The Knowhere Guide

Other Stuff in Taunton, Somerset*

Taunton, Somerset Stuff You Don't Get Anywhere Else

The Stuff We Can't Fit In Somewhere Else

• this place must be the unfrienliest town in the uk. having been here for 20 years it has taken 15 of them to strike up a conversation with a local. thankfully a lot of outsiders have settled down in taunton so i can at least have a conversation with someone when i go out for a pint. that is very rarely as all the pubs are shite!!
• Taunton Still Operates under the feudal surf system
• After fourteen years of living and working in the area, it is my belief the locals consider the world to be flat, and that you fall off the edge if you go somewhere past Bridgwater. Coming from somewhere miles beyond Bristol, in another galaxy in a paralell Universe known as the Midlands, I suppose that makes me an alien...
• BUILDING MOST IN NEED OF A NEW USE: MECCA - MAKE IT INTO A DAMN NIGHTCLUB ALREADY (no-one wants a stupid Bingo Hall)
• Len Fairclough opened the new ICELAND store back in 1970 something,in Bridge Street.
• famous people - the bloke that works at castle hotel as a chef, shags fern britton!
• There is a Teddy Bear and Dolls House Shop (especially good buying for collectors). It's called The Honey Pot, it is at the top of the High Street, opposite the Vivary Park gates. Tel 01823-352205. Open 10.30 to 16.30 (Mon-Sat)
• Also there are often some damn good parties when you get to know the residents.
• The Town Centre is being pedestrianised.
• Taunton now has a new multi-million pound Library built by local firm CS Williams (Taunton) Ltd. is situated under the multi-storey car park! It boasts to be the most up to date in IT facilities with Internet connection using fibre-optic and microwave links. Housed within the new building is two conference suites, a tourist information centre, local history and archaeological departments.
• A couple of hundred years ago there were thirteen pubs around the centre, last time I returned there were too many cars... and not enough pubs!
• Most important, Taunton Town got to the FA Trophy (Vase?) Final at Wembley in 1994. They lost 2-1 after extra-time to Diss Town. 11 (eleven) minutes of injury time were played after the 90 minutes. At this point Taunton were leading 1-0. Diss scored in the 11th minute and the ref blew-up for extra-time (in which Diss scored again). Rumours after the match floated around that the referee came from Bury-St-Edmunds (not a million miles from Diss) AND played for Diss as a junior...
• Vivary Park (very top of the High Street) is splendid in Summer (usual Putting etc.). Flower Show 1st week August normally.
• The Duke of Monmouth was also proclaimed King near the bottom of the current High Street (I think).
• How about a mention for the highly successful (15 years ago) Somerset County Cricket Club, who have their home in Taunton.
• Posh areas include: Staplegrove, Blagdon Hill, Trull
  Not Posh areas include: Halcon, Lambrook, Holway (these are not rough by UK standards.. :)
• The main campus of Somerset College of Arts and Technology is situated to the west of the town. It's a souped up sixties sprawl, but it still has quite a rural feel.. partly due to the cemetry on one side and the river Tone on the other. Bishops Hull Annexe is the old village primary school but now holds a lot of the humanities department. You might like it because everyone gets to know everyone else, but it has Eggwash walls and portacabins...hmmm. Staplegrove annexe also has a good vibe, and tends to have the Social and Health courses.
• It's also 30 miles to both north and south coasts and a short drive to Glastonbury, if you are into that scene.
• Taunton doesn't have a Youth Hostel, the nearest being in the Quantock hills. I think it's only open a couple of days a week.
• You are at a definite disadvantage if you don't have a car or bike. Even getting to places like Minehead can be a major chore. This is because public transport is expensive and doesn't have much of a service. The general rule seems to be... the more you head into the confusing but very pretty back lanes of the surrounding hills, the more you'll find you like the place.
• The town itself has less than 50,000 people, but it provides shops etc for more than double that number.
• Taunton is famous for being the centre of the 'Bloody Assizes' where Judge Jefferies, the hanging judge, sentenced large portions of the town's population to various nasty ends for rebelling with the Duke of Monmouth. It's also famous for its cider... Blackthorn, Red Rock, Diamond White etc...

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Last updated: 2008-02-25