LATEST
Taking a PuntAlthough normally associated with boater-wearing undergraduates at Oxford or Cambridge, not many people know that you can actually go punting in Somerset – and the boater is completely optional.
There’s been a boating station on Forester Road in Bath from 1833, and ever since 1879 it has been the domain of one family through four generations. This August, ‘Somerset Life’ looks at the history of the Bath Boating Station READ MORE »  OTHER ARTICLES
From the Dark Ages to the Green RevolutionTo the medieval builders of Dunster Castle energy management would have consisted of shutting the great oak doors and throwing a few more logs on the fire. They would be astonished if they could see what’s happening to the place today. But, the National Trust is taking far-sighted action to ensure that Dunster Castle sets a national example for energy conservation as we discover in the July issue. READ MORE » 
Pier ReviewOpened three times, collapsed once, but still going strong, in the May issue of ‘Somerset Life’ we chart the history of Clevedon Pier.
Standing on the end of Clevedon Pier on a wet, windswept day, I found it hard to believe that had it not been for the efforts of some very determined local people, this beautiful example of Victorian engineering might well have been lost forever.
READ MORE » 
Number One for GeorgianHands up everyone who watched the recent BBC series ‘Cranford’ and shed a little tear at the end. Part of the attraction of a good costume production is the sentimental, tissue-clenching melodrama; part is seeing Dame Judi and her like doing their stuff; and part is the feeling of a vision into Britain’s past. The latter is exactly what you get when you go to No 1 Royal Crescent in Bath. So, what was life really like in 18th-century Bath? ‘Somerset Life’ goes to No I Royal Crescent to find out READ MORE » 
Saving a TheatreThe most oft-quoted statement made about the Bristol Old Vic is that it is the oldest continuously working theatre in the country, which is a tad ironic because at the moment it is closed. When the Bristol Old Vic (or rather the Theatre Royal Bristol) shut rather abruptly in July last year, concerns were expressed about whether it would actually reopen. Scott Rogers, Head of Communication and Development at the Bristol Old Vic, assures me, repeatedly, that it will. READ MORE » 
Royal Icing on the CakeAs The Queen and Prince Philip celebrate 60 years of marriage this month, Kay Foulger-Sparkes reminisces on the day her father, owner of a bakery in Castle Cary, offered to make the royal couple a wedding cake and takes us back 60 years to a time of rationing and petrol at the equivalent of 10p a litre. READ MORE » 
THE CINEMA IN SOMERSETSomerset’s small independent cinemas have kept their doors open to loyal film lovers in recent times, despite the rise in popularity of video, DVD and out-of-town multiplexes. The stories and people behind the survival of our local cinemas are often as fascinating as the films themselves. Read all about the Curzon Cinema, Clevedon; the Ritz Cinema, Burnham-on-Sea; The Little Theatre, Bath; Wells Film Centre and Axbridge Film Society in the September issue. READ MORE » 
| Welcome Aboard!The sight and sound of a paddle steamer along the Bristol Channel coast of Somerset was once a common occurrence. This June, ‘Somerset Life’ looks at the history of the ‘Waverley’, the last sea-going paddle steamer in the world. The Bristol Channel, with its two distinctive coasts and many ports and harbours on both the English and Welsh sides, was ideal for the introduction of passenger ship services. In 1889, the Campbell brothers, having moved their operations from the Clyde to Bristol, started running regular excursion-type services in the Bristol Channel. The new services marked the start of a heyday in steam sailing in the Bristol Channel. READ MORE » 
It’s a Trust ThingSomerset and neighbouring Gloucestershire are home to the largest concentration of National Trust properties in the country, so as Trust properties across the county begin opening their doors for another season, you’ll find plenty of reasons to get out and about. READ MORE » 
Icon of the WestAlongside Cheddar Gorge, Stonehenge and the Clifton Suspension Bridge, Wells Cathedral, and in particular the west front, is one of the most significant iconic images of the Westcountry. So it is not surprising that after filming ‘Hot Fuzz’ in Wells, the producers, seeking anonymity, went to such efforts to digitally paint out the magnificent building. It may be more than 700 years old but Wells Cathedral is a thriving 21st-century space READ MORE » 
Seasonal Come DancingIf you’re looking for a way of getting into the festive mood then you could think about dusting off your dancing shoes. The famous sunken dance floor at the Winter Gardens Pavilion in Weston-super-Mare is playing host to a wide range of balls and dances over the Christmas period. Many will probably remember the days of the swinging ’60s when top bands such as Fleetwood Mac, the Tremeloes and Marmalade would entice more than a couple of thousand people into the ballroom. READ MORE » 
Leading Edge of Naval HeritageOne hundred years ago the Wright brothers offered the Admiralty an aeroplane, but the latter declined the proposal on the basis that it ‘will not be any practical use to the naval service’. The Fleet Air Arm Museum at RNAS Yeovilton could be seen as a testament to how absurdly wrong they were. It’s been described as a national museum in a rural setting and we are extremely fortunate to have such an important and fascinating museum on our doorstep, as we discover in the October issue. READ MORE » 
|
|
SUBSCRIPTION OFFER
ONLINE PUBLICATIONS
Somerset Walks
Whether you choose a woodland trail, a stroll through Lorna Doone country, a walk centred around impressive geological features or on spectacular viewpoints, our wonderful selection of Somerset walks, which feature monthly in the magazine, will bring you chance encounters with Exmoor ponies, feral goats, rabbits, kestrels, buzzards, red deer and butterflies.
Read More >>
Garden Visits
Inspirational visits to gardens across the county feature in Somerset Life every month and here we give you a taste of just six of them, most of which are open to the public and guaranteed to enlighten and enthral.
Read More >>
Celebrity Interviews
Characters from the county talk to us every month about their lives and loves, and this selection captures the flavour and variety of six of these celebrity interviews. You can catch up with the latest interview in the current issue of Somerset Life.
Read More >>
10 good reasons to visit...
In this popular series which features every month in Somerset Life, we take a deeper look at what there is to see and do in villages and towns across the county.
Read More >>
|