It is Somerset's county town and it has so much going for it, from shopping to history and great places to eat and stay. Here are just a few of our highlights from Catherine Courtenay.
History at the castle
Being an administrative centre with a castle that dates back to the 12th century, Taunton has been the focus of many key historic events, including devastating battles in the Civil War and the famous Bloody Assizes run by the infamous Judge Jefferys.
The castle is now home to the Museum of Somerset and is a peaceful, contemporary space. It’s a treasure trove of facts and finds and houses some extraordinary items, including the almost paper-thin, bronze South Cadbury shield, dating back to 1350-1150 BC; the 4th century AD Low Ham Mosaic, a buckle shoe buckle belonging to the Duke of Monmouth, a giant cauldron and a even pair of giant’s shoes.
A grand park
Take a break from the busy shopping centre, wander along Upper High Street and find the ornate gateway to Vivary Park. Taunton is well served with green spaces and this 7.5 hectare park has been used for public events since at least 1851.
As well as those grand gates and with a bandstand and fountain, it’s an excellent example of a Victorian park. There’s a children’s play area, tennis courts and for the more adventurous, the Vivary Centre offers aerial challenges a rope course and golf to suit all ages and abilities. The park is also home to the Taunton Flower Show, the oldest and longest-running in the country.
Waterway attractions
The River Tone runs through the centre of Taunton, a feature that adds to the character of the town. A walk along the river leads to Goodlands Gardens, a much-loved and peaceful town centre green space which is also home to Taunton’s Rainbow Path, a 62-metre long work of public art, created as a sign of inclusivity and hope.
The 14 mile Bridgwater to Taunton canal links the Tone to the River Parrett and it’s a starting point for some lovely walks and bike rides. Following the canal from the Brewhouse Theatre leads to the Somerset Space Walk, two scale models of the solar system centred around the sun, at Maunsel Lock.
A sporting town
Two miles from the town centre is Taunton Racecourse, which is in a beautiful setting, with views across the racecourse to the Blackdown Hills. This is England’s youngest jumps racecourse and it stages around 14 race meetings each season. Race-goers can make a day of it by visiting one of the cafes and restaurants.
Taunton is of course also home to Somerset County Cricket Club and again, it’s in a memorable setting, in the centre of town, overlooked by church towers and, in the distance, the Blackdowns. It’s one of the smallest cricket grounds in the country, and cricket balls have been known to land in the neighbouring River Tone.
Historic gardens
Hestercombe must be one of the most beautiful gardens in the South West, and it’s just a couple of miles from the centre of town. It’s run by the Hestercombe Gardens Trust which, since 1996, has undertaken a careful restoration of what amounts to three centuries of garden design in a 50-acre setting.
Lying at the front of the house is the romantic Edwardian Formal Garden, then there’s a Victorian Shrubbery leading to the wilder and dramatic Georgian landscape garden, complete with waterfalls and follies. The house itself was, perhaps surprisingly, once home to Somerset Fire Brigade HQ, but is now an impressive gallery which hosts a changing display of contemporary art.
A Somerset tradition
Somerset’s cider-making heritage lives on at Sheppy’s, which is just out of town on the road to Wellington. The family has been making craft cider for 200 years and through six generations.
Ciders are fermented using the apples’ naturally occurring wild yeasts and some are matured in oak vats that have been in the family for 100 years. The red brick barns, once used for cider-making until a new production facility was built at the farm, now house a shop with bakery and deli, a café, restaurant and museum.
Try a cider flight board in the Apple Bay Bar, or go behind the scenes with a tour of the orchards and cidery.
Unique shopping
As the county town, Taunton has its fair share of high street names, but it also has a passionate independent scene, which can be found by exploring some of its smaller streets. Bath Place is a tiny, pedestrianised haven off the High Street.
It has an eclectic mix, including a barbershop, bakery, fishmonger and it’s also home to Brendon Books, which sells both new and second-hand books. Its owners also founded the Taunton Literary Festival. Down by St James Street and Riverside Place is another collection of shops, where you can get almost anything you need, including food and wine, gifts, clothing – both men’s and women’s – there’s even a shop selling teddy bears.
Stay the night
After a major restoration, a former Victorian hotel turned office building that had fallen into disrepair, was relaunched as a hotel, with meeting and office facilities alongside. It has a number of individual, boutique rooms to choose from.
Set in another striking building, is the Corner House hotel, which is also very handy for town, and then there’s the aforementioned family-owned The Castle, a magnificent wisteria-covered landmark in the heart of historic Taunton.
Nicholas and Annabel Chapman are the third generation of the same family to run this iconic hotel. Throughout the year they are offering theatre experience packages where your stay includes a pre-theatre supper and tickets to a show at the Brewhouse.
Take in a show
First opening in 1977, in the suite of a former riverside brewery, Brewhouse Taunton is the town’s most well-known arts centre, with a 350 seat main auditorium, studio theatre and gallery it stages professional productions, cinema, dance, comedy and exhibitions and also acts as a community hub. A highlight this summer will be a visit from Shakespeare’s The Globe, which is bringing Julius Ceasar to Taunton as part of its nationwide Globe on Tour series.
The Tacchi-Morris Arts Centre at Monkton Heathfield is another superb centre for the arts, with a busy programme of theatre, dance, music and visual art exhibitions.
Craft from the land
Another local tradition centres around the willow that grows in abundance on the surrounding Somerset Levels. For generations, the Coate family has been growing and harvesting willow and using it for basket making and also producing artists’ charcoal. Coates English Willow and the Willows and Wetlands Visitor Centre is just outside town at Stoke St Gregory.
There are displays and information about the history of willow and how it’s been used over the centuries, including some rare examples of basket ware dating back to 1850. There are often demonstrations of basket weaving and people can explore the surrounding withy beds before returning for coffee and cake at the centre’s café.
Dining delights
There are some terrific restaurants in Taunton, which are well established and loved by locals. Augustus is one of these and it’s set in a courtyard off St James Street. Chef Richard Guest creates contemporary dishes, using ingredients that come from nearby independent shops or local growers. Nobregas offers Portuguese tapas and paella and for snacks of a platter of meats and cheeses try Social Bar at the Little Wine Shop.
The Castle hotel has several dining options, from the relaxed yet stylish Brazz restaurant to Bow Bar for snacks and cocktails. For a treat, afternoon tea is served amid art deco elegance in the hotel’s Castle Bow room.
