SOMERSET is a maritime county, bounded on the north by Gloucestershire and north and north-west by the Bristol Channel, on the south-west and south by Devonshire, on the south-east and south by Dorsetshire, on the east by Wiltshire; it comprises 1,043,485 acres; the population in 1801 was 273,577; in 1811, 302,836; in 1821, 355,789; in 183.1,403,795; in 1841, 435,599; in 1851, 443,916; in 1861, 463,368; in 1871, 482,652; in 1881, 469,109; and in 1891, 438,710, of which 203,495 are males, and 235,215 females. The number of houses were-inhabited, 91,755; uninhabited, 7,505; building, 569. In 1900: the population was 508,104 and the inhabited houses 108,154.

In pursuance of section 54 of the “Local Government Act, 1888” (51 and 52 Vict. c. 41), and by 58 and 59 Vict. c. 91, the parishes of Goathill, Poyntington, Sandford Orcas, Seaborough and Trent were, in 1896, transferred from Somerset to Dorset, Wambrook from Dorset to Somerset and Gasper and Yarnfield from Somerset to Wilts. By the Act 59 and 60 Vict. c. 75, Kilmington was tansferred from Somerset to Wilts and Churchstanton from Devon to Somerset.

Somersetshire is a hilly county: in the north the great range of the Mendip Hills extends from a little southwest of Frome to Hutton to the south of Weston-super-Mare, a distance of about 25 miles; the highest point is situated two miles from Shepton Mallet, on the road to Bristol, called Beacon Hill, and where there is a stone, fixing “Highest point in the Mendips, 1,000 feet above sea-level”; the Polden Hills lie south of Glastonbury; the Quantock Hills is the west centre from Cothelstone north-west to Quantox Head, near Watchet, and the Brendon Hills running due west from Tolland to Gutcombe, where they merge into Exmoor in the extreme west, which extends into Devonshire, and in some parts is 1,700 feet in height, and extends over some thousands of acres; the Brendon Hills are 12 to 1,300 feet above sea level. The Blackdown Hills, on the Devonshire border, are about 900 feet in height. There are many detached hills on both sides of the Fosseway north of Crewkerne.

The chief rivers are the Lower Avon, the Parret and Yeo, the Tone, the Brue and the Axe. The Lower Avon, rising in the hilly district of North Wiltshire, after forming for some distance the boundary between Somerset and Wilts, enters this county, crossing the northeastern extremity of it, after partly encircling the city of Bath; a few miles further it becomes the north-eastern boundary of the county, and separates it from Gloucestershire during the remainder of its course, which runs in a north-westerly direction, by Keynsham and the city of Bristol, to its junction with the estuary of the Severn, which there assumes the name of the Bristol Channel; this river, besides constituting the harbour of Bristol, is navigable for small craft as high as Bath. The Parret rises at South Perrott, in Dorsetshire, and soon entering this county, flows nearly northward by Crewkerne to Langport, where it is joined on the east by the small river Yeo, and takes a north-westerly direction to Bridgwater, having nearly midway between these two towns received the waters of the Tone from the west; it flows past Bridgwater, and thenceforward pursues a devious course, for the most part in a northerly direction, and finally falls into Bridgwater Bay, at Stert Point; it is navigable to Langport, a distance of about 20 miles. The Tone rises in the Brendon Hills, near the town of Wiveliscombe, and flowing for some miles northward to the borders of Devon, afterwards takes an easterly course by the town of Taunton (where it becomes navigable) to the Parret, at Boroughbridge, about 8 miles from Taunton, and near the centre of the county. The Brue rises on the borders of Wiltshire, not far from the town of Brueton, past which it flows in a nearly south-westerly direction; some miles lower it takes a north-westerly course, and passes a short distance south-west of Glastonbury to the Bristol Channel, near the mouth of the Parret; the course of this river is entirely through the marshes; it is navigable to Highbridge, a distance of 2 miles from its mouth. The Axe originates in two small streams from the south-western side of the Mendip Hills, one of which has its source in the natural cavern called Wookey Hole; its course is north-westward, and for a considerable distance through the marshes; passing to the south-west of Axbridge it falls into the Bristol Channel near Black Rock. The Exe rises in Exmoor Forest, at the western extremity of this county, which it soon leaves for that of Devon. The smaller streams are very numerous; they all flow through fertile tracks, and the banks of many of them are adorned with extensive ornamental grounds, belonging to the various seats of the landowners with which this county abounds; some of the principal are the Cale, the Chew, the Frome, the Ivel and the Bari. In the town of Chard is the watershed of the county, two streams on different sides of the street, one of which flows towards the Bristol Channel and the other towards the English Channel. The Kennet and Avon Canal enters the county from Bradford, in Wiltshire, and joins the Lower Avon at Bath. The Somersetshire Coal Canal commences at Paulton and passes to Midford, subsequently uniting with the Kennet and Avon Canal.

Railways.-The railways serving this county are the Great Western and the London and South Western, the latter running conjointly with the Midland railway. The Great Western enters the county at Frome on the east and near Bathampton on the north-east, the latter section running to Bath and Bristol, and thence by Weston-super-Mare, Bridgwater and Taunton, and leaving the county for Exeter, near Sampford Arundel, having branches from Norton Fitzwarren to Minehead on the Exmoor coast and to Barnstaple; the line at Frome continues south-west by Witham (whence a branch goes via Shepton Mallet, Wells and Axbridge to Clevedon), Castle Cary to Yeovil, and then striking off to the northwest, runs through Langport to Durston, near Taunton. From Frome a line also proceeds direct to Bristol through Radstock, and there is a line from Creech St. Michael, near Taunton, through Ilminster to Chard. The London and South Western line from Axminster enters the county south of Chard, and sending a branch to Chard runs along the south border of the county to Yeovil and on to Templecombe, from which it has a branch line to Bath through Evercreech Junction, whence another line runs to Burnham, having a short line from Glastonbury station to Wells, and one from Edington Junction to Bridgwater. There is a short line from Bedminster, on the Great Western system, to Portishead, and the West Somerset Mineral line from Watchet to Combe Bow.

Salmon and herring fishing are carried on to a considerable extent at Porlock, Minehead and Watchet; and other fish found off this coast are tumbling flounders, sand-dabs, hakes, pipers, soles, plaice, skate, conger eels, shrimps, prawns, crabs and mussels.

Of the agricultural products, the cattle are a considerable feature, from which quantities of cheese are produced. Sheep also are reared in large numbers, as there is a great deal of grass and pasture land, to the extent of two-thirds of the area of the county. Teazles are grown around Taunton for the woollen trade of the shire, potatoes, fruit, flax &c.

On the moors red deer abound in their wild state; at Exmoor a peculiar breed of ponies is reared.

The principal manufactures are those of woollen, worsted and silk goods at Frome, Taunton, Twerton and Wellington; of gloves at Yeovil, Stoke, Martock and Taunton; of lace at Chard; linen shirts and sail-cloth at Crewkerne; shirt collars at Ilminster and Taunton and Shepton Mallet; of silk at Taunton and Shepton Mallet; horsehair seating at Castle Cary, Bruton and Crewkerne; brushes at Wells; of bricks, draining pipes and the celebrated Bath brick at Bridgwater, where are also extensive coach building factories; also manufactories of spades, shovels and edge tools.

Upon the Avon are several mills for preparing iron and copper, and others for spinning worsted and the spinning and weaving of cotton.

There are large breweries at Shepton Mallet and Crewkerne.

The chief mineral productions are coal, brown ironstone and freestone; fullers’ earth (5,782 tons in 1899) and red oxide of iron (1,035 tons) are also found. Clay, other than fullers’ earth, was raised in 1899 to the extent of 172,371 tons. The stone which is commonly known by the name of Bath stone is quarried in this county in the neighbourhood of Coombe Down and Mencton Coombe and in the adjoining district in the county of Wilts; Ham Hill stone is found in this county and Doulting stone both here and in Wilts. The total production of limestone in 1899 was 480,158 tons. The iron ore is obtained mostly from the Brendon Hills, known as Spathose ore, and exported to Ebbw Vale; some ore obtained in Ashton Vale is used in the county in the manufacture of pig iron; only 2,649 tons of irone ore were raised in 1899. There are lead mines near Wellington, and lead is washed from the old mines on the Mendip Hills, but no return was made of quantity raised. There are slate quarries at Wiveliscombe and at Treborough, near Williton (quantity of slate quarried in 1899 was 1,750 tons). The coal beds constitute the most southern deposit of that mineral in England; the deposit is comparatively small, and lies north and north-east of the Mendip Hills from Clapton-in-Gordano to Coleford, principally near Compton Dando; in 1899, 983,973 tons were raised, valued at the mines at £541,185. Petroleum has been discovered at Ashwick, Shepton Mallet, but it yet remains to be seen if of any commercial value. Sandstone was quarried in 1899 to the extent of 58,910 tons; gravel and sand, 5,970 tons and gypsum, 5,875 tons.

Calamine stone was formerly worked at Churchill, Rowberrow, Winscombe and Wrington, but from a change in the manufacture of brass is not now sought after.

Bristol is the great trading town and seaport for the county, with its docks in the city and subsidiary ones at Avonmouth and Portishead, at the mouth of the Avon, respectively on the Gloucester and Somerset shores; Bridgwater is another port on the Bristol Channel, and Weston-super-Mare, a popular bathing town, beside Clevedon and Burnham.

-Tidal Streams in the Bristol Channel.-North of the parallel of Scilly to the Bristol Channel the tidal stream is more regular than it is south of that limit, and while the water is falling at Dover, it will be found setting to the northward, partaking, near the coast, of the direction of the shore; and while the water is rising at Dover, setting as sharply out of the Bristol Channel and along the land southward. Observations have shown that at Trevose Head, on the Cornish coast, the northern tide makes 12 minutes after Dover, and as a vessel advances up the Bristol Channel the stream turns progressively later; but the tides of that estuary do not follow exactly the same law as the tides of channels which are open at both extremities.

Time of High Water on full and Change Days at Places on the Coast of Somerset, with the rise of the Tide at Springs and Neaps.

* By the rise of the tide is meant its vertical rise above the mean low water level of spring tides.

+ Indicates that the figures given are approximations.

The City of Bath, with its famed mineral springs, had a population in 1901 within its municipal limits of 49,817.

The other municipal boroughs are Bridgwater, population, 15,209; Chard, 4,437;-Glastonbury, 4,016; Taunton, 21,078) Wells City, 4,849 and Yeovil, 9,838. Other towns are Clevedon, 5,898; Crewkerne, 4,226; Ilminster, 2,287; Martock, 2,848 (1891); Midsomer Norton, 5,811; Milborne Port, 1,685; Shepton Mallet, 5,238; Wellington, 7,282; Weston-super-Mare, 19,047; Wincanton, 2,109 (1891); Wiveliscombe, 1,417; and Axbridge with only 732.

This county contains 480 civil parishes, with parts of three others, and with the exception of the parishes of Abbot’s Leigh and Bedminster and parts of Maiden Bradley and Stourton, is co-extensive with the diocese of Bath and Wells, and is within the province of Canterbury, and is divided into the archdeaconries of Bath, Taunton and Wells, the first having no archidiaconal court, and in the two latter the bishop exercising jurisdiction concurrently with the archdeacons; Bath archdeaconry is divided into Bath deanery, sub-divided into the districts of Bath and Keynsham, Chew deanery sub-divided into the districts of Chew Magna and Portishead; Taunton archdeaconry is divided into Bridgwater deanery, subdivided into the districts of Bridgwater and Quantoxhead; Crewkerne deanery, sub-divided into the districts of Crewkerne and Ilminster; Dunster deanery, subdivided into the districts of Dunster and Wiveliscombe; and Taunton deanery, sub-divided into the districts of Taunton and Wellington; Wells archdeaconry is divided into Axbridge deanery, sub-divided into the districts of Locking, Axbridge and Burnham; Cary deanery, subdivided into the districts of Cary, Bruton and Shepton Mallet districts; Frome deanery, sub-divided into the districts of Frome and Midsomer Norton; Glastonbury deanery; Ilchester deanery, sub-divided into the districts of Martock and Ilchester; Merston, sub-divided into the districts of Merston and Milborne Port; and Pawlett deanery.

Somersetshire and Bristol are within the Western Circuit; the assizes are held at Taunton, Winter; Wells, Summer; Autumn at Taunton and Wells alternately; and Bristol, Summer, Autumn and Winter. The county has one court of quarter sessions and is divided into 22 petty sessional divisions; the quarter sessions are held in Spring at Wells; Midsummer, at Taunton; Michaelmas, at Wells; and Epiphany, at Taunton.

The registration districts are:

The County Lunatic Asylum for paupers, which was established in 1848, forms an extensive and substantial pile of buildings pleasantly seated in a healthy locality, about a mile and a half from Wells, on the Bath and Frome roads, and stands upon 176 acres of land, with 56 additional acres leased and rented; besides the main building, there are three detached buildings occupied by women, holding 90, 50 and 25 respectively: in the grounds is a large chapel, with tower and spire, seating 500 persons: the asylum has also its own burial ground and mortuary chapel: in 1901 there were upwards of 550 patients and 100 attendants: the management of the asylum is vested in a committee of visitors appointed jointly by the County Councils for Somerset and the city of Bath; Charles Frederick Laing M.B. & CM. Glas. medical superintendent; James Hugh Sproat M.B., M.R.C.S.Eng, senior assistant medical officer; Walter Hood Ligertwood M.R.C.S.Eng., L.R.C.P.Lond, junior assistant medical officer; Rev. James Johnson Downes B.A. chaplain; John Coates, clerk to the committee of visitors and clerk to the asylum.

The Taunton and Somerset Hospital, in East reach, Taunton, was founded in 1809 in commemoration of the entry of King George III. upon the fiftieth year of his reign: in 1870 an eastern wing, mortuary and convalescent wards were erected, and in 1873 a west wing was added: these additions, designed by Mr. J. Houghton Spencer, architect, of Taunton, were built at a cost of about £3,000: the hospital is attended by the principal medical man of the town, and is benefited by the Tone Navigation Fund and Mary Blake’s and the Rev. F. J. Smith’s charities, of the annual value of £89. The number of in-patients attended during the year 1900 was 846, and of out-patients, 4,191; W. M. Kelly M.D. H. J. Alford M.D. and George B. Cornish M.D. consulting physicians; Richard Leddon Meade-King M.D., L.R.C.P.Lond. J. A. Macdonald M.D. and David Brown M.D. physicians; Samuel Farrant M.R.C.S.Eng. George William Rigden M.R.C.S.Eng, and Alfred Robert Isles M.R.C.S.Eng, surgeons; William Drake L.R.C.P.Lond, house surgeon; Alfred Kendrick L.D.S.Eng. & Irel. dental surgeon; J. E. Wakefield, hon. sec.; Albert Goodman, accountant; Miss Bulteel, matron; J. S. Winsor, collector The Royal West of England Sanitorium on the seashore, between Weston-super-Mare and Uphill, was established in 1868. The present building, the foundation stone of which was laid in 1871 by the 4th Earl of Carnarvon, was completed in 1882, and stands in three acres of ground, at the front of which are the sands, and on that side of the building are two long glass Conservatories, warmed throughout by hot water pipes, and intended for the use of convalescents. The late Mr. W. Gibbs, of Tynfcesfield, and his family have been the principal benefactors, and there are several free beds endowed by Mrs. William Gibbs, chiefly for poor patients from Bristol, and others anonymously for Bath patients. The chapel, at the south end, is of stone, in the Early English style, consisting of apsidal chancel and nave with west gallery: there are 9 stained lancet windows and stone pulpit: the chapel will seat 150 persons. The total expenditure on land, building and furniture has been between £15,000 and £16,000, and there are now 100 beds. Convalescents requiring sea air and sea bathing are here received under medical certificate for a small weekly payment, with a governor’s note of recommendation, and patients are admitted from any part of England. Hot seat baths, consisting of two large plunge and eight private baths were added in 1890, at a cost of £4,000; Thomas Mullins, hon. sec.; G. Bisdee Fraser M.R.C.S.Eng. medical officer; Miss Edith Mawe, lady superintendent.

His Majesty’s Prison at Shepton Mallet is for felons, misdemeanants and debtors for the whole eastern half of the county, and is a large and compact building, capable of containing 200 prisoners: the system of separate confinement and industrial occupation is carried out; in 1849 a chapel was erected; the building is heated throughout with hot water, and new quarters have been erected for the warders outside the prison; J. G. Barrow, governor; H. Orpwood, principal warder; James Taylor Hyatt L.R.C.P.Edin., D.P.H. surgeon; Ref, Robert Land&mann Jones B.A. chaplain; Charles William Hunt, clerk to visiting justices; Miss Juliana Smyth, acting matron.

Parliamentary Representation of Somerset

The county has hitherto returned six members in three divisions, but under the provisions of the “Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885, it now returns seven in seven divisions. Under the provisions of the above-mentioned Act, the representation of the borough of Frome was merged into that of the county, and the borough of Taunton lost one member.

No. 1 The Northern division comprises the sessional divisions of Keynsham, Long Ashton and Temple Cloud, the parish of Binegar in Wells sessional division and the parishes of Chilcompton and Midsomer Norton in Kelmersdon sessional division.

No. 2.-The Wells division comprises the sessional divisions of Axbridge and Wells (except so much as is comprised in divisions Nos. 1 and 4) and the municipal borough of Wells.

No. 3.-The Frome division comprises the sessional divisions of Frome, Kilmersdon (except so much as is comprised in division No. 1) and Weston, the municipal borough of Bath and the parishes of Ashwick, Batcombe, Downhead, East Cranmore, Stoke Lane, Upton Noble and West Cranmore in Shepton Mallet sessional division.

No. 4.-The Eastern division comprises the sessional divisions of Shepton Mallet (except so much as is comprised in division No. 3), Somerton and Wincanton and the parishes of Glastonbury, North Wootton and West Pennard in Wells sessional division.

No. 5 The Southern division comprises the sessional divisions of Crewkerne, Ilminster (except so much as is comprised in division No. 6) and Yeovil and the municipal borough of Yeovil.

No. 6.-The Bridgwater division comprises the sessional divisions of Bridgwater and Taunton (except so much as is comprised in division No. 7), tha municipal borough of Bridgwater and the parishes of Ashill, Beer Crocombe, Broadway, Buckland St. Mary, Combe St. Nicholas, Curry Mallett, Donyatt, Fivehead, Hatch Beauchamp, Ilminster, Eton, Isle Abbots, Isle Brewers, South Bradon and Whitestaunton in Ilminster sessional division.

No. 7.-The Western or Willington division comprises the sessional divisions of Bishop Lydeard, Dulverton, Dunster, Wellington, Williton and Wivesliscombe and the parishes of Angersleigh, Bishop’s Hull, Kingston (near Taunton), Norton Fitzwarren, Oake, Otterford, Pitminster, Staplegrove, Taunton St. James, Taunton St. Mary, Trull and Wilton in Taunton sessional division.

Military

The troops in this county are comprised in the Western district command.

Head quarters, Devonport.

In command, Lieut.-Gen. Sir W. F. Butler K.C.B.

Taunton is the depot of the Regimental District No. 13 the Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry), the territorial regiment being composed of four battalions: the 1st and 2nd battalions of the Somersetshire Light Infantry (13th foot) and the 1st and 2nd battalions of the Somerset Militia, the head quarters of the militia being also at Taunton. Full particulars will be found at page 413.

Fairs and Markets

Ashcott, January 9th for stock.

Axbridge, February 3rd, March 25th & second Tuesday in October & a monthly market on the second Tuesday in every month for cattle.

Backwell, September 21st.

Banwell, January 18th for cattle.

Bath, market day, Wednesday & Saturday; a cattle market is held on Wednesday & corn market on thurs Binegar, first Wednesday after Whit Sunday for horses.

Bridgwater, last Wednesday in January, March & June for horses & cattle, last Wednesday in September for horses & cattle, & the two following days for cattle & merchandise; market day, Wednesday, corn, sheep, cattle, pigs & vegetable produce, & Saturday for general produce; annual great market for cattle first Wednesday in December.

Broadway, Wednesday after September 10th for onions, horses & cattle.

Bruton, April 23rd & September 17th for cattle.

Castle Cary, Tuesday before Palm Sunday, May 1st, Whit Tuesday, & first Tuesday after September 19th; corn & cattle market every alternate Tuesday.

Chard, first Wednesday in May, August & November; market day, Saturday; stock market every alternate Monday.

Cheddar, first Tuesday in May & the last Tuesday in October for stock.

Combe St. Nicholas, Wednesday after December 10th for cattle & pedlery.

Congresbury, first Monday after September 8th.

Crewkerne, September 4th; market days, Wed. & sat.

North Curry, first Tuesday in September for cattle.

Draycot, first Tuesday in September.

Dulverton, market day, Saturday; cattle market, first Tuesday in each month.

Dunster, the great market & cattle show is held on the first Friday in December, & a fair for cattle first thursday in September.

Exford, August 14th for cattle & sheep.

Frome, last Wednesday in February & November; cheese market the last Wednesday in September; market day, Wednesday for cattle, corn & general commodities & Saturday for the latter only.

Glastonbury, large & important horse, sheep & cattle fairs are held on the and Monday in September & 2nd Monday in October; market day, second & fourth Monday for cattle.

Highbridge, cheese market, first Monday in every month; cattle market, the first & third Mon. in every month; a weekly cheese market is also held on every Tuesday.

Hinton St. George, April 23 for cattle.

Ilminster, last Wednesday in August for cattle; market days, Wednesday & Saturday.

Langport, September 3rd for horses; market day, Tuesday; cattle markets are held every alternate Tuesday.

Lyng, second Monday in August for cattle.

Martock, 21st August for cattle; market day, every alternate Tuesday.

Midsomer Norton, April 25th for cattle.

Milborne Port, June 5th & October 28th.

Pawlett, last Monday in August & October.

West Pennard, last Monday in July.

Priddy, August 21st.

Queen Camel, Trinity Thursday & Oct. 25th for cattle.

Radstock, market day, Saturday; cattle sales on the second Tuesday monthly.

Shepton Mallet, market day, Friday.

Shipham, April 27th & November 17th for cattle.

Somerton, last Monday in January, Palm Tuesday & the 3rd, 6th, 9th & 12th Tues. following, on Michaelmas day & November 8th.

Stoford, June 11th & September 28th for cattle & horses.

Stoke-sub-Hamdon, April 25th.

Taunton, June 17th & July 7th for cattle, sheep & horses; market days, Wednesday & Saturday.

Ubley, September 4th for cattle.

Wedmore, last Mondays in July & September for cattle.

Wellington, market day, Thursday; & cattle & sheep market the first Thursday in every month.

Wellow, October 17th, principally for sheep.

Wells, first Tuesday in January, May, July, November & December; market day, Saturday, & a monthly market for cheese & cattle the first Saturday in every month.

Weston, August 10th for cattle, sheep, pigs & cheese.

Westonzoyland, September 9th, for cattle & horses.

Williton, second Monday in December for cattle; markets during the summer months on the second & fourth Mondays in the month, & during the remainder of the year on the second Monday.

Wincanton, Tuesday in Easter week & September 29th; market day, Wednesday for corn, cattle & cheese.

Winscombe, first Monday in May for cattle.

Wiveliscombe, market day, Tuesday; markets are held the third Tuesday in each month for sheep & cattle.

Yeovil, last Friday in June & third Friday in November; market day, Friday for cattle, corn, meat, cheese & flax, & the great market every alternate Friday.

Drainage Commission

The drainage of lands in the several valleys of the rivers Parret, Tone, lie, Cary, Brue, Axe and Yeo, being seriously defective, and not infrequently resulting in floods of many miles in extent, an Act of Parliament, entitled “The Somersetshire Drainage Act, 1877” (40 and 41 Vict.), was passed June 11th in that year, “for the more effectual drainage of lands in the county of Somerset, and for other purposes.” By this measure, a body of Commissioners, 30 in number, was appointed, with power to divide certain affected areas, duly scheduled, into districts, and to place each district under the management of a board elected by owners and occupiers of lands within it; and the members of these district boards, in their turn, elected as their representatives a new body of Commissioners, consisting of such persons as were owners, directly or indirectly, of not less than 40 acres of land, or agents of owners of not less than 300 acres, within the jurisdiction of the first Commissioners, whose office and powers, on the final constitution of the Commissioners thus elected, were transferred to them. The powers of the Commissioners and district boards thus constituted extend (1) to the cleansing, scouring, repairing or otherwise maintaining in a state of efficiency outfalls for water of every kind, as well as bridges, walls, or other defences against water; (2) to enlarging or in any way altering or improving existing works; (3) to making new watercourses or outfalls, or erecting any new defences or necessary machinery. From the 1st July, 1878, the whole undertaking of the Parret Navigation and Canal Company, comprising the river Parret, from its junction with the Tone at Stanmoor bridge, to Westport, in the parish of Barrington, with all the authorized canals and cuts belonging to the company, became vested in the Commissioners, who may, if they see fit, abandon the undertaking as a navigation and canal, and use it for purposes of drainage. The first Commissioners, in establishing the machinery of the Act, surveyed not less than 123,000 acres, and there are now sixteen district boards in full operation. Of the works completed, may be included important dredging operations for the improvement of the channel of the river Brue, with the construction of new outfall sluices at the mouth of that river, the masonry of which is composed of Cornish granite, by which protection is secured against the rising tide, and a second security, in case of the failure of the present floodgates has been added, by means of Stoney’s patent free roller steel sluices, at a cost of over £3,000. Considerable sums of money have been expended in widening, deepening, dredging and other improvement works in the river Parret and its tributaries; the amount raised by loans for this purpose between 1883 and 1889 being £29,000. One of the difficulties the Commissioners have to contend with in dealing with the rivers Parret and Tone is the enormous amount of deposit brought up by the inflowing tide, a large balance of which does not return during the absence of “freshes” in the summer season, the consequence being a heavy deposit left on the side slopes of the rivers. From this deposit, locally called “slime,” the whole of the “Bath” or scouring bricks are made. In the autumn of 1891 most disastrous floods occurred, especially in the Paxret and Cary valleys, through the breakage of the flood bank of the river, at a point opposite Aller church. A system of scouring by means of a steam barge with water jets worked by centrifugal pumps is now in operation on the rivers Parret and Tone, which are tidal for about 12 miles above Bridgwater bridge.

The Central Board of Commissioners meets at Bridgwater.

Somerset County Council

Local Government Act 1888, 51 & 52 Vic. c. 41.

Under the above Act the county of Somerset, except certain boroughs, for which see below (a), after the 1st of April, 1889, for the purposes of the Act became an administrative county, governed by a County Council, consisting of chairman, aldermen and councillors elected in a manner prescribed by the Act (sec. 2).

The chairman, by virtue of his office, is a justice of the peace for the county, without qualification-sec. 2 (5) (b).

The police for the county are under the control of a standing joint committee of the Quarter sessions and the County Council, appointed as therein mentioned (sec. 9), and the clerk of the peace appointed by such joint committee, and removable by them-sec. 83 (2).

The clerk of the peace for the county is the clerk of the County Council-sec. 83 (1).

The coroners for the county are elected by the County Council.

The administrative business of the county, set out in sec. 3 of the Act, and which formerly was transacted by the justices in Quarter Sessions, was transferred to the County Council.

(a) Each of the following large boroughs became, for the purposes of the Act, an administrative county of itself, called a County Borough (sec. 31), of which the municipal corporation has the power of a County Council (sec. 31)-Bath, Bristol (Somerset and Gloucester).

Meet at Shire Hall, Taunton, at 11.30 a.m. on Tuesday in first week after 24th June and after 28th December; statutory meeting 1.30 p.m. on 17th March (year of triennial election only), except if that day be a Saturday or Sunday, then on preceding Friday; the meetings on Tuesday in the first week after 31st March and the first week after the 11th October are held at Wells at 11.30 a.m.

The following Table shows the acreage under each kind of crop, and the number of horses, cattle, sheep and pigs in the County of Somerset, as taken from the Agricultural Returns, 1900:—

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NAME AND ANCIENT HISTORY

THIS part of the kingdom was in ancient times inhabited by the Belgæ, a warlike people of Celtic origin, who migrated into this country from Gaul about 350 years before Christ, and soon became possessed of a very considerable tract of country, including Somersetshire, Dorsetshire, Devonshire, part of Cornwall, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Sussex, and part of Middlesex, in all which they established colonies, into which they willingly admitted the Britons, the Aborigines of the island.

To maintain themselves in the possession of their newly-acquired country, they found it necessary to draw frequent reinforcements from Gaul; and we learn that about 250 years after their settlement in these parts, Divitiacus, King of Suessiones, or Soissons, the most powerful prince in Gaul, arrived with a considerable army, to enable the former emigrators to extend the line of their possessions. It was then that a line was drawn to define the boundaries of either people, effected by the throwing up a large and deep fosse, or dyke, called from the circumstance of its division Wansdike: which to this day exists in many places in perfect preservation, one of the greatest curiosities in antiquity. It commences at Andover, in Hampshire, and thence passes nearly in a strait direction to Great Bedwin, within the confines of Wilts, near which, upon its tract, have been discovered belts and instruments of war. It then crosses the great forest of Sevarnake and Marlborough Downs, where it appears in its pristine state, exceedingly deep, and flanked by a very lofty mound, after the manner of the elevated rampart of a castle, attracting by its singular appearance the attention of the curious traveller. Quitting the Downs, it passes Calston, Edinton, and Spyepark, crosses the River Avon near Benuacre; and again, after being lost in the tilled fields, meets with the same meandering river at Bath-Hampton, where it enters the north-west part of the Belgic territories. Its course is then continued over Claverton Down to Priorpark, Inglishcomb, Stanten-Prior, Publow, Norton, Long Ashton, and terminates in the Severn Sea, near the ancient port of Petershead, forming a line of upwards of eighty miles in length, in more than three parts of which it is yet visible.

About forty years after the birth of Christ the Romans arrived in Britain in considerable force, having already annihilated the Cangi, a posthumous clan of those Belgæ who last migrated into this country with the Suessonian King.

During the stay of the Romans in this region, they founded the cities of Aqua Solis, Bath, and Iscalis or Ivelchester, and many other towns, viz. Camalet, Hamden, Wellow, Coker, Chilcompton, Conquest, Wiveliscombe, Bath-Ford, Warley, Street, Long Ashton, Postlebury, South Petherton, Watergow, Wigborough, Yeovil, Putsham, Kilton, Stogumber, Edington, Inglishcomb, &c. Their great road was the fosse, extending in a south-west direction from Bath to Perry-street, on the borders of Devonshire. Another road ran nearly parallel to it, from the Forest of Exmoor, through Taunton, Bridgewater, and Axbridge, to Portishead on the Bristol Channel, where it intersected Wansdyke, and whence there was a Trajectus to the city of Isca Silenum, now called Caërleon, in the county of Monmouth. A Vicinal Way extends from the fosse through Stoke-under-Hamden.

The principal Roman Camps in this county are at Camalet, Measknoll, Bowditch, Masbury, Doleberry, Worleberry, Blacker’s Hill, Burwalls, Stokeleigh, Cadbury, Tedbury, Douseborough, Modbury, Godshill, Cow Castle, Trendle Castle, Turks Castle, Brompton-Bury Castle, Hawkridge Castle, Monceaux Castle, Newborough, Neroche, Standton-Bury, &c.

Under the dominion of the Saxons, who succeeded the Romans in their possession of the country, this county became a part of their kingdom of Wessex or of the West Saxons.

In the year of our Lord 878, this county, with Wilts and Hants, became the theatre of war with the Danes, who had already desolated almost every other province of Britain, and the good King Alfred was constrained to seek an asylum in the fens of Athelney, from whence, however, he soon afterwards emerged, and completely defeated the Danes in a signal battle at Edington.

SITUATION, BOUNDARIES, AND EXTENT

This maritime county is situated on the south-west of the kingdom, and has the Bristol city and county on the north, Wiltshire on the east, and Devonshire on the south and south-west. Its form is oblong, extending in length from north-east to south-west, about eighty miles. Its breadth from east to west is about thirty-six miles, and the circumference somewhat above 200 miles; the whole comprehending about one million acres of land.

The sea-coast is very irregular, in some places projecting into lofty and rocky promontories, and in others receding into fine bays and level shores. From Stert point northward, the coast is flat and composed of vast sand-banks repelling the inundation of the sea which in former times covered with its waters the extensive territory called Brent Marsh.

CLIMATE AND SOIL

The climate, in fact, is various. Near the sea coast, winter is scarcely felt: and from Minehead and Dulverton on the west, to Milborne Port, and Wincanton on the east, the climate (Quantock Brandon, and Dunkry Hills excepted) is mild and temperate. Approaching the northern district, and ascending Poulden Hill, it becomes more cold and boisterous; and upon the summit of the Mendip hills, a person feels himself comparatively in Lapland. The altitude of Mendip hills compared with the town of Taunton, is supposed to be at least 1,100 feet; but the Vale of Taunton Dean contrasted with some of the northern districts may emphatically be called the Land of Canaan.

For fertility of soil and general produce, Somersetshire stands high in reputation. London, Bristol, Salisbury, and other parts of the kingdom, are annually supplied with fat oxen, sheep, and hogs, together with cider, cheese and butter, and many other articles in great abundance.

RIVERS

The principal rivers in this county are the Avon, also called the West Avon, which rises in Wiltshire, and enters Somersetshire at Freshford, about four miles from Bath, whence it continues its course through Claverton, Bath Ford, Bath Hampton, Bath Week, and the City of Bath; from thence it becomes navigable, and passing Twiverton, Kilweston, Saltford, Keynshain, and through Bristol, it at length reaches the Severn Sea at Kingroad.

The original course of this river through Bristol has within these few years experienced some alteration by the improvement of the harbour of that city, which we shall more particularly notice in our description of Bristol.

The Parret, anciently called the Pedred, rises at South Parret, in Dorsetshire, and enters this county at North Parret, both which villages receive their name from it. It then runs to South Petherton, and near Muchelney receives the River Ile, which rising near Chard, visits and gives name to the towns of Ilminster, Ilemoor, and the villages of Ile Abbots and Ile Brewers. Near the town of Langport, the Parret meets the Yeoor Ivel, which rises from seven springs, called the Seven Sisters, in Horethorn Hill, on the borders of Dorsetshire, whence it passes to the towns of Yeovil and llchester.

At Stanmore Point, near the Isle of Athelney, the Parret receives the River Tone. This river has its source in Beverton Hill, in the Parish of Claworthy, and passes between the village of Hewish Champflower, and the town of Wivelscombe to Stawley, Kittisforde, Runnington, Ninehead Bradford, and the large and populous town of Taunton, which derives from it its name. The Parret, soon after its junction with this river, receives another stream, called Carey, which springs at Castle-Cary, to which it gives name, and then runs to Cary Fitz-Payne, West Carlton, Lytes-Cary, Somerton, and Borough-bridge; hence the Parret, in a large stream, passes the parish of North Petherton, and then reaches the Port of Bridgewater, after which it falls into the sea at Start Point, where it is a mile over.

The Ax has its chief source in the remarkable cavern of Wokey Hole, at a few miles’ distance from which it receives Chedder-water, and passing by Axbridge, Weare, Compton-Bishop, and Bleadon, falls into the sea between Brian Down and the village of Uphill.

The Brew, sometimes erroneously called the Brent, rises in the village of South Brewham, on the eastern side of the county, near the borders of Wilts, and gives its name to that place, to North Brewham, and the town of Brewton, whence it runs by Lydford, Bladonsbury, Glastonbury, and Meare, and crossing the moors, at length discharges itself into the Bristol Channel at Burnham.

There are several other inconsiderable rivers and streams of water; which, however, greatly add to the beauty of the county, and the advantage of the inhabitants.

CANALS

There are also the following canals, commencing in, or passing through, this county, viz.

The Somersetshire Coal Canal, which has two branches, the one commencing at Bulton, the other at Radstock, and both communicating with the Kennet and Avon Canal.

The Dorset and Somerset Canal, commencing near Nettlebridge, and extending through Frome to the County of Dorset.

The Ilchester Canal

A canal from the Mendip Collieries passes through the town of Frome, and dividing into two branches, one joins the Kennet and Avon Canal near Bradford, and the other extends itself through Wincanton to the borders of Dorsetshire.

FISHERIES

The principal of these are the Salmon and Herring Fisheries of Porlock, Minehead, and Watchet; which have for some years past been carried on to a considerable extent, furnishing employment and a cheap and wholesome food, to a great number of the lower classes of people, who, during the summer months are engaged in the lime-stone and culm trade.

POPULATION

The last returns gave 52,462 inhabited houses. There were also 141,449 males, and 161,731 females, making a total population of 303,180 persons exclusive of the city of Bristol.

RENT AND SIZE OF FARMS

These run from 60 or 70l. to 200l. per annum, and upwards; but the smallest are dairy farms, and many instances have been known of such little farmers bringing up a large family in a very respectable way. In these cases the wife undertakes the whole management of the cows, and the husband goes to daily labour.

Rent is universally paid in money; and it is generally customary to receive the Michaelmas rent at Lady-Day, and the Lady-Day’s rent at Michaelmas. No personal service is exacted.

The old farm-houses are ill-constructed, and improperly situated, but new ones are much improved in point of uniformity, regularity, and convenience.

In other parts, however, there are many splendid gentlemen’s seats, ornamented with extensive plantations, and the farm-houses and cottages are mostly commodious and comfortable; but in most of the dairy farms a shameful want of attention has prevailed in respect to out-houses and sheds for their stock to retire to in winter.

In other districts the farms are from forty to six hundred pounds per annum, and are composed partly of rich grazing and dairy land, worth from thirty to forty shillings per acre; partly orchard, from two pounds to three pounds ten shillings per acre. Sheepwalks, from fifteen to twenty-five shillings per acre, and the arable from twenty shillings to twenty-five shillings per acre.

The rich pasture-land is partly grazed with heifers, and partly devoted to the dairy. Few farmers milk their own cows, but let them out to a class of people, scarcely known in other countries, called dairy-men. A herd of a good breed will now let for seven or eight pounds per cow; a certain portion of land is devoted to their summer keeping, and a sufficient quantity of hay is provided by the farmer for their winter sustenance.

The major part of the five hundreds of Taunlon-Dean, in the South-West District, consists of customary lands of inheritance, held under the Bishop of Winchester, paying an annual rent. These customary lands pass by surrender, paying to the lord fines and heriots on alienations. There are also many singular customs within the manor, difficult to be understood, even by the tenants themselves. The descent is called that of Borough English, with some variations. The wife is heir to her husband; and it is no uncommon thing for a widow, on the death of her husband, having children by him, to marry again, and carry her estate into her second family, to the disinheritance of her first.

ENCLOSING AND FENCES

The fences are quick hedges, with trees at unequal distances. Where stones may be easily got and lie in a flat bed, stone walls, without cement, are built, two feet wide at the bottom, eighteen inches at the top, and five feet high; they cost about one shilling a yard running measure. Around Dulverton, Dunster, &c., the beech hedges are not only beautiful to the eye, but besides making an excellent fence, afford an annual profit to the proprietors.

COTTAGES

Many of these now in use are on too small a scale; few of them have more than one room above stairs. This is not only uncomfortable, but inconsistent with that decency and, modesty, with the importance of which, children cannot be too early or too deeply impressed. The rent of these cottages varies from thirty shillings to fifty shillings per year, including a small portion of garden-ground.

CATTLE

There are two sorts of sheep in this county, the one a native breed without horns, well made, and covered with a thick fleece of wool weighing in general seven or eight pounds; the other a small horned sheep called Exmoor sheep, which may be fattened on turnips. The first is a valuable sort, not much unlike the Leicester breed, their fleeces reaching even the weight of twelve pounds. The second sort are kept on Exmoor, or the adjoining hills, two or three years, merely for the annual profit of their fleeces.

OXEN

The oxen of this county are large, well made, and beautiful animals. They are almost all red; they are yoked at three years old, and worked till they are six, when they have been sold to the graziers at prices from ten pounds to twenty-two pounds each ox.

HORSES

Few horses are bred except upon Exmoor, &c.; the farmers are principally supplied by dealers who attend the north country fairs. Farriery has been in the hands of men equally conceited and illiterate; and these useful animals frequently die of a disease called the doctor.

IMPLEMENTS

The ploughs, drags, harrows, and carts, as well as rollers and waggons, are much the same as they have been for sixty years past. Of late, indeed, the double furrow plough has been introduced, and seems to gain ground; all who have tried it acknowledge its superiority for light soils, and for ploughing barley or turnip land. There are many winnowing machines in use, but thrashing machines have been very slowly adopted, and are few in number. If any particular implement be most worthy of notice here, it is the spade, which is much longer and narrower than any used in other counties. Its length is seldom less than eighteen inches; its breadth about six, the back part being generally curved, to prevent adhesion to the soil.

TITHES

With respect to these, perhaps, it may be generally said there is but little to complain of: both the clergy and the lay impropriator have been so moderate in their demands, and in general have agreed to so moderate a composition, that the progress of improvement has received but little check on that account.

LEASES

In some districts these are held for three lives, with quit-rents and heriots; but the greatest part is held for terms of years, viz., —fourteen, seven, and three years, any some from year to year. Some gentlemen, from the best of motives, have been long in the habit of letting their estates at the old rents, notwithstanding the advance of the price in the articles of produce. Among the clauses in some leases, it is agreed to permit the lord, or his assigns, to search for mines, and to hunt and shoot on the premises.

ORCHARDS AND CIDER

The whole of the Northern District is full of Orchards, which let from three pounds to six pounds per acre, and the fruit produced at the northern base of Mendip Hilis, viz., at Langford, Burnington, Ruford, Blagdon, Ubly, Compton, Martin, and Harptry, affords a cider, strong, palatable, and highly esteemed, as a wholesome table liquor.

The favourite apple, both as a table and cider fruit, is the Court of Wick Pippin, taking its name from the spot where it was first produced. It originated from the pip or seed of the Golden Pippin, and may be considered as a beautiful variety of that fruit. In shape, colour, and flavour, it has not its superior. The tree is large, handsome, and spreading, and a very luxuriant bearer: it cannot be too strongly recommended.

There are many fine orchards in the Middle District, the land being peculiarly adapted to the growth and perfection of fruit-trees.

In the South-West District, cider is made in the highest perfection. There are many gentlemen in the neighbourhood of Taunton, who sell their best cider for five or six pounds per hogshead.

The profit of orchards is very great in abundant seasons, and their average produce sufficiently large to encourage their cultivation.

Mr. Billingsley mentions an instance of one tree in an orchard, judiciously planted, which produced four hogsheads of cider.

LOCAL PRODUCE

In the parishes of Wrington. Blagdon, Ubly, Compton, Martin, and Harpley, Teasels are much cultivated. The head of ths plant, which is composed of well-turned vegetable hooks, is used in dressing of cloth; and the manufacturers of this county and Wilts, are for the most part supplied from these parishes; large quantities are also sent (by water-conveyance from Bristol) into Yorkshire.

Woad is another valuable article of cultivation in this county; it is principally raised in the neighbourhood of Keynsham, and its quality is much esteemed.

It requires a good strong soil; it delights most in a deep fat loam, of a dark colour, which must have so much sand as to admit of easy pulverisation. As the excellency of woad consists in its size, and the succulency of its leaf, it requires careful management, as well as a rich soil. It is most commonly sown on land fresh broken up and narrow ridges. The use of this article in dyeing consists in forming the ground of the Indigo blue. The crop is generally a profitable one; it exhausts the land exceedingly, and not more than two crops must be taken successively. To this crop succeed wheat and beans.

Live Stock. —Cows.

MINERALS

This county produces lead, copper, iron, lapis calaminaris, manganese, coal, lime-stone, paving-stone, tiling-stone, free-stone, fullers’ earth, marl, and ochre. The Mendip hills have been famous for lead and lapis calaminaris. In times past many thousands a year have been paid annually to the see of Wells, for the lord’s share, or one-tenth of the lead dug on the forest within the parish of Wells only. On Broadfield Down there are also veins of lead; and in the parishes of Rowborough, Shipham, and Winscomb, there are valuable mines of lapis calaminaris; sometimes this is found within a yard of the surface, but the mine is seldom worked deeper than thirty fathoms. But it is the opinion of intelligent colliers that there is no coal south of Mendip hills.

MOUNTAINS, MOORS, AND FORESTS

The surface of the inland parts of the county is varied by lofty hills, as Quantock, Brandon, and Dundry, Mendip, Poulden, Broadfield, Leigh Down, Lansdown, Whitedown, and Blackdown. The principal Moors are, King Sedgmoor, near Bridgewater; East Sedgmoor, between Wells and Glastonbury; West Sedgmoor, between Taunton and Langport; Northmoor and Starmoor, near the Isle of Athelney; Common Moor, near Langport; Westmoor Curry and Haymoor, near North Curry, King’s Moor, between Ilchester; and Somerton llemoor, on the river Ivel.

The most ancient forests are, Selwood, near Frome; Mendip, between Frome and the Bristol Channel; Exmoor, between the port of Watchet and the northwest part of Devon; Neroche, near Ilminster and North Petherton, now nearly cultivated near Bridgewater.

Brent Marsh, on the river Brue; Westonmoor, near Uphill; Barnwell and Smeath Moors, near Churchill; Kenn Moor, near Yatton; Nailsea Moor, north of Kenn; Clapton Moor, near Werton; many of which have been enclosed and improved within the last forty years.

HEATH, OR TURF BOGS

On the confines of the Brue are two heath or turf bogs; one on the north side containing about 8,000, and the other on the south with about 6,000 acres. Scarcely any pasturage grows on these bogs. They are a composition of porous substances floating on water, and imbibing it like a sponge. They are observed to rise with much wet, and to sink in dry, weather. They have principally furnished fuel to the surrounding parishes; but some of them have been drained and consolidated. The peat dug from these bogs is accompanied with a substance like pitch, of a bituminous nature, which lies between the stalks of rushes and other leafy remains that are found here, and constitutes the inflammable part. It is used as the common fuel of the county, and makes a clean and pleasant fire.

WASTES

Among these the forest of Exmoor naturally presents itself first; it extends from north to south about nine miles; and from east to west, ten or twelve; containing about 19,000 acres. Nearly at the centre of this large tract of land is the estate called Simon’s Bath, enclosed, and consisting of about two hundred acres, with a dweiling-house, licensed, and frequented as an inn; and all offices convenient for the management of the farm, and transacting the concerns of the forest. Here the forester has an annual, sale for the small horses, bred on the surrounding hills: and here also during the month of May he meets with farmers from all the country round, who enter in his books the number of sheep which are depastured with him at the rate of fivepence per head. The small horses, generally upwards of four hundred, are not taken into better keeping during the whole of the severest winter. When the snow covers the forest to the depth of many feet, these hardy animals are seen in droves traversing the little valleys and sheltered parts, gathering their scanty fare from the banks of rivulets and warm springs; but the sheep are almost ail driven off for the winter in the months of November, December, and January, according as the season is more or less severe. The river Barl runs adjoining this estate, but resigns its name on being joined by a small stream about two miles to the east, called the Ex, which rises in a low swampy spot about two miles north-east of Simon's Bath, and runs to the other end of the forest; joined by the Barl, it becomes a very considerable river, and in its passage to Exmouth, runs by Bampton, Tiverton, and Exeter. On the summits of these hills, and especially on the west and north, are swamps of many acres’ extent. They are cut up as turf, and at the rate of eight-pence or twelve-pence per thousand, paid to the tenant of the forest, and would be an inexhaustible stock of fuel to any inhabitants settling on the better part, as well as of black peat for burning lime, working iron, smelting ore, or any manufacture where fire is generally used. As it may be expected where there is so large a tract of land without inhabitants, the roads are very bad, and in some places scarcely passable. Except a few willows and thorns by the sides of the rivulets, not a tree or a bush out of Simon’s Bath estate, is to be seen on the whole forest. However, about twenty-two thousand sheep are generally summered here. Veins both of copper andiron have been discovered, that might be worked to advantage; but besides Exmoor, several hundred, acres of uncultivated land have been equally regretted round Dundry, and on Quantock and Brandon Hills. The forest of Neroche also contains about eight or nine hundred acres; there is also Broadfield Down, near Wrington, and Lansdown, near Bath, with the ancient forest of Selwood, near Frome.

The marsh or fen lands are divided into two districts, namely, Brent-marsh, and the Bridgewater or South-marsh. Brent-marsh is that portion of land comprehended between Mendip-hilLs and Polden-hill on the north and south, Bridgewater-Bay on the west, and extending to Wells and Glastonbury on the east.

This marsh may also be divided into two parts, separated by a tract of elevated land, on which stand the parishes of Allerton, Mark, Blackford, Wedmore, &c. Through the northern level runs the river Axe, emptying itself into the Bristol Channel at Uphill; and through the southern the river Brue, emptying itself into Bridgewater-Bay near Burnham.

This part of the county, Mr. Billingsley observes, has been heretofore much neglected, being destitute of gentlemen’s houses, probably on account of the stagnant waters and unwholesome air; but of late many efforts have been made to improve the soil, by draining and enclosing, under a variety of acts of parliament. The benefit resulting therefrom has been astonishing. The rhynes and ditches necessarily cut to divide the property, together with the deepening of the general outlets, discharge so much of the superfluous water, that many thousand acres, which heretofore were overflown for months together, and of course of little or no value, are becoming fine grazing and dairy lands; to the great emolument of the individual possessors, as well as the benefit of the community. The quantities thus enclosed in Brent-Marsh, within twenty years preceding Mr. Billingsley’s survey, under authority of Parliament, amounted to 17,400, and 2,800 of turf-bog.

Of these seventeen thousand four hundred acres, six parts out of seven are cleared of stagnant water, and rendered highly productive: on the turf bog but little improvement has hitherto taken place. There remain about three thousand acres to be enclosed, which (the turf-bogs excepted) will complete the division of all the moors within the Brent-Marsh district. It is not to be understood that the local drains, made under such a variety of acts, and at such different times, can have the most perfect influence on the country; particularly when it is considered that the river Axe has no barrier to the tide, which flows several miles, and choaks the lower part of it with slime, to such a degree, that many thousand acres, adjoining the upper part of the river, are, in consequence thereof, very much injured.

LITERATURE AND LEARNED MEN

Roger Bacon, the philosopher, was born at Ilchester, in 1214, and died June 11, 1292. John Bond, a celebrated critic, was born in 1550, and died in 1612. He was author of notes upon Horace, Persius, and other Roman Classics. Sebastian Cabot, a celebrated navigator, was born at Bristol in 1447. The learned Doctor Cudworth, author of “The Intellectual System,” was born at Aller, in 1617, and died in 1688. Samuel Daniel, poet and historian, was born in 1562, and died in 1619. Henry Fielding, author of “Tom Jones,” &c. &c., was born at Sharpham in 1707, and died at Lisbon in 1754. John Locke, the celebrated moral Philosopher and Metaphysician, was born at Wrington in 1632, and died in 1704. As natives, and connected with the musical history and literature of Bath, the family of the Linleys, are fully entitled to the most honourable mention. Richard Tickell, esq., was also a native of Bath. William Dimond, esq., was born in the same place, and was educated under Dr. Morgan. The Rev. Richard Warner, curate of St. James’s at Bath, is a native of Lymington in Hampshire, but from his very long residence in the above city, his voluminous History of Bath and its Antiquities, Excursions, &c. &c., he has been in part naturalized.

The Philosophic and Literary Institution at Bath, was established in January 1816.

Four Newspapers are published weekly in Bath, viz., the Bath Journal, Bath and Cheltenham Gazette, Bath Chronicle, and the Bath Herald. Bath has also the advantage of a Penny Post.

CIVIL AND ECCLESIASTICAL DIVISIONS

Somersetshire contains forty Hundreds, seven Liberties, two Cities, seven Boroughs, twenty-nine Market-Towns, one Bishopric, three Archdeaconries, thirteen Deaneries, and four hundred and eighty-two Parishes.

The county is divided into three Archdeaconries; viz.:

The county is divided into two parts, Eastern and Western. The Eastern Division contains the following Hundreds and Liberties, viz.:

Hundreds—Bath Forum, Bemstone, Brew ton, Brentcum-Wrington, Catash, Chew, Chewton, Frome, Glaston, Twelve Hides, Hareclive-cum-Bedminster, Horethorne, Keynsham, Kilmersdon, Norton Ferrers, Portbury, Wellow, Wells Forum, Whitstone, and Winter Stoke.

Liberties—Hampton and Clarerton, Easton and Amrill, Hinton and Norton, East Cranmore, Hillhouse, Mells and Leigh, Witham Friary.

The Western Division contains:

Hundreds—Abdick and Bulston, Andersfield, Cannington, Carhampton, Crewkerne, Curry North, Houndsborough, Berwick, and Coker; Huntspilcum-Puriton, Kingsbury East, Kiugsbury West, Martock, Milverton, Petherton North, Petherton South, Pitney, Somerton, Stone and Yeovil, Taunton and Taunton Dean, Tintinhull, Whitley, Williton-Freemanors.

TITLES CONFERRED BY THE COUNTY

The cities of Bath and Wells conjoined are Bishopricks; Bristol is the same, and gives the title of Earl to the Herveys. Bath gives the title of Marquis to the Thynne family. Bridgewater gives the title of Earl to the Egertons. Ilchester that of Earl and Baron to the family of Fox Strangeways. The Legges are Barons of Somerton. The Wellesleys take the title of Viscount from Wellington. Hastonbury gives the title of Baron to the Grenvilles. The Pettys are Marquises of Lansdown. The Ashley Coopers are Barons of Poulet; Radlinch and Stavondale confers the same title upon the Fox Strangeways; Rodney Stoke the same to the Rodneys. Hinton St. George that of Viscount and Baron to the Poulets. Burton Pynseut that of Viscount to the Pitts. Enmore Castle the title of Baron to the Percevals. Mendip the same to the family of Agar Ellis. Wellesley the same to the Wellesleys. Cricket St. Thomas, Viscount to the family of Hood. Chewton the same to the Waldegraves; and the Seymours are Dukes of Somerset.

THE QUARTER SESSIONS

For the County of Somerset, are held as follows:

The First Week after Epiphany, at Wells.

The First Week after the Close of Easter, at Wells.

The First Week after the Translation of Thomas-a-Beeket, or July 7, at. Bridgewater.

And the First Week after Michaelmas-Day, at Taunton.