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West Somerset
—  Non-metropolitan district  —
Shown within non-metropolitan Somerset
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Constituent country England
Region South West England
Ceremonial county Somerset
Admin HQ Williton
Created 1 April 1974
Government
 - Type Non-metropolitan district
 - Leader Keith Ross
 - Council Independent
 - MPs: Ian Liddell-Grainger C, Jeremy Browne LD
Area
 - Total 280.6 sq mi (726.84 km2)
Population (2008 est.)
 - Total 35,500 (Ranked 324th)
Time zone GMT (UTC0)
 - Summer (DST) BST (UTC+1)
Post Code TA4
Area code(s) 01984
Website http://www.westsomersetonline.gov.uk/

West Somerset is a local government district in the English county of Somerset. The council covers a largely rural area, with a population of 35,075[1] in an area of 740 square kilometres (290 sq mi).[2] According to figures released by the Office for National Statistics in 2009, the population of West Somerset has the oldest average age in the United Kingdom at 52.[3] The largest centres of population are the coastal towns of Minehead (population 10,000) and Watchet (4,400).

The council's administrative headquarters are located in the village of Williton, with an additional office in Minehead.

Contents

[edit] History

The district was formed on April 1, 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, by a merger of the previous urban districts of Minehead and Watchet, along with Dulverton Rural District and Williton Rural District.

There are 33 Grade I listed buildings in West Somerset, the oldest being Culbone Church, which is one of the smallest churches in England,[4] and pre-Norman in origin[5] and Tarr Steps which may originate in the Bronze Age, although others date them from around 1400.[6] Dunster has the greatest concentration of Grade I listed buildings including Dunster Castle, the Yarn Market, Gallox Bridge and Priory Church of St George. Other sites include manor houses such as Nettlecombe Court and Orchard Wyndham. The most recent buildings included in the list are Crowcombe Court which was completed in 1739[7] and the Church of St John the Baptist in Carhampton which was rebuilt in 1863.[8] There are numerous religious structures in Somerset, with the largest number being Anglican parish churches, dating from Norman or medieval eras. Some of the churches are included in the Somerset towers, a collection of distinctive, mostly spireless Gothic church towers.

[edit] Geography

West Somerset benefits from one of the most scenic landscapes in England. Nearly two thirds of the western land area of the district forms part of Exmoor National Park designated in 1954 while on the eastern edge of the district are the Quantock Hills which, in 1956, became the first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty created in the UK. Large areas of Exmoor and the Quantock Hills are also designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest because of their value for wildlife.

The West Somerset Railway runs through most of the district, from Bishop's Lydeard in the south east, to Minehead in the north west. Operated mainly as a tourist attraction, the railway runs mostly steam and some diesel locomotives.

[edit] Settlements

[edit] Parishes

Image Name Status Population Former local authority Coordinates Refs
Stone building with arched windows and square tower. Bicknoller Civil Parish 394 Williton Rural District 51°09′N 3°16′W / 51.15°N 3.27°W / 51.15; -3.27 (Bicknoller) [9][10]
Stone building with square tower, partially obscured by trees. In the foreground are gravestones. Brompton Ralph Civil Parish 245 Williton Rural District 51°05′N 3°19′W / 51.08°N 3.31°W / 51.08; -3.31 (Brompton Ralph) [9][10]
Several buildings including a square church tower amongst trees. Brompton Regis Civil Parish 472 Dulverton Rural District 51°04′N 3°29′W / 51.07°N 3.49°W / 51.07; -3.49 (Brompton Regis) [11][10]
Stone building with square tower, partially obscured by trees. Brushford Civil Parish 565 Dulverton Rural District 51°01′N 3°32′W / 51.02°N 3.53°W / 51.02; -3.53 (Brushford, Somerset) [11][10]
Stone building with square tower. In the foreground are gravestones and trees. Carhampton Civil Parish 1,195 Williton Rural District 51°10′N 3°25′W / 51.17°N 3.42°W / 51.17; -3.42 (Carhampton, Somerset) [9][10]
Stone building with square tower. In the foreground are stone crosses, gravestones and trees. Clatworthy Civil Parish 101 Williton Rural District 51°04′N 3°21′W / 51.07°N 3.35°W / 51.07; -3.35 (Clatworthy) [9][10]
Stone building with square tower. In the foreground are stone crosses, gravestones and trees. Crowcombe Civil Parish 589 Williton Rural District 51°07′N 3°14′W / 51.12°N 3.23°W / 51.12; -3.23 (Crowcombe) [9][10]
Stone building with square tower. In the foreground are gravestones. Cutcombe Civil Parish 451 Williton Rural District 51°08′N 3°32′W / 51.14°N 3.53°W / 51.14; -3.53 (Cutcombe) [9][10]
Stone building with arched windows and square tower seen at the end of a narrow lane with white painted houses on the right and a wall on the left. Dulverton Town 1,632 Dulverton Rural District 51°03′N 3°33′W / 51.05°N 3.55°W / 51.05; -3.55 (Dulverton) [11][10]
Street scene with houses and shops on the left and an octagonal structure has a central stone pier which supports a heavy timber framework which carries a slate roof with central wooden lantern surmounted by a weather vane. In the distance is a castle. Dunster Civil Parish 862 Williton Rural District 51°11′N 3°27′W / 51.18°N 3.45°W / 51.18; -3.45 (Dunster) [9][10]
Stone building with square tower amongst trees. In the foreground are cows in a field. East Quantoxhead Civil Parish 112 Williton Rural District 51°11′N 3°14′W / 51.18°N 3.24°W / 51.18; -3.24 (East Quantoxhead) [9][10]
Stone building with tiled roof and square tower, surrounded by vegetation. Elworthy Civil Parish 103 Williton Rural District 51°07′N 3°19′W / 51.11°N 3.31°W / 51.11; -3.31 (Elworthy) [9][10]
Stone building with square tower. Trees are to the right and behind with gravestones in the foreground. Exford Civil Parish 510 Dulverton Rural District 51°08′N 3°38′W / 51.13°N 3.64°W / 51.13; -3.64 (Exford, Somerset) [11][10]
Mound of stones with fields in the background. Exmoor Civil Parish 251 Dulverton Rural District 51°08′N 3°45′W / 51.14°N 3.75°W / 51.14; -3.75 (Exmoor civil parish) [11][10]
Wooden waterwheel on the side of a white painted building, parially obscured by trees. Exton Civil Parish 229 Dulverton Rural District 51°05′N 3°32′W / 51.09°N 3.54°W / 51.09; -3.54 (Exton, Somerset) [11][10]
Buildings nestled in rolling hills. Holford Civil Parish 353 Williton Rural District 51°10′N 3°13′W / 51.16°N 3.21°W / 51.16; -3.21 (Holford) [9][10]
Square stone tower with gravestones in the foreground. Huish Champflower Civil Parish 269 Dulverton Rural District 51°04′N 3°22′W / 51.06°N 3.36°W / 51.06; -3.36 (Huish Champflower) [11][10]
Stone wall with window of ruined building. Kilve Civil Parish 397 Williton Rural District 51°11′N 3°13′W / 51.18°N 3.22°W / 51.18; -3.22 (Kilve) [9][10]
Looking down on the village with houses and stone church building with square tower. Luccombe Civil Parish 209 Williton Rural District 51°11′N 3°34′W / 51.19°N 3.56°W / 51.19; -3.56 (Luccombe, Somerset) [9][10]
Stone bridge over water, surrounded by vegetation. Luxborough Civil Parish 215 Williton Rural District 51°08′N 3°28′W / 51.13°N 3.46°W / 51.13; -3.46 (Luxborough) [9][10]
Town seen from a nearby hill with multiple houses. The sea can be seen on the left and the white tent like canopy left of centre is the Butlins centre. Minehead Town 10,330 Williton Rural District
Minehead Urban District		 51°12′N 3°28′W / 51.20°N 3.47°W / 51.20; -3.47 (Minehead) [9][12][10]
Old stone building with archway. Minehead Without Civil Parish 60 Williton Rural District 51°12′N 3°31′W / 51.20°N 3.51°W / 51.20; -3.51 (Minehead Without) [9][10]
Stone building with square tower. Monksilver Civil Parish 107 Williton Rural District 51°08′N 3°20′W / 51.13°N 3.33°W / 51.13; -3.33 (Monksilver) [9][10]
Reddish stone buildings. The church in the foreground has a square tower. Nettlecombe Civil Parish 240 Williton Rural District 51°08′N 3°21′W / 51.13°N 3.35°W / 51.13; -3.35 (Nettlecombe, Somerset) [9][10]
Oare Civil Parish 68 Williton Rural District 51°12′N 3°43′W / 51.20°N 3.71°W / 51.20; -3.71 (Oare, Somerset) [9][10]
Stone building with square tower. In the foreground are gravestones. Old Cleeve Civil Parish 1,952 Williton Rural District 51°10′N 3°23′W / 51.17°N 3.38°W / 51.17; -3.38 (Old Cleeve) [9][10]
Street scene showing stone church with truncated spire, On the right is a white painted building. Porlock Civil Parish 1,377 Williton Rural District 51°13′N 3°36′W / 51.21°N 3.60°W / 51.21; -3.60 (Porlock) [9][10]
Stone building with white painted square tower. In the foreground is a road junction. Sampford Brett Civil Parish 277 Williton Rural District 51°10′N 3°19′W / 51.16°N 3.31°W / 51.16; -3.31 (Sampford Brett) [9][10]
Thatched roofs of white painted houses nestled in tree filled valley. Selworthy Civil Parish 510 Williton Rural District 51°13′N 3°33′W / 51.21°N 3.55°W / 51.21; -3.55 (Selworthy) [9][10]
Stone building with square tower. In the foreground are gravestones. Skilgate Civil Parish 100 Dulverton Rural District 51°02′N 3°27′W / 51.04°N 3.45°W / 51.04; -3.45 (Skilgate) [11][10]
Wooden signal box next to railway platform decorated with flowers. Stogumber Civil Parish 672 Williton Rural District 51°08′N 3°17′W / 51.13°N 3.29°W / 51.13; -3.29 (Stogumber) [9][10]
White painted church with square tower topped with a spire. Stogursey Civil Parish 1,407 Williton Rural District 51°11′N 3°08′W / 51.18°N 3.14°W / 51.18; -3.14 (Stogursey) [9][10]
Stone church with red tiled roofs. Stringston Civil Parish 116 Williton Rural District 51°11′N 3°11′W / 51.18°N 3.18°W / 51.18; -3.18 (Stringston) [9][10]
Reddish stone church with square tower. Timberscombe Civil Parish 514 Williton Rural District 51°08′N 3°32′W / 51.13°N 3.54°W / 51.13; -3.54 (Timberscombe) [9][10]
Stone kilns built into a bank with a road in front. Treborough Civil Parish 51 Williton Rural District 51°07′N 3°25′W / 51.12°N 3.41°W / 51.12; -3.41 (Treborough) [9][10]
Stone building with small bell tower. In the foreground are gravestones. Upton Civil Parish 165 Dulverton Rural District 51°06′N 3°26′W / 51.10°N 3.44°W / 51.10; -3.44 (Upton, Somerset) [11][10]
View of multiple houses with sea on the left and hills in the background. Watchet Town 4,401 Watchet Urban District 51°11′N 3°20′W / 51.18°N 3.33°W / 51.18; -3.33 (Watchet) [13][10]
Waterfall cascading down rockface. West Quantoxhead Civil Parish 506 Williton Rural District 51°10′N 3°16′W / 51.17°N 3.27°W / 51.17; -3.27 (West Quantoxhead) [9][10]
Stone building with arched doorway and windows. Two small towers. Williton Civil Parish 2,708 Williton Rural District 51°10′N 3°19′W / 51.16°N 3.31°W / 51.16; -3.31 (Williton) [9][10]
Stone building with square tower. In the foreground are gravestones. Winsford Civil Parish 339 Dulverton Rural District 51°06′N 3°34′W / 51.10°N 3.57°W / 51.10; -3.57 (Winsford, Somerset) [11][10]
White painted church with square tower. Withycombe Civil Parish 307 Williton Rural District 51°10′N 3°25′W / 51.16°N 3.41°W / 51.16; -3.41 (Withycombe) [9][10]
Stone bridge with six arches over water. Withypool and Hawkridge Civil Parish 232 Dulverton Rural District 51°07′N 3°39′W / 51.11°N 3.65°W / 51.11; -3.65 (Withypool and Hawkridge) [11][10]
Stone building with square tower. In the foreground are gravestones. Wootton Courtenay Civil Parish 305 Williton Rural District 51°11′N 3°31′W / 51.18°N 3.52°W / 51.18; -3.52 (Wootton Courtenay) [9][10]


[edit] Education

County schools (those which are not independent) in the five non-metropolitan districts of the county are operated by Somerset County Council.

For a full list of schools see: List of schools in Somerset

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Community and Living". West Somerset Council. http://www.westsomersetonline.gov.uk/template3.asp?parent=923&parent2=923&pid=1510&area=5. Retrieved 2009-04-23. 
  2. ^ "West Somerset (Local Authority): Key Figures for Physical Environment". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office of National Statistics. http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=277102&c=West+Somerset&d=13&e=8&g=484429&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1240523739671&enc=1. Retrieved 2009-04-23. 
  3. ^ "Maps chart UK's ageing population". BBC News. 1 October 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8283259.stm. Retrieved 3 October 2009. 
  4. ^ "Parish Churches". Somerset County archives. http://www.somerset.gov.uk/archives/ASH/Parishchs.htm. Retrieved 2007-10-24. 
  5. ^ "Culbone church". Images of England. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/details/default.aspx?id=265441. Retrieved 2007-10-24. 
  6. ^ "Tarr Steps". Everything Exmoor. http://everythingexmoor.org.uk/page.php?id=815. Retrieved 2009-04-23. 
  7. ^ "Crowcombe Court". Images of England. English Heritage. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=265103. Retrieved 2009-01-17. 
  8. ^ "Church of St John the Baptist, Carhampton". Images of England. English Heritage. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=265287. Retrieved 2009-01-17. 
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae A Vision of Britain Through Time : Williton Rural District
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq "West Somerset". Parish Population Estimates for 2002. Somerset County Council. http://www.somerset.gov.uk/media/030B4/West_Som02_mye%20.pdf. Retrieved 2009-11-15. 
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k A Vision of Britain Through Time : Dulverton Rural District
  12. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Minehead Urban District
  13. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Watchet Urban District

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