The Castle Hotel in Taunton is the ideal location for exploring England’s West Country…Somerset is perhaps England's most beautiful county and The Castle lies at its heart, sharing hundreds of years of its history, heritage and folklore.
“Cornwall’s as ugly as can be
Devonshire’s better certainly
But Somersetshire is the best of the three
And Somersetshire is the country for me.”
Robert Southey 1807
A stay at The Castle Hotel is your opportunity to discover the magic of this remarkable county, from the striking contrasts in its land and seascapes to its romantic villages, stately homes and gardens, including some superb National Trust properties, and Glastonbury, to the richness of its pastures, orchards and meadows, which provide for our kitchen and cellar.
Too often, Somerset is seen as forty minutes' tribulation on the M5 motorway in the headlong rush to Devon and Cornwall. Well pause a while and consider what you might be missing. Using The Castle as your base and the information on this website as your guide, prepare to be surprised and thrilled at what you may discover. You will want to return for more. Furthermore, driving in Somerset is a real pleasure once away from the towns and the motorway.
Few English counties can offer such a variety of landscapes as Somerset. Whichever way one enters the county the approach is over high ground, plunging eventually to the great basin of the Somerset Levels. From here, an area largely below sea level, the countryside rises away to the soaring hills of Exmoor, the highest ground in South West England, with a dramatic coastline.
Incidentally, the air in Somerset is exceptionally unpolluted and the sunshine therefore stronger than you may be used to, particularly on Exmoor, the Quantock Hills, the Mendip Hills, the Blackdown Hills and the coast. Do take care to use the appropriate sunblock and to wear a hat if you are planning to stay out for long…that’s if the sun ever appears!
Given the hotel’s location in the West Country, it’s hardly surprising The Castle at Taunton is a favourite hotel for shooting parties, especially those visiting the nearby Chargot shoot in Somerset and the Molland shoot in Devon. |
