There has been a church at Huish Episcopi since the 12th century. The parish was a large one including several settlements.
The church of St Michael and All Angels, Somerton was probably built in the 13th century but enlarged in the 14th including the South aisle and its
There is no evidence for the oft repeated claim that Somerton was the capital of Wessex but it was an important town as the Witan met there in 949.
Before the New Poor Law and the establishment of Union workhouses parishes had to take care of their poor in their own homes or in communal accommo
Education was provided by several teachers and at a charity school but in 1818 only 120 children attended day schools and the poor lacked education
In 1630 merchant Robert Quirk built 11 dwellings for the poor on waste ground east of the cross beside the market place.
After an outbreak of fever in 1853 caused by poor drainage, lack of sanitation, and water pollution and some very bad housing Street Board of Healt
In the 1800s there were several denominational Sunday schools and dame schools.
James Brydges (1674-1744), 1st Duke of Chandos, was a wealthy politician who made a huge fortune while serving in the lucrative office of Paymaster
Samuel Taylor Coleridge lived at Nether Stowey from 1797-1800 with his wife Sara and children.
