Wellington Museum Wellington Park

(The above photographs were kindly provided by Wellington Camera Club)

Happy 2012 to one and all.
I would be very grateful if anyone spotting dead links could inform me. All small adverts, including shops, can be found on the Companies and services page. Please also check out the Links page as there are additional links for accommodation, a number of links to tourist attractions in the area, plus a few to local businesses who do not advertise on the website. I am grateful to the many Clubs and organizations who keep me updated with their contact details and activities. Please note that all links that connect to other websites open in a new window.
Finally, I have been running this website as a hobby for nearly 13 years now and I feel it is time to move on. If there is anyone out there who would like to take over, please contact me for discussions at

and put "Wellington Website" in the subject line.

Wellington is a small country town standing between the River Tone and the beautiful Blackdown Hills. It has a large number of speciality shops from which you can buy a wide range of goods. Apart from the items mentioned on the left, there are gift shops, an oriental carpet shop, a health food store, an artisan baker, an ironmongers, and independent clothes and shoe shops. Local meats and cheeses are available and a farmers market is held every first and third Saturday of the month. The town also boasts 3 supermarket chains, Waitrose, Asda, and the Co-op.

There are also several pubs and cafés and, as it is so close to Junction 26 of the M5, Wellington is an ideal place to break a long journey.

Wellington Food Town is a major initiative to make Wellington the 'Food Town' of Somerset and is a partnership between Somerset Food Links, Taunton Deane Borough Council and Wellington Economic Partnership. Click here for more information on the food available in and around Wellington.

The Museum is open from Easter to the end of September: Monday to Friday 10.00a.m.-4p.m., Saturday 10.00a.m.-1.00 p.m. From October to mid December it is open on Saturdays only 10.00a.m.-1.00 p.m. Entry is FREE. Directions: 200 yards west of traffic lights in centre of town.

The earliest reference to the town is to be found in a grant made between 899 and 909 where it was called "Weolingtun". The town was also mentioned in the Domesday Book, which recorded that land at "Walintone" and West Buckland was being worked by 61 farmers, 65 smallholders and 32 serfs.

The award-winning Wellington Park, which was given to Wellington town by the Fox family in 1903, has been restored thanks to a Heritage Lottery grant. The park was designed by F W Meyer of Exeter firm Veitch and Sons and is an important example of late Victorian design. The Friends of Wellington Park arrange a number of events in the park during the Summer months. (Photograph provided by Wellington Camera Club)

Wellington Monument

Wellington Monument, built in honour of the Duke of Wellington, is a major landmark in the area and visible from many parts of the town. Although Arthur Wellesley took his title of "Viscount Wellington of Wellington and Talavera" from Wellington in Somerset in 1809, and later became Duke of Wellington, he is reputed to have visited the town only once (in 1819), even though he had an estate in the area. The monument, which is 175 ft. high, is on the highest point of the Blackdown Hills in what was the Duke's own land. The first stone was laid in 1817 and it was finally completed in 1892. The views from the Monument across the Vale of Taunton to the Bristol Channel and Exmoor are well worth seeing.

Apart from the connection with the Duke of Wellington (the reason he chose Wellington for his title is unknown) the town of Wellington was also involved in the Monmouth Rebellion. The secret of the Duke of Monmouth's advance was discovered at the Half Moon Inn in North Street (now a small garden area) and this began a chain of events which led to Monmouth's eventual defeat at Sedgemoor.

Sir John Popham (1533-1607) was a Lord Chief Justice of England who took part in the trials of Guy Fawkes, Mary Queen of Scots and Sir Walter Raleigh. The mansion he built in Wellington was destroyed during the Civil War and stood where there are now playing fields, south-east of The Court. His monument stands in Wellington Parish Church.

Wellington was a keen contender in the South West in Bloom competition for 25 years and won the Portman Cup and gold medal in the category for medium-sized towns five times. In 2009 Wellington was awarded Silver Gilt. However, in 2010 the town pulled out of the competition due to financial constraints.

Wellington is twinned with Immenstadt, Lillebonne and Torres Vedras.