Somerton grew to be the capital of Wessex in the 7th century until Alfred the Great established Winchester as the new seat of government.
Somerton is a lovely mellow town with a wide 17th century square, with an octagonal market cross, town hall, elegant houses and inns. The Parish church dedicated to St Michael contains one of the finest wooden roofs in the county carved by the monks of nearby Muchelney Abbey.
A programme of events is held throughout the summer including the popular week long Somerton Arts Festival which takes place annually in July.
The town has a fascinating audio trail which is available to hire from the local information centre.
Somerton is an ideal base for exploring the tranquil South Somerset countryside. A self guided 80 mile cycle route around South Somerset tours through Somerton on its way across the Somerset Levels.
Close by is the River Parrett trail, a 50 mile footpath, which follows the course of the river from its source in Dorset across the Somerset Levels to the sea at Steart.
There is a choice of places to eat and sleep in the town and surrounding countryside making Somerton ideal for a relaxing Country Break.