West Somerset

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For the town in South Africa, see Somerset West.
West Somerset
—  Non-metropolitan district  —

Logo
Shown within 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 Tim Taylor
 • Council Conservative
 • MPs: Ian Liddell-Grainger C, Jeremy Browne LD
Area
 • Total 280.6 sq mi (726.84 km2)
Population (2010 est.)
 • Total 35,400 (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 is 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] Governance

See also: West Somerset local elections

West Somerset District Council is elected every four years, with currently 28 councillors being elected at each election. From the first election to the council in 1973 to 1995 the council had a majority of independents. Since then the Conservative Party won a majority at the 2003 election, but independents took a majority back at the 2007 election. Following the most recent election in 2011 the Conservatives regained a majority and as of the 2011 election the council is composed of the following councillors:-[9]

Party Councillors
  Conservative Party 19
  Independent 7
  Labour Party 2

[edit] Settlements

[edit] Parishes

Image Name Status Population[10] 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) [11]
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) [11]
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) [12]
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) [12]
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) [11]
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) [11]
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) [11]
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) [11]
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) [12]
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) [11]
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) [11]
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) [11]
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) [12]
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) [12]
Wooden waterwheel on the side of a white painted building, partially 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) [12]
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) [11]
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) [12]
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) [11]
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) [11]
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) [11]
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) [11][13]
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) [11]
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) [11]
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) [11]
Small stone bridge over a stream 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) [11]
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) [11]
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) [11]
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) [11]
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) [11]
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) [12]
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) [11]
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) [11]
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) [11]
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) [11]
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) [11]
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) [12]
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) [14]
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) [11]
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) [11]
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) [12]
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) [11]
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) [12]
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) [11]

[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

Somerset shield.png Somerset portal

[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. ^ "England council elections". BBC News Online. 10 May 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/election2011/council/html/40uf.stm. Retrieved 27 November 2011. 
  10. ^ "West Somerset". Parish Population Estimates for 2002. Somerset County Council. http://www.webcitation.org/5lRyCc5hq. Retrieved 2009-11-15. 
  11. ^ 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". Great Britain Historical GIS Project 2004/University of Portsmouth. Data © Office of National Statistics, for England and Wales. http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10042021&c_id=10001043. Retrieved 2009-12-08. 
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "A Vision of Britain Through Time : Dulverton Rural District". Great Britain Historical GIS Project 2004/University of Portsmouth. Data © Office of National Statistics, for England and Wales. http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10001547&c_id=10001043. Retrieved 2009-12-08. 
  13. ^ "A Vision of Britain Through Time : Minehead Urban District". Great Britain Historical GIS Project 2004/University of Portsmouth. Data © Office of National Statistics, for England and Wales. http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10025540&c_id=10001043. Retrieved 2009-12-08. 
  14. ^ "A Vision of Britain Through Time : Watchet Urban District". Great Britain Historical GIS Project 2004/University of Portsmouth. Data © Office of National Statistics, for England and Wales. http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10135308&c_id=10001043. Retrieved 2009-12-08. 

[edit] External links

Towns, villages and hamlets in the West Somerset district of Somerset, England
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