Somerset South Tourist Information

Stoke sub Hamdon Tourist Information

Stoke sub Hamdon is an ideal base for exploring Ham Hill, the Somerset Levels and historic buildings such as Stoke sub Hamdon Priory and the church with its bizarre medieval carvings.

Stoke sub Hamdon is a village in the South Somerset countryside near the River Parrett. It is around five miles west of Yeovil and is split between East and West Stoke.

The town stretches around the north of Ham Hill famous for its quarries for the hamstone that many of the villages cottages are made out of.

The church at Stoke sub Hamdon has some interesting medieval carvings such as St Michael slaying the dragon and abstract corbels. Some of the carvings are believed to be Sheela Na Gigs usually found on Norman churches and often in Ireland.

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Martock Tourist Information

Martock was once a royal estate and had a moated manor house which has since disappeared. The town grew on agriculture and the cloth industry with sail cloth being made at The Parrett Works mentioned as Cary's Works in the Domesday Book.

Martock has a fantastic array of historic buildings including the Market House which dates back to the 1750s. The ground floor used to house a butcher's shambles with the top floor being reserved for public assemblies.

The mediaeval All Saints church is said to be the second largest in Somerset. Inside it has some unique carved wooden statues in the eves. You can follow a Blue Plaque trail using the guides available in the village.

The town has several pubs, inns, hotel, farmhouse and bed and breakfast accommodation. The Producer's Market takes place on the second Saturday of every month in the shopping precinct.

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South Petherton History Tourist Information

South Petherton lies in the fertile South Somerset countryside amongst farmland and vegetable producers. The village is one of the larger centres in the area and is thought to have been an ancient settlement just a little way from the Roman Fosse Way.

South Petherton has many historic buildings in the traditional Ham stone. The Parish Church is notable for its octagonal tower, believed to be the tallest in the country. There are church walks and the River Parrett Trail nearby which are excellent for exploring the South Somerset countryside.

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Ham Hill Country Park

Ham Hill is covered in quarries from which the honey coloured Ham stone is cut which you see in the traditional cottages and houses all over South Somerset.

Ham Hill is regarded as a country park centred around the two hundred acre Iron Age hill fort - the largest found in Europe. A whole range of historic artefacts have been excavated here, some of which are on display in the Somerset County Museum in Taunton. The Iron Age ramparts stretch for 5km over which are pathways for you explore. The Romans later occupied the site leaving remains of a villa and what is likely to have been a military camp.

Ham Hill is also a nationally protected wildlife site, mainly for its geology which is an important insight into how southern England developed in the Jurassic period. The habitats on Ham Hill are also important for its species rich chalk grassland with interesting species such as quaking grass, cowslip, burnet-saxifrage, salad burnet, bellflower, autumn gentian, horseshoe vetch, squinancywort and eight species of orchids including frog orchid, musk orchid, fragrant and pyramidal orchids. Butterflies are abundant on the site and a scarce species that is known to survive here is the Duke of Burgundy along with dingy skipper, green hairstreak and dark green fritillary.

Check the Ham Hill website link right for downloadable leaflets on Ham Hill Country Park including children friendly leaflets.

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The River Parrett Trail

The River Parrett Trail is a 50 mile, long distance hiking trail that runs through the South Somerset area and extends up to Combwich near Steart, just south of Burnham-on-Sea. You can complete the whole trail over 3 or 4 days or break it up as a series of shorter walks during your holiday in Somerset.

The trail follows the River Parrett from the Dorset Hills where it starts through the Somerset Levels countryside and characteristic Somerset market towns, ending at its mouth at Bridgwater Bay. The going is relatively easy as most of the walk is on flat ground. If you want more of a challenge along the way you can have a go at canoeing on the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal or hire a bike from the Langport Visitor Centre and explore further afield.

There is a good variety of attractions along the way. Historic towns such as Langport (the River Parrett Trail Visitor Centre is also here) and Muchleney and you can join the Battle of Sedgemoor Trail at Westonzoyland near Bridgwater to find out more about the last battle on English soil.

If wildlife's more your thing there is a good range of nature reserves to explore in the heart of the Somerset Levels where you can do a bit of birdwatching at West Sedgemoor RSPB reserve or slight further inland around Shapwick Heath. You can also find out more about the willow weaving that has been a traditional craft of the area for thousands of years at the Willows and Wetlands Centre at Meare Green Court, Stoke St Gregory, Taunton, Somerset TA3 6HY. Tel: 01823 490249. Fax: 01823 490814. Check The Parrett Trail website for more information. You can get a free leaflet from Tourist Offices or buy the Trail Guide to plan your trip.

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