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Local Information for Taunton

Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town name derives from Town on the River Tone — or Tone Town. It still holds a weekly market. Taunton parish has a population of 44,050. Suburbs of the town include Norton Fitzwarren, Bishops Hull and Staplegrove, giving a total population for the "Taunton Urban Area" of 58,241 according to the 2001 census, up 4.3% since 1991.

Taunton is the main town in the Taunton parliamentary constituency

Twinned with the French town of Lisieux.

There was perhaps a Romano-British village near the suburb of Holway, and Taunton was a place of considerable importance in Saxon times. King Ine of Wessex threw up an earthen castle here about 700, and a monastery was founded before 904. The bishops of Winchester owned the manor, and obtained the first charter for their "men of Taunton" from King Edward in 904, freeing them from all royal and county tribute. At some time before the Domesday Survey Taunton had become a borough w...More