Start your tour in Cox’s Yard car park by the public library. The Library was built in 1997 and today is a community-led facility.
Go ahead into the passage to the right of the supermarket.
Brunel Precinct was established in the mid 1980s on the site of a brewery dating from 1840 which closed in 1930. It now comprises a supermarket, a range of therapy treatments, independent shops, a dress agency, charity shop, hairdresser and café.
Go through the precinct to reach West Street and go left.
West Street (North side) contains several old buildings including Leavers Court dating back to 1500 and the Methodist Church of 1845 (now West St Church). Beyond is Market Place. On the west side is the Manor House, built for stewards of the Ilchester estate. The part occupied by the bank is 18th century but the older part is Elizabethan. The north side includes the Market House, now a restaurant, and shops of 18th and 19th century. In the centre of the Market Place are the octagonal Market Cross, (aka Buttercross), which was built in 1673 and the Old Town Hall also built in 17th century as a place to sell corn. Later, the town’s fire engines were housed here but it is now an arts centre so go inside to have a look. In the open space by the churchyard gates is the War Memorial of 1921 which has the names of the many who died in the two World Wars, as well as those who were killed in the milk factory bombing of 1942. In the north-west corner is the Lady Smith Memorial Institute, (the Parish Rooms), opened in 1902, which is used for meetings and a variety of other community activities. Over the door note the lantern which was formerly at the railway station.
Go ahead along the church path (made of flagstones from the railway station when it closed in 1962).
St Michael & All Angels Church was built during the 13th century and has an octagonal tower – unusual in Somerset but extremely rare elsewhere. Above the nave is a wonderful wooden ceiling, thought to have come from Muchelney Abbey around 1500, which is made up of about 700 carved wooden panels. It includes two barrels – perhaps the mark of the carpenter. The altar and the pulpit are 17th century and among the best in the county. In the chancel are memorials to the two Tremlett brothers who were both serving Admirals in the Royal Navy when they died in their 90s. Church modernisation was undertaken in 2012 to include stepless entry, more efficient heating, a modern organ and replacement of many pews with modern comfortable chairs.
Leave the church and follow the path left round the east end.
Note the almost illegible diamond shaped monument on the east wall to Midshipman John Jacob, aged 13, who drowned in a storm when HMS Hero sank on Christmas Day 1811 – a stark contrast to the Tremlett monuments!
Exit through the north east corner of the churchyard.
The Old Hall is ahead as you leave the churchyard. It was built in the 18th century on earlier foundations. On its side wall is a plaque recording that the County gaol may have stood here in the 13th century. To your left a lane leads to the old vicarage. In front of the Old Hall is Cow Square. This was part of the market area where cows with calves were kept on market days and now has two very attractive town houses on the north side, Hopefield (1770), in the corner and Donisthorpe on the north side. George Donisthorpe, steward to the Earls of Ilchester, was granted permission to build a modest house. But when the Earl visited Somerton after the house was finished he was astonished at the scale and luxury of the building and refused to allow a front garden, so all residents had to use the back entrance.
At the east of the square is the Coronation Fountain erected in 1902 for the coronation of Edward VII. It had a gas lamp in the globe at the top, then water spouts for people to take a drink. Below that there was a water trough for horses (now filled with flowers) and at foot level troughs for dogs to drink.
Go ahead to Section B or go right to Section C.
