Coordinates: 51°03′13″N 2°44′10″W / 51.0535°N 2.7361°W / 51.0535; -2.7361
Somerton /ˈsʌmərtən/ is a small town and civil parish in the English county of Somerset. It gave its name to the county, and was briefly, around the start of the 14th century, the county town, and around 900 AD was possibly the capital of Wessex. It has held a weekly market since the Middle Ages, and the main square with its market cross is today an attractive location for visitors. Situated on the River Cary, approximately 8.8 miles (14.2 km) north-west of Yeovil, Somerton has its own town council serving a population of 4,697 as of 2011. The civil parish includes the hamlets of Etsome and Hurcot.
The history of Somerton dates back to the Anglo-Saxon era, when it was an important political and commercial centre. After the Norman conquest of England the importance of the town declined, despite being the county town of Somerset in the late thirteenth century and early fourteenth century. Having lost county town status, Somerton then became a market town in the Middle Ages, whose economy was supported by transport systems using the River Parrett, and later rail transport via the Great Western Railway, and by light industries including glove making and gypsum mining.
Somerton is a small town in Somerset, United Kingdom. It may also refer to any of the following:
The Hundred of Somerton is one of the 40 historical Hundreds in the ceremonial county of Somerset, England, dating from before the Norman conquest during the Anglo-Saxon era although exact dates are unknown. Each hundred had a 'fyrd', which acted as the local defence force and a court which was responsible for the maintenance of the frankpledge system. They also formed a unit for the collection of taxes. The role of the hundred court was described in the Dooms (laws) of King Edgar. The name of the hundred was normally that of its meeting-place.
Somerton Hundred originated as a Royal Estate before the Norman Conquest and may have included the parishes later included in the Pitney Hundred.
The Hundred of Somerton consisted of the ancient parishes of: Aller, West Camel, Charlton Adam, Charlton Mackrell, Kingston, East Lydford, Somerton, Long Sutton, and Yeovilton. It covered an area of 25,450 acres (10,300 ha).
The importance of the hundred courts declined from the seventeenth century. By the 19th century several different single-purpose subdivisions of counties, such as poor law unions, sanitary districts, and highway districts sprang up, filling the administrative role previously played by parishes and hundreds. Although the Hundreds have never been formally abolished, their functions ended with the establishment of county courts in 1867 and the introduction of districts by the Local Government Act 1894.