King's CollegeandTaunton School.

In March 2009, it was found thatJim Knight,Minister of State for Schools and Families, had approved the closure ofLadymead Community Schooland the nearbySt Augustine of Canterbury RC/CoE Schoolin the Priorswood area of Taunton.[104]They gave way in September 2010 to the Taunton Academy.[105]

Young people with special educational needs are provided for by two special schools and one complexPupil Referral Unit(PRU). Sky College caters for boys aged 10–18 who have social, emotional and mental-health difficulties. Selworthy School has pupils of 4–19 who have complex and multiple learning difficulties,[106]while the Taunton Deane Partnership College is a complex PRU for children in Key Stages 2, 3 and 4, with a Medical Tuition Service, Outreach & Advisory Service and an Area Access Team.[107]

Health services

[edit]

Taunton is within Somerset Primary Care Trust and home toMusgrove Park Hospital.This is one of two district hospitals inSomerset NHS Foundation Trust,alongsideYeovil Hospital.A Nuffield Hospital also lies in the town, run privately byNuffield Health.The town has several medical surgeries and a family planning clinic, an occupational health centre and a chiropractic clinic.[108][109]

Religious sites

[edit]
Yellow stone building with arched windows and ornate square tower.
Taunton Minster Church of St. Mary Magdalene
Church of St John the Evangelist

TheTaunton Minster Church of St Mary Magdalene,built of sandstone more in the South Somerset style, retains an attractive painted interior, but its prime feature is a 15th and 16th-century tower rebuilt in the mid-19th century. It is one of the country's best examples and a landmark 158 feet (48 m) high.[110][111]It was termed bySimon Jenkins,"the finest in England. It makes its peace with the sky not just with a coronet but with the entire crown jewels cast in red-brown stone."[112]It holds 12 bells and 3 bells "hung dead" for the clock.[113]

Close by is theparish church of St Jamesnear the centre of Taunton close. The oldest parts are early 14th century; there are fragments of 15th-century glass in the west end. Like St Mary's, it has a sandstone tower, but built to a less impressive design. It too was rebuilt in the 19th century, in this case due to building defects in the original.[114]It backs onto theCounty Ground.

The church ofSt John the Evangelistwas built in 1858 to serve the poor of the town.[115]Thechurch of St Andrew,built 1878, serves the area of Rowbarton.[116]

In the later 17th century, Taunton had twoDissentingplaces of worship: "Paul's Meeting" and the Baptist Meeting.[117]The former was built at the top of Paul Street soon after 1672 on a bowling green behind theThree Cups Inn,now The County Hotel, and rapidly became one of the largest congregations in the county. After Mayor Timewellsackedboth Paul's Meeting and the Baptist Meeting in 1683,[118]the dissenters were driven to worship in private houses on the outskirts of Taunton, where their assemblies were regularly raided by the Justices of the Peace. Paul's Meeting survived attempts to turn it into a workhouse, and with the coming ofWilliam IIIandMary II,followed by theToleration Act 1688,it reopened.Hugh Willoughby, 15th Baron Willoughby of Parham,was educated in early life at Taunton Dissenters' Academy.[119]The Baptist Meeting became the Baptist New Meeting, registered in 1691 and rebuilt in 1721 as Mary Street Chapel.[120]

Taunton Unitarian Chapel,dating from 1721,[121]stands in Mary Street.Samuel Taylor Coleridge,while living atNether Stowey16 miles (26 km) away, came to the chapel to preach several times. Dr Malachi Blake, who founded the Taunton and Somerset Hospital in East Reach, Taunton, was also a preacher there, attending in 1809 a celebration of the 50th year ofGeorge the Third'sreign. The chapel retains its original interior, includingFlemishoak pillars inCorinthianstyle. Thepewsandpulpitare also in oak. There is an early 18th-centurycandelabra.

St George's,the town'sRoman Catholicchurch, dates from the mid-19th century. It was the second Catholic church built in Taunton since theReformation,replacing a smallerSt George's Chapel.The main building is designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building, while theclergy houseis Grade II listed.

Culture

[edit]

Taunton town centre has theBrewhouse Theatre.It closed in February 2013 due to financial difficulties, but reopened in April 2014 under the Taunton Theatre Association (TTA), which was granted the 61-year lease that Taunton Deane Borough Council had bought on the site and its contents from the administrator.[122][123]Tacchi-Morris Arts Centre[124]is a professional theatre based atHeathfield Community School,hosting touring theatre, dance and comedy, and productions by South West schools and colleges. Tacchi-Morris Arts Centre also runs community classes. The Creative Innovation Centre CIC has an arts and culture venue in the town centre.[125]

Several concerts a year are held at Taunton's largest church, St Mary Magdalene. In recent yearsThe Sixteen,TheTallis ScholarsandGabrieli Consorthave all performed to full audiences.[126][127]Taunton also has several choirs and orchestras that perform in the town's churches and school chapels. Many music and drama groups are members of the Taunton Association of Performing Arts (TAPA), which produces a diary and calendar of performances in and about the town.[128]

Taunton has three radio stations:BBC Somerset,[129] Tone FM,[130]and Apple FM.[131]

Since 2001, Taunton has been the base of a domestic violence charity, theManKind Initiative,to help male victims of domestic abuse.[132]

Cultural references

[edit]

Taunton is mentioned inThe Remains of the DaybyKazuo Ishiguro,[133]Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, SpybyJohn le Carré,[134]andEvelyn Waugh'sScoop.It was given the fictitious name "Toneborough" byThomas Hardy.[135]

Sport

[edit]
Somerset playing Yorkshire at the County Ground

Taunton Rugby Football Club(RFC), based in Taunton, currently play inNational League 1,having achieved back-to-back promotions in 2009 and 2010 and then again in 2020.[136]It played atPriory Park Sports Groundfrom 1935 to 2001, before moving to the Commsplus Stadium.[137]

TheCounty Groundwas originally home to Taunton Cricket Club, formed in 1829. It played at the County Ground until 1977, before moving to Moorfields, Taunton, in conjunction with Taunton Vale Hockey Club, since when the County Ground has been solely used bySomerset County Cricket Club(CCC).[138]Somerset CCC was formed in 1875, but did not achieve first-class status until 1891.[139]The County Ground has a capacity of 8,500;[140]the ends are called the River End and the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion End.[141]It is the current home of theEngland women's cricket team.The Somerset Cricket Museum is nearby.

Taunton Cricket Club has since 2002 been located at the newTaunton Vale Sports Club Groundin Staplegrove, which features twocricket fields.The Taunton Vale ground is also a regular home venue for Somerset's Second XI. Taunton Deane Cricket Club has a ground adjacent to Vivary Park, while Taunton St Andrews Cricket Club is based at the nearby Wyvern Sports and Social Club. All three clubs play in theWest of England Premier Leagueor one of its feeder leagues.

Taunton Town Football Club(FC) plays at Wordsworth Drive.[142]An earlier Taunton Town FC played at Priory Park in the 1930s, however the current team was formed in 1947 by local businessmen asTaunton FC,changing to the current name in 1968, and played its first friendly fixture in 1948. For most of its history, Taunton belonged to the Western League. It spent a six-season spell in theSouthern Leaguefrom 1977, and after a further period in the Western League, returned to theSouthern Leaguein 2002, after winning theFA Vasein 2001.[143]The club won the Division One South and West league title in 2017/18 and narrowly missed out on further promotion in 2018/19.[144]The club went on to become the 2021/22 champions of theSouthern League Premier Division South,securing promotion to theNational League Southfor the first time in the club's history on 23 April 2022.

Somerset Vikingsis arugby leagueclub formed in 2003 as part of theRugby Football League's plans to develop the game beyond its traditional north-of-England areas. Initially the side was made up of a mixture ofRoyal Marinesbased in Taunton andExeterwith local rugby union players keen to try the 13-man code. It plays at Hyde Park, also home to Taunton RFC.[145]

TheTaunton Tigersis a semi-professionalbasketballteam competing in theEnglish Basketball LeagueMen's Division 1. The team plays its home games at Wellsprings Leisure Centre, which seats 500.[146]

The Grandstand at the racecourse

Taunton Racecourseis close to theBlackdown Hills,about 2 miles (3 km) from the centre of Taunton. Although racing had been held in the area before, the first race at thi site was held on 21 September 1927. The Orchard Stand and Paddock Stand provide catering facilities and are used for meetings and conferences on days when racing is not taking place.[147]Greyhound racingwas held at the Priory Park Sports Ground and County Cricket ground in the past.[148][149]

Notable residents

[edit]

The following were born or have lived in Taunton:

Twinning

[edit]

Taunton istwinnedwith:

See also

[edit]

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