Somerset

Somerset is a ceremonial county located in South West England.

It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north. To the north, it also sits near Bristol and Gloucestershire. To the east, it meets Wiltshire. To the south-east, it is next to Dorset. To the south-west, it borders Devon. The county is mostly rural, especially in the south and west. It is divided into three unitary authority areas for local government. These are Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, and Somerset.

The geography of Somerset features many different landscapes. The center is dominated by the Somerset Levels. This is a large coastal plain and wetland area.

In the north-east, you will find the Cotswolds uplands. This area also includes the Mendip Hills. Both are designated as national landscapes. The west contains the Quantock Hills and part of the Blackdown Hills. Most of Exmoor, a national park, is also in the west.

Major rivers shape the land. The River Avon flows through Bath and toward Bristol.

The Axe, Brue, and Parrett rivers drain the Somerset Levels.

Human history in Somerset stretches back to the Paleolithic period. Early humans lived in the caves of the Mendip Hills.

Archaeological sites like Cheddar Gorge provide evidence of this. Bones from Gough's Cave date to 12,000 BCE. A skeleton known as Cheddar Man dates to 7150 BCE. In the Mesolithic period, hunters settled at dry points like Glastonbury.

One of the oldest engineered roads is the Sweet Track. It was built around 3806 or 3807 BCE. Later, the Celts, Romans, and Anglo-Saxons settled the region. Iron Age hill forts, such as Cadbury Castle, were also built here.

The Roman occupation began around 47 CE. The Second Legion Augusta invaded from the south-east. Somerset remained part of the Roman Empire until roughly 409 CE. Many Roman remains still exist today. These include the Pagans Hill Roman temple in Chew Stoke. There is also the Low Ham Roman Villa. The famous Roman Baths are located in the city of Bath.

After the Romans left, Anglo-Saxon peoples invaded. By 600 CE, they controlled much of England. However, the Britons held Somerset for a longer time. King Ine of Wessex eventually pushed the boundaries west to include the county.

Somerset has a very long political history. The name likely comes from Old English. It might mean the people dependent on Sumortūn. Another theory suggests it means settlers by the sea lakes.

The first known use of the name was in a law code. This code belonged to King Ine, who ruled from 688 to 726 CE. This makes Somerset one of the oldest units of local government in the world. The county motto, "All the people of Somerset," comes from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. This phrase refers to the support given to King Alfred the Great. He received help from the people during his struggle against Viking invaders.

During the later Middle Ages, Somerset was quite wealthy. This wealth allowed for the rebuilding of many grand churches. Glastonbury Abbey was a very important site. It even claimed to hold the tomb of King Arthur and Guinevere.

In the 17th century, the county was involved in the English Civil War. Most of Somerset supported Parliament. In 1685, the Monmouth Rebellion took place here. The last pitched battle fought in England was the Battle of Sedgemoor. In the 18th and 19th centuries, coal mining became important. The Somerset Coalfield peaked in production by the 1920s. Most of these pits closed by 1973.

In the 20th century, Somerset played a role in World War II. It served as a base for troops preparing for the D-Day landings. The county also used decoy towns to protect cities like Bristol. These decoys used lights and burning straw to trick German bombers.

One decoy was built on Beacon Batch. Another was located at Chew Magna. Today, Somerset is known for many things. The city of Bath is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The county is also home to the Glastonbury Festival. This is one of the largest music festivals in the UK.