Every inch of legendary Somerset is steeped in history, from the towns
of Dunster and Taunton in the west, to those of Shepton Mallet and Frome
in the east; while also contained within its county boundaries are the
cities of Bath and Wells and the mystical and magical Isle of Avalon:
Glastonbury.
The county, located in southwest England and part of the Ancient Kingdom
of Wessex, has played a significant role in many of the nation's most
formative events. These include the Roman occupation, Alfred the Great's
rise to power, the English Civil War and the Monmouth Rebellion.
And all this epoch-making activity has been played out against a
landscape of dramatic and breath-taking beauty, from vast tracts of land
such as Exmoor, hill ranges such as Mendip and Blackdown and an
abundance of incredible rivers, lakes and streams; many situated within
the famous Somerset Levels.
Wordsworth, Coleridge and Austen, among many others, have immortalized
the county in literature, while everyone from the Celts, Cavaliers and
Saxons, to the Roundheads, Romans and rebels have fought over its
sought-after resources.
The authors, both living in Somerset, guide you on a fascinating and
illuminating trip into the past of this most historical and legendary of
counties, which boasts among its attractions the last battle fought upon
English soil, the scene of the Bloody Assizes and the final resting
place of King Arthur.
