Scheduled monuments in West Somerset facts for kids
West Somerset was a local area in the English county of Somerset. It used to have its own local government council. On April 1, 2019, it joined with another area called Taunton Deane. Together, they formed a new area known as Somerset West and Taunton. West Somerset was mostly countryside. About 35,075 people lived there, and it covered an area of 740 square kilometers.
In 2009, a government group found that West Somerset had the oldest average age in the whole United Kingdom. The average age of people living there was 52. The biggest towns in West Somerset were Minehead, which is on the coast and has about 10,000 people, and Watchet, with about 4,400 people.
Protecting History: Scheduled Monuments
A "scheduled monument" is a very important old place or archaeological site. These sites are protected by law. They are put on a special list by a government minister. A group called English Heritage helps find these important places. The law that protects them is called the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act from 1979.
The word "monument" can mean many different kinds of old sites. They are not always easy to see above the ground. These sites must have been built or changed by people a long time ago. They can be anything from very old standing stones and burial places to Roman ruins. They also include medieval buildings like castles and monasteries. Even newer places, such as old factories or buildings from the World Wars, can be protected.
Ancient Treasures of West Somerset
West Somerset has 201 scheduled monuments. Many of the oldest ones are found on Exmoor and the Quantock Hills. These date back to very ancient times, like the Neolithic, Bronze Age, or Iron Age. Examples include large old forts on hills, stone piles called cairns, and different kinds of ancient burial mounds.
More recent protected sites include several motte-and-bailey castles. These were a type of castle built in the Middle Ages. There are also many old crosses found in churches or villages from that time. Because West Somerset has many streams, there are also many old bridges on the list. These include "packhorse bridges," which were used by horses carrying goods.
The area also has a history of mining. Several parts of the old West Somerset Mineral Railway are protected. The ruins of mine buildings are also scheduled monuments. The newest protected sites are small concrete forts called "pillboxes" from World War II.
- Scheduled monuments in West Somerset (A–G) – list of scheduled monuments
- Scheduled monuments in West Somerset (H–Z) – list of scheduled monuments
