20 Attractions to Explore Near Museum of Somerset

Vivary Park is Taunton’s premium park, located just minutes away from the town centre. At 7.5 hectares, Vivary Park is the perfect place to go for a picnic, a stroll or to spend the day. The public park came about because it’s so close to the centre of the town. The land had been used as for public events since at least 1851 when the first Taunton Flower Show was held there.

A richly detailed composition set in the middle of Vivary Park. Large circular basin with central fountain erected in memory of Queen Victoria and completed 1907. The large building in the background is Jellalabad Barracks, once a depot for Somerset Light Infantry but now residential apartments.

Hestercombe House is a historic country house in the parish of West Monkton in the Quantock Hills, near Taunton in Somerset, England. The house is a Grade II* listed building and the estate is Grade I listed on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England. It is surrounded by gardens which have been restored to Gertrude Jekyll's original plans and have made it "one of the best Jekyll-Lutyens gardens open to the public on a regular basis", visited by

Hestercombe House is a historic country house in the parish of West Monkton in the Quantock Hills, near Taunton in Somerset, England. The house is a Grade II* listed building and the estate is Grade I listed on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England. It served as the Emergency Call Centre for the Somerset Area of Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service until March 2012.

Fyne Court is a National Trust-owned nature reserve and visitor centre in Broomfield, Somerset, England. It was a large English country house belonging to the Crosse family since its construction, although the date when it was built is not known. It is surrounded by a large country estate of woodland, ponds and meadows. Within the grounds are a folly and boathouse.

.The Bridgwater and Taunton Canal is a canal in South West England. It links the two towns of Bridgwater and Taunton and measures 14.5 miles long and has 7 locks. There is no navigable connection to the River Parrett today but the Canal is enjoyed by walkers, cyclists, nature enthusiasts, fishermen and boatmen alike. The majority of the Canal is rural and offers tranquility to all.

Its 300 acre farm includes 70 acres of withy beds and is found in the heart of the Somerset Levels, an area of huge environmental and conservation importance. The Somerset Levels is the most important wetland area in the UK and home to a wide range of wildlife. This unique landscape provides the perfect conditions for growing basket making willow, known locally as 'withies'.

Wellington Monument was begun in 1817 to celebrate the Duke of Wellington, the victor of Waterloo. The Monument is famous as the tallest three-sided obelisk in the world, reaching 174 feet. An ambitious construction, it commemorates a modern yet classical hero. The story of its origins and shambolic construction repeats itself in its conservation and repair story up to the present day.

Westonzoyland Pumping Station offers visitors the chance to see a fascinating collection of pumps and engines in action on special steaming days. The museum is housed in an 1830 brick-built pumping station which was the first of several similar pumping stations to be built on the Somerset Levels which are prone to flooding. The Grade 2* listed building houses an 1861 Easton & Amos machine, fully restored and working.

Blake Museum is a 16th century house located in the heart of Bridgwater, a historic market town and port, first mentioned as Brugie in the Domesday Book of 1086. It is the local museum for archaeology and history of Bridgwater. With the collections covering Bridgwater and the surrounding areas, we have fascinating displays waiting for you to discover.

A beautiful medeival house surrounded by 12 acres of gardens. Different garden rooms are arranged along a yew walk. There is also a bog garden, cottage garden and a river walk. The manor is Grade I listed on the National Heritage List for England, and its gate piers and wall to the north entrance of the house are listed Grade II.

The Burrow Mump is a natural hill, rising to a height of 24 metres above the levels below. The hill is made all the more striking because it is topped by the romantic ruins of a medieval church dedicated to St Michael. The hill stands at a strategic location overlooking the point where the River Tone and the old course of the River Cary join the River Parrett. Although there is some evidence of Roman visitation, the first fortification of the site was the construction of a Norman motte.

The Quantock Hills are an area of wilderness and tranquillity, which offers Panoramic views lead you through coast, heath and combe. The hills run from the Vale of Taunton Deane in the south, for about 15 miles to the north-west, ending at Kilve and West Quantoxhead on the coast of the Bristol Channel. They form the western border of Sedgemoor and the Somerset Levels.

The Walled Gardens lie within the grounds of a medieval Priory. The gardens have classic and contemporary features such as the herbaceous border, the blue garden and a sub-tropical walk amongst others. There is also a botanical glasshouse where arid, sub-tropical and tropical plants can be seen. It also includes a newly installed aquaponics system. It's a plant lover's paradise.

Coleridge Cottage is a cottage situated in Nether Stowey, Bridgwater, Somerset, England. It is a grade II* listed building. The 17th century cottage was originally two buildings which were later combined and expanded. The cottage was constructed in the 17th century as two attached buildings. One contained a parlour, kitchen and service room on the ground floor and three corresponding bed chambers above, and an adjoining byre or barn.

The Bower Inn is a charming 18th-century pub, restaurant and hotel situated on the edge of the Somerset Levels near Bridgwater. It offers stylish rooms with luxury bathrooms and delicious homemade food.

A beautiful 19th- century watermill set in 5 acres of peaceful, landscaped water gardens, deep in the heart of Somerset. This watermill combines beautiful original features and traditional character with modern comforts. Today it has been beautifully converted into a 4-star hotel, with the historic mill’s stunning original features carefully preserved and sensitively integrated. All of the hotel’s cosy en suite rooms are individually designed and decorated in a traditional country style.

Barrington Court is a charming Tudor manor house complimented beautifully with Gertrude Jekyll-inspired gardens, apple orchards and a working kitchen garden. The house was originally surrounded by a medieval deer park and in the 17th century a formal garden was constructed. This had largely disappeared until a new garden was laid out by garden designer Gertrude Jekyll in an Arts and Crafts-style.

Chard Museum and Heritage Centre is a museum located in the village of Chard near the border with Devon. Exhibits include the history of Chard, historical agricultural equipment, a display on cider making, a 1960's exhibit, a blacksmith's forge display and an exhibit on John Stringfellow, who worked in Chard and was a pioneer of powered flying machines.

WWT Steart Marshes is a wild, wetland landscape for the future that helps people and wildlife adapt to climate change. It provides flood defence for local homes and businesses, showcases productive farmland and is home to a thriving nature reserve. The project proves we can fight climate change by working with nature.