Somerset - 87 Attractions You Must Visit

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.

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

The Holnicote Estate is a large 12,500 acres area of Exmoor National Park, crisscrossed by footpaths along high tors, rocky coastline, fields, villages, woods and moorland. A fantastic place for walking, horse riding and cycling, Holnicote has 150 miles of footpaths and bridleways to explore.

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.

Kilve Beach near Watchet is a fascinating stretch of the Jurrasic coast. Grand limestone cliffs back the slate and shingle beach, with interesting rock formations sweeping the shoreline. The rock and pebble beach is a beloved location for families and children due its scenic views, large grass area ideal for picnics and the nearby Chantry Tea Gardens.

Kilver Court is an historic house and gardens in Shepton Mallet in the English county of Somerset. The River Sheppey powered textile mills and it later became a factory, the headquarters of the Showerings brewing business, and then the headquarters of a leather-goods manufacturer, Mulberry. It is now used as a shopping centre.

King Alfred’s Tower is a 160ft high folly, designed by Henry Flitcroft for Henry Hoare II in 1772. It is believed to mark the site where King Alfred the Great rallied his troops in 878. The tower commemorates the accession of George III to the throne in 1760 and the end of the Seven Years War. The 49-metre-high triangular tower has a hollow centre and is climbed by means of a spiral staircase in one of the corner projections. It includes a statue of King Alfred and dedication inscription.

A beautiful wide sandy beach about a mile long, which is backed by a sea wall and promenade. Access to the beach is down short ramps or steps. At the western end is the harbour, whilst to the east the sand continues most of the way to Dunster. Along with a number of hotels and apartments that line the promenade the beachfront is overlooked by a large Butlin’s holiday camp, adding to the lively atmosphere of the resort.

Muchelney Abbey is an English Heritage property in the village of Muchelney in the Somerset Levels, England. The site consists of ruined walls showing the layout of the abbey buildings constructed from the 7th to 16th and the remaining intact Abbott's House. It is next to the parish church in which some of the fabric of the abbey has been reused.

The Museum of Somerset lies within the 12th century Taunton Castle and tells the county’s fascinating story from prehistoric times to the present day, using real objects, interactive games, eye-catching film projections and the words and voices of Somerset people, past and present. Exhibits include the Frome Hoard, the Low Ham Roman Mosaic, the bronze-age South Cadbury shield and a range of other objects relating to the history of the county.

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.

Dunster Castle is a former motte and bailey castle, now a country house, in the village of Dunster, Somerset, England. The castle lies on the top of a steep hill called the Tor, and has been fortified since the late Anglo-Saxon period. After the Norman conquest of England in the 11th century, William de Mohun constructed a timber castle on the site as part of the pacification of Somerset.

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.

Lytes Cary Manor is an intimate medieval manor house with a beautiful Arts and Crafts garden where you can imagine living. Originally the family home of Henry Lyte, where he translated the unique Niewe Herbal book on herbal remedies, Lytes Cary was then lovingly restored in the 20th century by Sir Walter Jenner.

The National Trust's Montacute House, Somerset, is a beautiful Elizabethan mansion with surrounding gardens. The house was built in about 1598 and inhabited by the Phelips family until 1911. This Grade I listed building is one of the few houses to have remained virtually unchanged since Elizabethan times. The stunning east front with its large mullioned windows gives the impression that the whole façade is made of glass.

Tintinhull Garden, located in Tintinhull, near Yeovil in the English county of Somerset, is a small 20th century Arts and Crafts garden surrounding a 17th-century Grade I listed house. The Arts and Crafts style garden is modeled on that at Hidcote Manor Garden in Gloucestershire. It was originally laid out by Phyllis Reiss and developed by Penelope Hobhouse. The house started as a small farmhouse in 1630 but was enlarged into its current form in the 18th century.

Ninesprings is a country park situated in the South East of Yeovil, Somerset, the United Kingdom. It is the largest country park in South Somerset, spanning over 20 acres. is believed to have been developed as an ornamental park, for the Aldon Estate, in the early nineteenth century and now forms a broad-leaved woodland with coniferous trees forming less than 10% of the total.

Nunney Castle in Somerset dates from the 1370s. Its builder was Sir John de la Mare, a local knight who was beginning to enjoy royal favour. Much modernised in the late 16th century, the castle was besieged and damaged by the Parliamentarians in 1645, during the English Civil War. . Its builder was Sir John de la Mare, a local knight who was beginning to enjoy royal favour. Much modernised in the late 16th century. English Heritage maintains the site as a tourist attraction.

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.

Ham Wall is a wetland teeming with wildlife - from rare species like water voles and otters to magnificent birds like bitterns and kingfishers. Enjoy stunning views across the marshes to Glastonbury Tor and make some time to follow secluded paths through the mystical landscape.