founded by Bp. Still for Women. Mr. Bricks built an Alms House for four poor Men; Mr. Llewelin another for Women. Archibald Harper, a Stocking Man, built another Hospital here, and endowed it with 500l. to maintain 4 poor Woolcombers. Mr. Andrews, a Mer. cer, gave an Alms House for 4 poor Women.

The Bp's. Palace is one of the handsomeft in the K. On the S. Side it looks like a Caftle, being fortified by Ralph de Salopia, in the Reign of Ed. I. with Walls and a Moat; and near it is St. Andrew's Well, one of the fineft Springs in Engl. The Deanry is also a fine Houfe, and here are alfo good Houses for the Prebendaries; the Streets are broad, and the Houses about 600. Some Bone Lace is made here, but the Poor are moftly em. ployed in knitting of Hofe. St. Cuthbert's Parifh is 7 M. long and four broad, and contains feveral Hamlets. In the Middle of the Town was the old Market Place, called the Cross, and near it is another Market House lately built, which is alfo the Town Houfe, where the Corporation meet, and where the Judges hold their Affizes. The Town itfelf has a little River, called the Welve, running at the Back of it.

Bridgewater, 143 M. from Lond. is one of the moft confiderable T. in the Shire, as it is a Port, a ParliamentBor. and a Thoroughfare. The Caftle was built by W. de Briwere, who alfo founded St. John's Hofpital. The Key called the Haven was made firft by him, after which he began building the Stone Bridge over the Parret, which was finished by Thomas Trivet, a Cornish Man. After finishing thefe Buildings, the Town began to flourish. When the Duke of Monmouth came here in 1685, he resided at the Castle, was here proclaimed King, and touched for the Evil with as much Effect as any of his Ancestors. The River Parret is navigable to the Thane, and from thence to Taunton. The Tide runs ftrong 10 M. above Bridgewater. On a Spring the Head of the Tide, or, as it is here called the Boar, comes in foaming and roaring fo furiously, that it would do Mifchief, if the Sailors and Boatmen, who hear it coming a good Way off, were not on their Guard. The Reafon of this Boar is

afcribed to the heightning and fhoaling of the River *; the Town ftands 12 M. from the Start Point, where the River discharges itself into the Bristol Channel, and a Spring Tide rifes 22 F. at the Key. This River abounds with Salmon, Roach, Dace, Jack, Eels, and Elvers . Ships of 200 Tons may come up to the Key. This Convenience for Navigation caufes a good Coaft Trade to Brifol, and all down the Severn, to Wales for Coals, and to Cornwall for Slates: the Receipt of the Customs amount to 3000 . a Year, clear of Salaries, Incidents, &c. Its foreign Trade is chiefly Portugal and Newfoundland, and fometimes up the Streights. Here is a good Market, which abounds with Provifions of all Kinds, and furnishes Corn for Exportation: it has been famous for the Woolen Manufactory, but now chiefly for Leather. The Freemen are free of all the Ports of Engl. but Lond. and of Ireland except Dublin. The Town ftands on a fmall Afcent, for the moft Part on a Gravelly Soil. There is a fpacious Town Hall and high Crofs, plain but in good Repair, and over it a Cistern, to which Water is conveyed from a Brook by an Engine fixed in that formerly called the Queen's Mill, and from this Ciftern it is carried into most of the Streets. The Church is large but plain, and its Spire the third loftieft in Engl. Here is alfo a large Free School built of Free Stone, and under it are Lodgings for the Poor of the Parish; and there is a very neat AlmsHouse built by Mayor Ingram. This Town is famous for the Birth of Admiral Blake. The Country betwixt this Place and the Sea, and Northward upon the Coast, lies low, and is employed for Pafture. The Road, called the lower Way from hence to Bristol, is not always paffable, being fubject to dangerous Inundations.

Minehead, 23 M. from Bridgewater, r67 from Lond. is an ancient Borough Town on the Bristol Channel near

Pbilofoph. Tranfact. See Lovthorp's Abridgem. vol. II. p. 226.

Elvers are a fort of fmall Eel, which, at certain Times of the Year, fwim upon the Surface of the Water, in great Numbers. These they skim up in fmall Nets, and, by a peculiar way of dreffing, make into little Cakes, and so fent them up. A Dish, feldom to be met with out of this County Į

4

Dunfer

Dunfter Caftle, much frequented by Paffengers to and from Ireland. Here have been feveral ufeful, tho' expenfive, Improvements made in the Key, Pier, and Beach, which are of very great Emolument to the Inhabitants. The Town is well built, and fituate on the Declivity of a Hill. The Pier is capable of receiving Ships of the largest Burthen. The Cuftom-Houfe joins to the Pier.

Taunton, 148 M. from Lond. on the River Tone, one of the biggest Boroughs in Engl. delightfully feated, and very populous; a Place of great Note for Manufactures of Serges, Duroys, Sagathees, &. The River Tone is made navigable hither. There is alfo a Bridge over the Tone of fix Arches. The Streets are fpacious, and kept clean. St. Mary Magdalen's Church is a fpacious Edifice, with a lofty Tower and ftately Pinacles, adorned with carv'd Work. Grey's Hofpital is a large brick Building, for the Support of fix Men and ten Women at 25. a Week; here is alfo a well-endowed Grammar School. The Country for about 30 M. is called the Vale of Taunton, and commonly called TauntonDean, a very pleasant fruitful Country. Where the Parret mixes with the Tone, a little Ifland is formed called Athelney, faid to be the Hiding-place of the Saxon King Alfred.

Illchefter or Ivelchefter, 125 M. from Lond. fo called because it once had a Castle, and fituated on the River Ivil, over which is a Bridge. 'Tis noted for being the Birth Place of Friar Bacon.

Milbourn Port, 2 M. from Sherborne, 115 from Lond. is fo very antient a Borough, as to be mentioned in Domesday Book, but has nothing remarkable.

Glaftonbury, 5 M. from Wells, 121 from Lond. is in a Spot almoft encompaffed with Rivers. The Soil is fertile, and adapted to the Growth of Apples. The Abbey is faid to have been founded about 30 Years after the Death of Christ, by Jofeph of Arimathea, who, as well as his immediate Succeffors, lived in a Hutt made of Earth, and covered with Boughs. But however that be, there are authentic Accounts of a Settlement of Chriftian Monks at this Place in the beginning of the 5th Century. The Church is faid to have been built by C6

the

the W. Saxon King Ina, who loaded it with immenfe Revenue.

The Torr, fo called from the Tower that ftands on it, is a Hill that rifes like a Pyramid to a great Height, and is a Land Mark to Seamen, it being higher Ground than any within 10 M. of the Place, and the Afcent extreamly difficult. The Abbey was one of the richest and moft magnificent in the World, as is evident from its Ruins: Many of the Saxon Kings were interred in it. The Walls that still remain, are overgrown with Ivy, and the Afpect of the whole is venerable. The Kitchen belonging to the Abbey is ftill entire; built of Stone, without the Addition of any Thing combustible.

Moft Perfons have read or heard of the Hawthorn, faid to bloffom on Chriftmas Day. That there was a Hawthorn in the Church Yard, and that it was of a particular Kind, and bloffomed earlier than common, is true; but that it was at Christmas is falfe. A mineral Water was difcovered here a few Years fince; it arifes from feveral united Streams, impregnated with Minerals of very different Natures. The Blood or Chalice-well is fituated on the Declivity of a Hill, and has 2 Sources. Something higher on the Side of the fame Hill is another Spring, equal in its mineral Properties to the Waters of the Chalice-well; and farther to the Southward arifes another Stream, the Water of which, from its uncommon Softnefs, feems to be impregnated with Line or Chalk Stone. Thefe, all joining at the Foot of the Hill, form one Stream, and are the Waters drank at this Place.

Wellington on the River Thone, 151 M. from Lond. has a large Church in the Road from Taunton to Exeter.

Dulverton, 168 M. from Lond. ftands in the Road from Lond. to Truro, on a hilly Moor, with a Stone ridge over a Branch of the River Ex. 'Tis a pretty Town with a good Market, and in the Neighbourhood Mines of Lead.

are

Langport, 130 Miles from London, a well frequented Town on the Parret, between Bridgewater and Crewtern.

Dunfter,

Dunfter, 2 M. from Minehead, 164 from Lond. is an ancient Town on the Shore of the Severn Sea, encompaffed on all Sides, except that towards the Sea, with Hills. The Caftle has two Wings and three Towers, and has a fine Profpect of a Vale 2 M. long, bounded by the Severn: The Fortifications are in a ruinous Condition. It was given, by William the Conqueror, to William de Mohun; but, in Procefs of Time, was fold to the Lady Elizabeth Lutterell, Daughter of Hugh Courtenai, E. of Devonshire, and Widow of Sir Andrew Lutterell, Kt. in whofe Family it ftill continues.

Watchet, 153 M. from London is an ancient SeaPort on the fame Coaft, having a Pier built by Sir William Windham. The Inhabitants extract a great Quantity of alcaline Salt from the Ashes of Sea Weed, and fell it to the Glass Manufacturers at Bristol.

Yeovil, 124 M. from Lond. fometimes called Ivil from a River of that Name, a Branch of the Parret betwixt Crewkern and Sherborn. It is a Thoroughfare on the W. Poft Road to the Land's End. The Streets are narrow, and, for the most Part, mean; but the Church is large, and has a good Ring of Bells.

At Camalet and Chesterton near Somerton are the Remains of a Roman Camp, and Abundance of Coins and other Antiquities are often dug up here.

Somerton ftands on a Branch of the River Parret, 129 M. from Lond. in the Midway between Wells and Crewkern. This Town gave Name to the County; it is a Poft Town, and very healthy, though the Moors are fo near it. The chief Support of it are its Market, and Fairs for Cattle, which are fed on a Moor about a M. off, where are 20,000 Acres of good grazing Land, on which all the Inhabitants have a Right of commoning.

Axbridge, 130 M. from Lond. a Borough under Mendip Hills, takes its Name from the River Axe, by which 'tis watered, about 7 M. from its Mouth. The Church is a large Building, whofe Tower has two antique Statues, one on the E. another on the W. Here is an Almfhouse well endowed; the Town is fmall, but very neat.

Chedder,