A vision of Britain through time
A vision of Britain from 1801 to now.
Including maps, statistical trends and historical descriptions.
A vision of Britain through time
A vision of Britain from 1801 to now.
Including maps, statistical trends and historical descriptions.
WATCHET, a small seaport-town in St. Decumans parish, Somerset. It stands in the mouth of a fine oblique valley, flanked by cliffs of blood-red conglomerate, at the termini of the West Somerset and the West Somerset Mineral railways, 17 miles NW of Taunton; was known to the Saxons as Wecedport; suffered devastation by the Danes in 987 and 997; was given, at the Norman conquest, to the Mohuns; sent members to parliament in the time of Edward I.; presents now a mean and dingy appearance; carries on commerce in exportation of iron ore and farm produce, and in importation of coal and timber; has a long tidal harbour of 10 acres, well sheltered from all winds, and provided with a tolerable pier; acquired extensive improvements on the harbour, with breakwater, a new pier, a landing-slip, and other works, in 1861; and has a post-office‡ under Bridgewater, a r. station with telegraph, a good inn, a custom-house, a coast-guard station, Baptist and Wesleyan chapels, an iron foundry, paper mills, a weekly market on Saturday, and a fair on 25 Aug. Pop., 916.
(John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72))
| Linked entities: | |
|---|---|
| Feature Description: | "a small seaport-town" (ADL Feature Type: "cities") |
| Administrative units: | St Decumans AP/CP Somerset AncC |
| Place names: | WATCHET | WECEDPORT |
| Place: | Watchet |
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