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What to see and do
The area surrounding Somerset Court has a wealth of activities available and a wide variety of places to visit - just let us know your interests and we'll do our best to help plan your stay.
Somerset is truly a 'County of Contrasts', from the sandy beaches along the coast, sleepy villages with quaint shops, home-baked bread, antiques and historic inns, medieval cities such as Wells with its beautiful cathedral and nearby Bath with its spa dating from Roman times. There are the scenic Mendip and Quantock Hills, a landscape of woods and open moorland rich in wildlife. To the north are the Mendip Hills famous for Cheddar Gorge ( the largest in Britain) and honeycombed with caves and caverns - both Cheddar and Wookey Hole have caves open to visitors and you can even try Adventure Potholing or rock climbing in organised groups You can try caving, fishing, golf, cycling, bird watching, skiing, and horse riding or just walking.
Cheddar Gorge and Caves - see the famous Gough's and Cox's show caves with magnificent caverns, rock sculptures and brilliant lights. Cheddar gorge never fails to impress as you drive up through the winding road beneath the towering limestone cliffs..
Wells - England's smallest cathedral city, set beneath the southern slopes of the Mendips to the south of Bristol, is home to one of the country's most magnificent cathedrals, preserved in much of its original glory and surrounded by many medieval buildings. There is a brand new leisure centre, a bijou cinema, and lots of walks. Market days are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays in the beautiful Market Square. It has a population of around 9,900. Although tourism is the economic mainstay, there is some other industry, including printing and electronics and the production of paper, cheese, textiles, and animal foodstuffs. The cathedral, built near the site of a Saxon church in the 12th and 13th centuries, has a west front honeycombed with niches to house 386 carved medieval figures. It has anastronomical clock dating from 1392 with models of knights who joust every quarter hour.
Wells was made the seat of a bishopric about 909 (Bath and Wells from 1244) and has a 13th-century bishop's palace.
The King of Wessex, is said to have founded the first church in Wells in 704. The bishop's palace, the residence of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, is moated and surrounded by a defensive wall. It includes the natural wells from which the town derives its name. Other features include the 15th-century deanery and Vicar's Close, a well-preserved medieval street.
Glastonbury - see the Abbey grounds, where legends say King Arthur lies buried. Walk up the Tor and visit Clarks Village shopping outlet at nearby Street.
King Arthur's Country -The West Country is the heartland of Arthurian legends, although the stories are fictitious it is likely that at the core of them lie distant memories of a real man, a powerful war-leader of the Britains against the invading Saxons in the period between the 5th and 6th centuries.
Cadbury Castle at South Cadbury in south Somerset was identified in the 16th century as Camelot
Glastonbury, however, has the strongest links with King Arthur. The founder of Glastonbury Abbey, according to legend, was Joseph of Arimathea, the rich man who took Jesus's body down from the cross for burial. It was said that he brought with him to England the cup of the Last Supper, in which he had caught some blood welling from Christ's wounded side. Close to the foot of Glastonbury Tor. Joseph thrust his staff into the ground and grew into the ancestor of the Holy Thorn, which flowers in winter every year. (A sprig of which is cut and given to the queen each Christmas). It is believed that the Holy Grail lies deep in the waters of the Chalice Well, near the base of the tor.
In 1191 the Glastonbury monks discovered what they believed to be the graves of King Arthur and queen Guinevere.
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Bath - a world heritage site - wonderful Georgian buildings. See the Roman Baths, Pump Rooms, Abbey and Royal Crescent. The interior of No 1 Royal Crescent has been restored as an example of a fine 18th century house.
Bath also has a large range of unusual museums, such as, Museum of Costume, Bath Industrial Heritage Centre, Postal Museum, (where the first Penny Black stamp was posted in 1840), National Centre of Photography, and the American Museum.
Each May / June Bath holds its internationally acclaimed Festival of Music and Arts. see http://www.bathlitfest.org.uk/ |
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Bristol - an old sea faring city, see the SS Great Britain as you wander around the harbour area with its museums and cafes. Look up at Brunel's 700ft span Suspension Bridge across the River Avon. Take in the atmosphere in Clifton village; use the cinemas and theatres. Opened in 2000 - the @Bristol centre, together with an Imax Cinema and Wildwalk. Why not try a hot air balloon flight over Bristol?
Museums include the National Life Boat Museum, the Industrial Museum, Harvey's wine museum, and Bristol city Museum and Art Gallery.
A visit to Bristol would not be complete without visiting St Mary Redcliffe Church, one of England's finest parish churches, or strolling around the splendid Regency terraces of Cornwallis Crescent and Royal York Crescent.
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