Somerset

Map of the Somerset Area

Somerset is located in the South West of the UK and is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county. It borders Gloucestershire and Bristol to the north, Devon to the south west and Dorset to the south east. It is also bounded by the coast of the Bristol Channel and the River Severn to the north and west. Its county town is Taunton and has an area of 4171 square km (source: link). The county has a population of 895700 (source: link) with a density of 214 people per square km.

Somerset is predominantly rural and is partially elevated in geography. It is famed for its hills which include the Quantock Hills and the Mendip Hills. These, along with the Somerset levels, are limestone hills. The centre and west of the Mendip Hills were designated in 1972 as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and span 76 square miles. The county is also known for its extensive cave networks and gorges which include Wookey Hole and Cheddar Gorge.

The name Somerset is from the Old English word Sumorsæte (source: Watts, Victor (Ed.) (2004). The Cambridge Dictionary of English Place-Names. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-36209-1.) and the first known use of the name was in around 845 after the Saxon occupation (source: "Somersetshire". 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved on 2007-10-21.). It is believed that human occupation of the area began in the Palaeolithic period and in Gough's Cave bones have been found that date to 12000 BC (source: link). The county is home to many Iron Age Hill Forts including Cadbury Hill and Harn Hill.

Agriculture is a major economic activity within the county. The farming of sheep and cattle supply the wool and cheese industries that the county is famous for. There are many apple orchards in the region for the production of the cider that Somerset is renowned for. The largest industry sectors other than agriculture include manufacturing, retail, tourism and health and social care. Unemployment is lower than the UK average and the population growth rate is higher than the UK average (source: link).

The county has its fair share of art, music and literature traditions. Coleridge and Woodsworth both stayed in Coleridge Cottage while writing their poetry and novels (source: Everett, Glenn. "William Wordsworth: Biography". The Victorian Web. Retrieved on 2007-01-07.). Somerset is also home to the site of the Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts which is held in Pilton and attracts over 170000 (source: link) people from around the world every year.