An online poll saw two of the county s oldest locations voted the best in Somerset. Travel Somerset ran a contest to see which were our favourites streets. Vicars Close, in Wells came out on top, with the A396 in Dunster the runner up when the result was announced on Somerset Day (Tuesday, May 11). Vicars Close is the oldest street in Europe, with construction started in 1348. It is home to the Wells Cathedral choir and is 140 metres in length. The main street in Dunster has a 1609 market cross - not forgetting a castle at the end of the street. Dunster
RUNNER UP: The A396 in Dunster
An online poll saw two of the county s oldest locations voted the best in Somerset. Travel Somerset ran a contest to see which were our favourites streets. Vicars Close, in Wells came out on top, with the A396 in Dunster the runner up when the result was announced on Somerset Day (Tuesday, May 11). Vicars Close is the oldest street in Europe, with construction started in 1348. It is home to the Wells Cathedral choir and is 140 metres in length. The main street in Dunster has a 1609 market cross - not forgetting a castle at the end of the street. Dunster
RUNNER UP: The A396 in Dunster
Burnham-On-Sea’s Abbeyfield House has held a Somerset Day celebration attended by Burnham and Highbridge’s Mayor.
Residents and trustees at the home for independent living for residents 55+ marked Somerset Day with several activities.
House Manager Sarah Moseley and her staff arranged an outside skittles match on the front lawn followed by a sampling of varieties of Somerset cheeses and ciders.
House Chairman David Underwood added: “The residents thoroughly enjoyed the morning and we were honoured to be joined by the Mayor of Burnham and Highbridge Town Council, Cllr Mike Facey, who has kindly agreed to be the contact for the Town Council with Abbeyfield House over the next year.”
5. Old Midsummer’s Day (July 5)
Back in the days of the ‘Open Field System’ it was necessary to ensure that everyone was treated fairly with an equal chance of acquiring decent strips and naff strips of land. We know that a bizarre method of parcelling out the strips persisted in Congresbury and Puxton on the Saturday preceding Old Midsummer’s until 1811 which involved tattooed apples (e.g. one bearing a ‘dung fork’) being extracted from a hat or bag (a bit like the FA Cup draw) and said apples determining the strips you got. I particularly like that the serious business of the day was followed by ‘hearty mirth’. Oh yes.